Roberto Martella’s philosophy was centered on "commensality"—the act of building community by breaking bread together. In 1986, he and his wife, Lucia, opened Grano on Yonge Street in Midtown Toronto. For over 30 years, Grano served as a salon for political debate, cultural exchange, and lifelong learning.
It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of [Name], a beloved [husband/father/friend/community leader] who left an indelible mark on all who knew him.
Funeral services for Roberto Martella will be held on [Date] at [Funeral Home/ Church]. Visitation will be from [Time] to [Time] at [Funeral Home], and a celebration of life will take place at [Church] at [Time]. Interment will follow at [Cemetery]. roberto martella obituary
, a renowned figure in Toronto’s culinary and cultural scene who founded the iconic Italian restaurant
Martella regularly hosted formal speeches and informal debates on pressing civic issues, making his restaurant a vital center of social cohesion. It is with a heavy heart that we
The search for the ends not with sadness, but with a celebration. Roberto lived a life of quiet impact. He did not seek fame, but he earned reverence. He did not chase wealth, but he died rich in love.
Roberto didn’t just lay bricks; he told stories with stone. He often joked, “The mortar holds the rocks together, but the hands hold the soul.” His attention to detail was legendary. He would refuse a job if he couldn’t do it perfectly, a stubbornness that cost him contracts but earned him a reputation for integrity. Interment will follow at [Cemetery]
Roberto was also a master ciabatta baker. Every Christmas, he would bake over 200 loaves of bread for friends, clients, and the priests at St. Leonard’s. “Bread is life,” he would say. “You don’t eat alone.”
In their official announcement, his children wrote: “Dad taught us that a man’s wealth is not measured in dollars, but in the cracks he fills, the hands he shakes, and the meals he shares. He was a stone among stones—solid, unpolished, and eternal. We will lay him to rest, but he will never be buried in our hearts.”