Like many who came to California in its early days, Onofrei Scarpulla had hoped to make his fortune as a gold miner but turned his attention to the food business.
He and his wife Vita Digardi became successful tamale manufacturers, using recipes created in the early California haciendas, and opened the first Tortola restaurant in Oakland in 1893.
The couple returned to San Francisco in 1922 ( they had left after the 1906 earthquake and fire) and opened the Tortola Tamale Café on Polk Street.
Their son Francis (1916-2005) eventually took over the business.
Tortola was famous for its ‘tortolettes – three-inch-long mini cocktail tamales that were served as appetizers with the purchase of alcoholic beverages or bought as bite-sized treats to take home.
The café, which also served Italian and American dishes, was hugely popular. Lines of customers would form outside, particularly after 49-er games.
A sign outside the restaurant wittily warned that its tequila was ‘veery veery’ strong.
Mr Scarpulla and his sons opened a second Tortola in San Rafael before he retired in 1977. His grandson Steven also ran a popular and modernized version of Tortola on Sacramento Street in the 1980s.