We’re the family members of the Alioto-Lazio Fish Company; actually the proper name is F. Alioto Company. But because we are one of the many of the Alioto clan, we needed to distinguish ourselves so we used our grandmother’s maiden name of Alioto and our grandfather’s surname of Lazio, making it the Alioto-Lazio Fish Company.
Published: September, 2001
We’re the family members of the Alioto-Lazio Fish Company; actually the proper name is F. Alioto Company. But because we are one of the many of the Alioto clan, we needed to distinguish ourselves so we used our grandmother’s maiden name of Alioto and our grandfather’s surname of Lazio, making it the Alioto-Lazio Fish Company.
It all began 50 years ago with our grandfather, Tom Lazio and one of my grandmother’s brothers and another relative. They started the company back when the San Francisco Bay fishing industry was rich in crab and other fish from the Straits of Carquinez on the inland reaches of San Francisco Bay to the shorelines of Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda and just outside the Golden Gate near the Farallon Islands.
Through the years the family business has been passed down to the women in our family, three generations of us that include, myself Angela Cincotta, my sisters, Annette Traverso and Mary Ann Shepherd, our mother, Stephanie Cincotta and our grandmother, Annetta Alioto Lazio who has taken the lead at 96 years of age. We’re a woman owned and operated fish company with a rich Fisherman’s Wharf family history steeped in the tradition of San Francisco Italian Immigrant Fishermen and family honor, the Alioto-Lazio Fish Company stands for quality products and quality service.
Today, our customer base reaches across the United States with overnight delivery’s promising, " The sound of the waves crashing against the fishing boats hull. Hear the seagulls above as the men haul in their catch. Smell the salt air! Fresh off the Boat! Pacific Ocean Fish…" And depending on the season we carry: Dungeness crab, Salmon, Petrale, Halibut, English, Sand Sole, Albacore, Ahi Tuna and Sand Dabs. Our loyal customers come back to us year after year constantly surprised by our ability to greet them by name at the door like a family member. It’s these same customers that depend on our services like our Grandfather, Tom Lazio taught us.
Most days begin with the boats leaving before sunrise and returning before noon in order to deliver the fresh catch to restaurants in time for lunch. We stock product to meet our customer’s needs whether that’s delivered by unloading a boat at the back dock or unloading a truck at our front door.
Being located on Fisherman’s Wharf for 50 years gives us the advantage of showing tourists and school children what it is like to work with live fish. Our salt-water tanks are filled with West Coast Live Dungeness Crab and East Coast Live Lobster! You’re even welcome to watch us unload the boats. The tricky part is keeping your curiosity under control. When hoisting and manipulating 500 pounds of fish at a time from boat to dock to forklift, safety of all is a priority. Everyone wants to see, which is great, but 10,000 lbs later we need to make sure neither the crab nor the crowd have lost any fingers.
We welcome School field trips visiting Fisherman’s Wharf; the children are greeted with impromptu presentations and our collection of fishing industry memorabilia, which supports education in order to enhance public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of our rich San Francisco Bay heritage and livelihood.
So at the end of the day, when we close our doors, we’ve given back Fisherman’s Wharf visitors and local residents something authentic—Fresh Pacific Ocean Fish AND TRUE SAN FRANCISCO HOSPITALITY!
