Mino’s Cucina Italiana offered 'divine' food and 'cozy atmosphere' | Wausau restaurants readers miss most

WAUSAU − Last year, we asked readers which former restaurants they missed most in the Wausau area. Readers suggested almost 40 restaurants that they miss in the community. Over the next several weeks, we will finish highlighting the top six restaurants Wausau Daily Herald readers miss most.

We recently featured The Wright Place on 6th at No. 6, Bill's Fine Food at No. 5 and Ponderosa Steakhouse at No. 4.

No. 3: Mino’s Cucina Italiana

Mino Spada learned to cook while working part time at a restaurant in his native Italy.

"I love to cook. I relax cooking," he told the Daily Herald in 1996. "I end up cooking at home. In a way, it's a hobby that becomes what you do."

So it was no surprise when Mino and Kathy Spada opened Mino's Cucina Italiana in November 1993 in the former Ronnoco's building at 900 Golf Club Road in Wausau. The restaurant employed about 10 people when it opened and seated 80 diners. It specialized in all Italian foods, particularly seafood, in a supper club atmosphere, according to Daily Herald archives.

"Mino's was one of those special dining places, locally owned, with a special, cozy atmosphere," said one reader who voted in the Daily Herald survey. "Gosh, I miss that place. ... I have fond flashbacks of our special celebrations there."

The reader went on to describe the interior of the restaurant and what made it special.

There was one area with private, cozy, curved velvet-lined booths that sat no more than four people, she said. "It was dim, quiet and romantic," she remembered. "Italian music played softly in the background, which was very pleasant to the ears." The tables were covered with linen cloths and in the center were real candles. "And customers dressed up to dine there," she wrote. She said she and her now-deceased husband celebrated several anniversaries and special occasions in that room.

Another section was a general dining room for larger groups. It was a bit more casual, but the tables were also covered with linen tablecloths, she said. Guests dressed up to dine in that section too. In between the two dining areas was a full bar with some seating.

"The food was authentic and delicious; this was not a chain restaurant," the woman wrote.

The menu included pasta of all kinds, steak, pizza and seafood. Main courses ranged from the simple and inexpensive spaghetti Bolognese to higher-end steak and veal. Mino’s also had a standard selection of wines and a well-stocked bar with premium brands, according to Daily Herald archives.

"It was where all us true blue-blood Italians beelined to dine," wrote another readers. (Mino) was born and raised in Italy and was an AMAZING cook. The menu should have been bronzed. If a server couldn't understand what dish you were looking for, Mino would come to your table, ask you to describe it, and would ultimately shout, 'I can make that for you!'"

Readers also recalled specialty drinks, the bread dipping oil that was served to everyone, their soups and entrees, and their exquisite desserts − which included tiramisu, raspberry walnut cheesecake and chocolate mousse.

"The atmosphere was so inviting. The bartenders and waitstaff were great and the food was divine," wrote another reader who voted in the survey. "We celebrated many birthdays and special events there."

The longstanding Italian restaurant on Wausau's northeast side remained a favorite for local diners for nearly two decades. News articles announced its closure in July 2011.

The history of 900 Golf Club Road in Wausau

Mino's Cucina Italiana restaurant open in November 1993 at 900 Golf Club Road and remained opened for 18 years, closing its doors in July 2011.

But before it became Mino's, the location was home to several other Wausau restaurants. Until it was destroyed by fire in December 1981, the LoMar Supper Club occupied the corner of Sixth Street and Golf Club Road. Then, a new building was constructed in 1982 and Julia B. Mark opened the Topaz restaurant serving European cuisine and Sweet Old Bills lounge, which featured jazz and swing music of the 30s and 40s, in December of that year. Later, under new management, the restaurant became Gregory's, which offered upscale cuisine. Ronnoco's Pasta House served Italian cuisine in the space from August 1990 until late 1992, according to Daily Herald archives.

It’s now bb Jack's, a pizza and sandwich lounge that opened in 2010, according to its website. The business also has locations in De Forest and Cottage Grove. bb Jack's offers a full menu that includes salads, wraps, flatbreads, soups, sandwiches, burgers and more.

Editor Jamie Rokus can be reached at jrokus@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus.

This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: Wausau restaurants: Mino’s Cucina Italiana offered 'divine' food