 They were first served by Italian immigrant Phillip Mazzoni and his brothers in the late 19th century as a free giveaway to their saloon patrons with a purchased beer or whiskey.It is unknown if rolled oysters were actually invented by the Mazzonis, or if the recipe was brought over from Italy with them.During prohibition, Mazzoni's remained open by selling these oysters in their new restaurant and it became a popular food item all over town.