Naples, March 8, 2026 – The Campania Regional Administrative Court (TAR) has confirmed the demolition order for the renowned ‘Quattro Passi’ restaurant, located in the Nerano district of Massa Lubrense. This establishment, the only one in Southern Italy to boast three Michelin stars, faces the dismantling of several structures deemed to be the result of illegal building practices.
Owners Initiate Demolition Process
Antonio Giovanni Mellino and Rita Vinaccia, the owners of ‘Quattro Passi’, had previously withdrawn their appeal to the Court of Review concerning the legitimacy of the seizure of the entire complex. The seizure was ordered by the preliminary investigation judge of the Torre Annunziata Court on January 26, at the request of the Public Prosecutor’s Office coordinated by prosecutor Nunzio Fragliasso, due to alleged illegal subdivision.
On February 19, the owners filed a request for a temporary seven-day release from seizure to allow a technician to access the site. This access is intended for surveys necessary to prepare a demolition project for some of the unauthorized buildings. This development precedes the two TAR Campania orders, which address a December appeal by Mellino and Vinaccia against a comprehensive demolition and restoration order issued by the Municipality of Massa Lubrense.
TAR Suspends Property Acquisition by Municipality
The municipal order had also stipulated that if the demolition was not carried out within 90 days, the restaurant would be acquired by the municipal patrimony. The TAR, however, granted a suspension of this latter provision, specifically concerning the acquisition of the areas subject to the contested demolition order.
The judges’ decision to suspend the automatic transfer of ownership to the Municipality of Massa Lubrense’s available assets was influenced by the fact that Mellino and Vinaccia have initiated discussions with the Torre Annunziata Prosecutor’s Office regarding the demolition of the abusive structures. The matter now returns to the Prosecutor’s Office, which will evaluate the request for temporary release from seizure for the technical surveys and subsequently assess the demolition timeline presented by the restaurant owners.
Extensive Unauthorized Works Identified
The municipal demolition order was issued following several inspections, including one in October 2025 attended by the Torre Annunziata Public Prosecutor’s Office. Numerous works are considered unauthorized by both the Municipality and the Prosecutor’s Office. These include:
- Excavation of a terrace
- Enlargement of a pedestrian path for mechanical vehicle access
- A dirt track crossing various terraces
- An office
- A pastry shop
- Expansions of the restaurant towards the east and west
- Enclosure of the restaurant dining room terrace
- Enlargement of a kitchen
Also under scrutiny are a 59-square-meter swimming pool, a two-story building with 10 rooms and bathrooms used for tourist accommodation, another two-story building that is furnished and in use, an underground cellar, a laundry room, and another building of approximately 76 square meters.
