Today's Case:
Cenare's House Dressing
Subject: Re: Cenare's house dressing
From: Melanie
To: Phaedrus
Date: 4/26/2026, 5:00 PM
On 4/26/2026 3:43 PM, Melanie wrote:
Hello! I am looking for the house Italian dressing recipe that was used at Cenare in
College Station back in the 80’s. The original owner was Fred Fontana.
Best mouth watering dressing ever. Then the ownership changed.
Hello Melanie,
I found these bits about Cenare on the web, provided by Gemini. It appears that most of the information came from KBTX News 3:
Cenare - Co-owner Julie White. (I did not find any mention of Fred Fontana other than in his 2009 obituary. If the Cerone family's
recipe was different and you want Fred Fontana's recipe, then I cannot offer you any hope of finding it.)
House Dressing Type: The restaurant was known for serving fresh salads with a house-made vinaigrette dressing.
Menu Items: Their menu historically offered a "Greek Salad" with a lemon/olive oil dressing, as well as an "Italian Chicken Salad"
with a vinaigrette dressing.
The location previously occupied by Cenare has been succeeded by other Italian dining concepts in College Station, such as Casa Mangiare.
Cenare's menu: Cenare's
Old Yelp reviews: Yelp!
Located at 404 University Drive East for nearly 40 years, the family-owned restaurant was well-known for its house Italian dressing and traditional dishes.
The closure was attributed to rising rent costs and increased competition from newer local dining options.
Ownership: For many years, the restaurant was run by Houda Cerone, while her husband Giovanni operated Mr. G's Pizzeria in Bryan.
The couple sold Cenare in late 2017 to focus on Mr. G's.
Final Owners: The restaurant's final operations were managed by co-owner Julie White before it ultimately closed in 2019.
Family Tradition: The Cerone family has deep roots in the Bryan-College Station culinary scene, with their son Rami also owning Caffe Capri.
Gemini said this about "Caffe Capri":
Caffé Capri, located in Downtown Bryan (just minutes from College Station), is currently open and celebrating over 30 years of business as a staple of the local Italian dining scene.
Caffe Capri is owned by Rami Cerone, who opened the doors in 1995 following the culinary footsteps of his parents, who owned the recently closed Cenare and the legendary Mr. G's Pizzeria. Their Facebook page is: Caffe Capri
Caffé Capri is famous for its house-made Italian dressing, which is a creamy, tangy blend. While the restaurant closely guards its exact family recipes—some of which were so secret that the owner’s father would chase people out of the kitchen before preparing them—local enthusiasts have shared "copycat" versions that aim to replicate the flavor.
Availability: You can enjoy the dressing during dine-in service at their Downtown Bryan location.
Gemini's Copycat Recipe Profile: According to local community members, a recipe that closely mirrors the "Capri style" includes:
Base: Equal parts mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, and water.
Seasoning: A blend of sugar (to taste), dried basil, and oregano.
The "Secret" Ingredient: Many residents suggest using a packet of Good Seasons Italian Dressing powder to achieve the specific restaurant tang.
I could not find any dressing recipe at all from Cenare or from "Mr. G's Pizza" or from "Caffe Capri."
You might experiment with Gemini's copycat recipe profile and see if you can come up with something similar.
Your last resort might be to call Caffé Capri and beg Rami for his parents' original Cenare dressing recipe.
I will post this for reader input.
Phaed
