Tresetti’s owner Mitch Maisetti dies at 57

Modesto restaurateur Mitch Maisetti – a forerunner in downtown’s revival – died Friday on his 57th birthday, following an illness.

He was best known, along with partner Paul Tremayne, as an owner of Tresetti’s World Caffé, which they opened 20 years ago and remains a downtown fixture.

Maisetti also co-owned two other now-closed restaurants: Clayton’s and Jax on H. He was co-owner of the Tiki Cocktail Lounge on McHenry Avenue for about 30 years. Maisetti’s wife, Tammy, played a key role in the family business.

Maisetti and Tremayne started Tresetti’s at a time when downtown had few fine-dining restaurants and well before the opening of Brenden Theatres and the Gallo Center for the Arts.

“He was the original pioneer of restaurants in downtown Modesto,” Fat Cat Music House & Lounge General Manager Chris Ricci said. “He came downtown at a time when no one else had the courage to do something. Not only did he survive but he was outrageously successful.”

Friends said restaurants and bars were a natural fit for Maisetti because of his outsize personality and love of people.

“He loved making people happy,” said Joan Smith, who grew up with Maisetti in Patterson and had been his friend for 50 years. “He really loved downtown. He thought downtown should thrive and be the downtown of old.”

She said Maisetti attended Patterson High School, where he played football and wrestled. And his mother, Pat, was mayor of the West Side city. Smith said she and Maisetti and other classmates cruised McHenry Avenue after football games in the 1970s.

“Modesto was like the high life back in those days,” she said.

Smith said Maisetti was devoted to his family and found time for them despite his hectic schedule. His survivors include his wife and sons, Jordan and Jaxon. Another son, Jeremiah, died in 2004.

Smith said Maisetti loved to travel, especially to New Orleans. He and his wife visited as often as two or three times a year because of their love of the city’s food and music.

Family members declined to comment and referred questions to Smith. She confirmed Maisetti died Friday after an illness but declined to say more. She said the funeral will be private but the family will hold a celebration of life the public can attend at Tresetti’s.

Smith said the family will close the street in front of the restaurant as it does for its annual Mardi Gras street party. This year’s party is today.

“He loved Mardi Gras and he would be so mad at us if we canceled it,” Smith said. “He would be livid. No matter what happened, you did your job to the best of your ability. That was his creed and we have to respect that for him, even though it’s going to be hard.”

This story was originally published February 28, 2014 at 8:29 PM with the headline "Tresetti’s owner Mitch Maisetti dies at 57."