Del Ciello’s Lifelong Dream Leads to Mama D’s Pizzeria
By Precious Battee
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio – With more than just pizza, Mama D’s Pizzeria & More has now opened its doors in Liberty.
Owner Mike Del Ciello came out of retirement to open Mama D’s, 5718 Belmont Ave., with his wife and business partner, Ronda. Naming the parlor after his mother, Del Ciello also uses homemade recipes along with the freshest ingredients, and that’s what makes the menu special, he says.
“We’ve got the freshest, and most high-quality ingredients. We don’t skimp, and the dough is handmade and everything,” he said at the pizzeria’s ribbon cutting on Monday.
Running a pizzeria of his own is a dream he’s had since high school – one of his first jobs was in a pizzeria – and after retiring from his previous restaurant, Del Ciello’s Ristorante & Lounge in Ravenna, he wanted to focus primarily on the dishes. The recipes, he said, draw primarily from his grandparents, who emigrated to Akron’s North Hill neighborhood from Compo Bosso, Italy.
“I just love the work and pizza atmosphere. I told Ronda later on in life after I retire, if something comes up, I would just like to run a pizza shop,” he said.
Since opening last week Mama D’s has already seen plenty of customers.
“We’re doing so many pasta dishes that were used in the other restaurants and got great reviews. The salads and the subs, a lot of them came out of our restaurants,” said Ronda Del Ciello. “Pizzas and calzones are flying out the door. Subs, salads are really going as well.”
Mama D’s is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. With the business already moving, Del Ciello expects to soon expand Friday and Saturday hours. The restaurant also has room on its deck to host live performances.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
