TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A beloved southeast side restaurant celebrated a major milestone Tuesday, marking 70 years of serving classic Italian dishes and family traditions to the Tucson community.
Mama Louisa's Italian Restaurant offered 70% off all dine-in meals to honor its anniversary, drawing dozens of customers who lined up outside before the restaurant opened at 11 a.m.
"We actually opened February 29th, 1956, but there's no February 29th this year. So, we decided to pick a Tuesday, random Tuesday, fat Tuesday, you know, come in, grub out, have fun," said Michael Elefante, chef and owner of Mama Louisa's.
READ MORE: Mama Louisa's: Dishing out 70 years of Italian eats on Tucson's Southeast side
The restaurant started as a small family establishment and has since become a local landmark, serving not just homemade Italian food, but also tradition and community connections that span generations.
"It's just a good, it's a good party day. It's a fun day. Not a serious day. Well, it's still serious, but it's fun," Elefante said.
The celebration drew both new and longtime customers, including Jack Zittere, who has been eating at Mama Louisa's for 35 years.
"Restaurants come and go so fast in Tucson now. To have a place last 70 years is a testament to many things. The first time we came, my wife realized that she worked with the hostess that has been here forever back at another restaurant," Zittere said.
For some, the restaurant has been part of their lives from the very beginning. Vince Mazzola, a former employee, shared his deep connection to the establishment.
"I was here when they built this restaurant. Mama Louisa and my grandmother were very good, very, very good friends. I worked here in the 60s. I worked back in the kitchen. I worked bussing tables," Mazzola said.
Even generations later, those connections remain strong. John Cassadei, Mama Louisa's grandson, joined the anniversary celebration.
"It was a great place to grow up and be a part of," Cassadei said.
The restaurant's signature dish, Joe's Special, proved to be a popular choice among anniversary diners, with multiple customers specifically ordering the item throughout the day.
"This will always be the house that Joe's Special built. You know, that's never going nowhere. We get people calling all the time. 'You still serving Joe's Special?' It's like, 100% we're still serving Joe's Special. It's never going nowhere," Cassadei said.
The 70% discount on dine-in meals was available through 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Mama Louisa's is located at 2041 S. Craycroft Rd.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
