The Empty Seat at Positano: Los Angeles Mourns Beloved Owner Michelangelo Pinto

The kitchen lights at Locanda Positano are dimmed, and the community of Marina Del Rey is reeling from an immeasurable loss. Michelangelo Pinto—beloved husband, father, and friend—left us suddenly and unexpectedly on Saturday, October 11th. For over 15 years, Michelangelo poured his passion and kind spirit into his restaurant, serving not just food, but connection. He was a dedicated pillar of the community, and his loss has created a void so profound it feels like a piece of Los Angeles has gone missing. We mourn a life brutally cut short and an absence that will be felt by every patron, friend, and neighbor he knew.

An Unexpected Burden: The Heartfelt Plea for Help

The grief of losing Michelangelo so abruptly is compounded by the significant financial and emotional challenges now facing his heartbroken family. Funerals and memorials are costly enough, but the family’s most sacred wish is one that requires the community’s help: to fulfill Michelangelo’s final journey and reunite his ashes with his parents in Italy. This mission is a final act of love and respect, connecting him back to the homeland that shaped the kind soul we all adored. Every donation toward memorial services and his passage home is an act of supporting a family in their deepest hour of need and honoring a man who gave so much to us all.

Kindness and Dedication: Carrying Forward His Generous Spirit

Michelangelo Pinto’s dedication to his work, his family, and his friends was truly infectious. He built his business on a foundation of kindness and genuine care, making Locanda Positano a second home for many. As we say our goodbyes, let us carry forward his spirit: let us be kinder, more dedicated, and more generous, just as he was. We urge the Los Angeles community, especially those who shared a meal or a moment of laughter with him in Marina Del Rey, to contribute to the fund that will help his family through this devastation and achieve their heartfelt mission. Rest in peace, Michelangelo. Your legacy of passion and kindness will live on in every person you touched.