Donatellis Homemade Italian Food

Fifth Grader Phyllica Dehoop (center) with Gov. Mark Dayton (left), Principal Barb Kearn and Superintendent Michael Lovett (right)

WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. - Fifth grade students from Willow Lane Elementary school will take over Donatelli’s Restaurant starting February 28, 2012. The students will get to learn firsthand what it takes to operate a restaurant. They will work the hostess stand, wait on tables, deliver food and help out in the kitchen.

WHITE BEAR LAKE — For 35 years now Donatelli’s has served up its handmade Italian fare not just to paying customers but often free of charge to support local events.

Trish Appleby and Steve Donatelle, owners of the restaurant on County Road E, are recipients of "The Spirit of White Bear Tourism Award."

The award is given out every other year by Explore White Bear, a nonprofit aimed at promoting businesses and recreation activities in the area. A committee of its board members selects the honoree. Recent recipients were Pat and Carol McFarlane and the Jacobson family from Pine Tree Apple Orchard.

Read the whole article at the presspubs.com

Once again the students from Willow Lane Elementary school will take over Donatelli's Restaurant. We're excited to have the same group of students coming back that were here last year...

On May 4th, the 4th graders of Mrs. Anderson's Willow Lane Elementary School class took over Donatelli's Family Restaurant. From the front of the house to the back the restaurant was filled with ambitious young people serving family, friends and Donatelli's loyal customers...

Every year at Donatelli's we invite the kids from St. Andrew's Academy to spend a day in the life of a Donatelli's staff member, as part of an annual fund raising effort. The youngsters greet customers, wait on tables, prepare & serve food, box leftovers and bus dishes. Parents and siblings watch as the kids try to balance food while keeping their cool. It's a tad chaotic at times, but so much fun for everyone involved. Check out our gallery of photos...