By Jessica Oates
At Mamma Rosa’s, it’s always a party.
While authentic Italian recipes are the main draw, loyal customers of Mamma Rosa’s restaurant know that they are in for more than a good meal. Gino D’Amelio was born into the restaurant business, and he makes it a point to make his guests feel like part of the family.
Mamma Rosa’s first opened on Greenwood Avenue in 1992, when D’Amelio took the reins from his father, Luigi, who owned what was then an eponymous restaurant called Luigi’s.
“I turned Luigi’s into Mamma Rosa’s, a tribute to my mother,” said D’Amelio, who was 22-years old when he first opened the restaurant.
In 2000, Mamma Rosa’s moved to its current location at 572 Klockner Rd. D’Amelio said that after the move, it only took a short time for business to pick up as he introduced the restaurant to the community.
To give people a taste of Mamma Rosa’s, D’Amelio made sure he gave the restaurant a presence at the annual Mercer County Italian Festival, which he still attends.
“We bring our tomato pies, with our restaurant-sized ovens on trailers,” he said. “I have to say, it’s one of the best tomato pies there. Word of mouth definitely helped build the business.”
D’Amelio also takes pride in Mamma Rosa’s gravy, which simmers slowly for at least six hours with pork bones, onion and garlic, a recipe that was handed down from his parents. D’Amelio spent lots of time learning from his parents, who he said were both skilled cooks and passed family recipes down to him.
“All of my experience has been very hands on,” said D’Amelio. “I learned a lot from my parents, but also throughout my career in fine dining.”
D’Amelio said he took a little bit from all of the restaurants he worked with to build the best tasting menu around. When he found a dish he liked, he found a way to perfect it and make it his own.
Mamma Rosa’s menu features a selection of Italian specialties, including tomato pies, pasta dishes and classics like chicken parmesan, mussels marinara, and veal and peppers.
D’Amelio says he loves seeing the smiles on customers’ faces after they try the food.
“Sometimes I don’t feel like I’m running a restaurant, but hosting a big party,” he said. “I make it a point to come out of the kitchen when I can to visit all the tables and get to know my customers. People can tell, when you ask them how they’re doing or how their kids are, whether or not you really mean it. For me, getting to know my clients is the best part.”
D’Amelio said he considered opening a second location, but doesn’t want to compromise the hands-on, personal quality of the current restaurant.
“It’s not all about money, it’s about quality,” he said. “When you cook the way you would cook for your family or friends, and it comes from the heart, you don’t always have to think about money.”
A Hamilton resident, D’Amelio has three children—Marc, Alissa and Vincenzo—who all grew up working in the restaurant and learning from their father. The youngest, 16-year-old Vicenzo, still helps out washing dishes.
“They all grew up helping me out,” he said. “Marc would answer phones and work as a waiter, and my daughter Alissa worked here and got a few of her friends to work here with her, too. It really is a family business.”
Mamma Rosa’s, located at 572 Kockner Road in Hamilton, is BYOB. Delivery service is available, as are catering services. Phone: (609) 588-5454.
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