Artie Bucco is Tony's one close civilian friend. They've known
each since high school, and when Tony went into his family's
business, so did Artie. He's the owner and chef of the Nuovo (New)
Vesuvio Restaurant, Tony's crew's favorite eatery.
Artie is fully aware of what Tony does for a living, and he's
both attracted and repelled by it. He enjoys the cachet of hanging
out with mobsters, and his affection for Tony is genuine. But that
affection was severely tested when Tony, looking for a way to
prevent his uncle from having someone murdered at Vesuvio, had the
restaurant blown up. When Artie found out, he went ballistic
himself, briefly threatening Tony with a hunting rifle. Ultimately,
though, Artie decided to forgive Tony, and welcomed him to his new
restaurant. His choice to be Tony Soprano's friend has cost Artie
more than just a restaurant, however. His wife, Charmaine - his
high school sweetheart - left him for a period because of his mob
ties.
Tony's business has been critical to Vesuvio's financial
survival, but lately the combination of Artie's obsequious style,
dodgy service and somewhat tired menu has led some crew members to
believe that he has lost his edge - and that the new place, Da
Giovanni, is the best spot in town.
Last known Whereabouts: Spying on his resturants
competition
Congrats to
elrojo14 for the FTF