You’ll be astonished by the homespun cuisine at Mamma Mia, which like its name, will have you exclaiming “my goodness.”
Referring to the origin of the title of her Pacific Beach Italian restaurant at 1932 Balboa Ave. near the corner of Grand Avenue and Lamont Street, owner/executive chef Cinzia Mezzetti said, “I wanted a name with a common phrase that Americans use.”
“I’m very athletic – and my cuisine is too,” said Mezzetti, who is a competitive bodybuilder and a mom with two daughters.
Mezzetti started out with a pizza and pasta restaurant in East County in 2002, then moved to Pacific Beach to expand her cuisine – and horizons.
She said it’s important to change with the times.
“In California, everybody is looking for healthy food that’s carb free,” she noted. “They’re looking for a better diet. More protein.”
That dietary “shift” is reflected in Mamma Mia’s menu.
“Before it was 90 percent pasta,” Mezzetti said. “Now it’s homemade ravioli, fettucini, seafood, cheeses, sauces, and risotto dishes, which are gluten-free. I also added many more appetizers. We do everything from scratch. Things have changed a lot.”
Mezzetti’s cuisine is mostly from northern and central Italy.
“It’s very rustic, very traditional,” she said.
Pizza and pasta remain mainstays of Mamma Mia’s menu.
“We have a special pizza promotion on Wednesday,” said Mezzetti, noting the style of pizza (invented in Naples, Italy) she serves actually takes its name from an English queen.
“Queen Margaret of England loved cheese pizza and that’s why we call it Margherita,” said Mezzetti, who also hosts pizza-cooking classes.
Mamma Mia’s owner said she keeps prices at her family friendly eatery low.
Mamma Mia’s appetizers are all under $10. The restaurant also has special promotional “family days” where, for $25 a head, an entire family can be fed.
“You have so much food,” Mezzetti said. “You can also bring your own wine for free on family night.”
Mamma Mia delivers, as well as offering pizza specials and discounts for pick-up orders. One discounted special offers children under age 12 a free 10-inch pizza or small pasta dish.
“On Tuesdays and Thursdays we have ‘bring your own bottle of wine night,’” Mezzetti said adding “there’s no corkage fee.”
What’s a big specialty of the house?
“Lobster linguini,” replied Mezzetti adding she buys the lobsters the same day. She cautioned though that patrons need to come in and order it early because “it runs out by early evening.”
“We believe in what we do and we’ll keep doing it the same way,” Mezzetti said adding, “We have a strong restaurant, a strong family.”
She also has a loyal clientele whom, Mezzetti said, “Love my food. They come here (from all over) to eat my food. They remember my food for years and years. It touches me so much.”
The executive chef at Mamma Mia, Mezzetti once worked 18-hour days in the kitchen but has cooks assisting her now.
“I work five or six nights a week in the kitchen,” she said.
Mezzetti grew up cooking adding, “It’s always something I really liked to do.”
She also is the daughter of a pilot who has sky dived extensively.
“I had almost 600 jumps in Italy,” she said, but added the demands of business and family, and her other hobbies which include dancing and bodybuilding, leave her little time for other pursuits.  Mamma Mia Where: 1932 Balboa Ave. Hours: Tuesdays through Sundays 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. serving both lunch and dinner.
Contact: (858) 272-2702, or www.mammamiaitalianrestaurant.com.