Family owned and run restaurants are becoming a luxury of the past. At Viro’s they actively try to create the atmosphere of Sicily here in Tucson. This includes the family embracing its patrons. 

 Vito and Rose have been in the food business in Tucson since 1985 when they opened a bakery on Speedway and Swan, and as the business grew they moved to Broadway and Old Spanish Trail. Their current location is at 8301 E 22^nd St.

The Italian Club

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the arrangement of the restaurant. There are glass casings that surround a small dining area that is casual and quaint. Vito stated the glass casings came from Sicily and that his goal was to “bring Sicily to Tucson.” That is just what he and his family have done with the help of their front room manger Robert.  

 In fact, they have done such a great job that when you walk in, you feel as though you are walking into a family-home dining experience. They are kindhearted and greet you with smiles and warmth. They ensure that your dining experience is what you want, not what they want.

 Ginny Roos, a regular that eats there at least once a week if not twice said, “We’ve been to the most expensive places, and this is by far the best place. The food is fresh, it’s healthy and you tell them what you want and they will do just as you say.”

 Let’s be honest, that doesn’t happen very often. This restaurant is not a chain and clearly does everything a chain restaurant does not. Each dish is cooked individually and precisely the way you ordered it, if you want roasted garlic rather than plain garlic, so be it; that is what you will get! You will also receive it at a price that you can afford because Vito and his wife Rose want to make authentic dining affordable.

Owners Vito and Rose

 How do they please every person that walks in? Why does the Italian club meet there monthly, and why are people so happy when they walk out? Vito says, “I’m an authentic Italian, I try to cook like my mother taught me.”  You can see his pride as he looks over at his family and his wife Rose, who does most of the baking. “We try to make our own unique things that are different and introduce them to people.”

 I have been there at least six times in the past three weeks. Each time, I have eaten excellent Italian dishes, the best homemade mozzarella cheese that I have ever tasted, and gelato, that Vito makes himself, and I have to admit I am addicted to. One of the best treats was a cannoli, made fresh for me, and I know it is an old saying, but if my mouth had legs it would have danced all night.

 Viro’s is retro in the fact that it has been around for some time now, but what makes it more of a blast from the past is the family comfort and atmosphere they give you when you enter their Sicilian haven. People who eat there are friendly as well, and each time I have been there I have spoken to total strangers as if they were my neighbor.

 Although I don’t write many restaurant articles like I used to, my visits to Viro’s have inspired me to venture out into Tucson’s culinary classics again. Please visit Viro’s in person or check out their webpage at http://www.virosbakery.com/

 If you would like to see more restaurants that have been in business 20 years or more, drop me a line and a suggestion.

 In the meantime, I think I am going to head over to Viro’s and order a nice Italian meatball sandwich with a piece of Rose’s cheesecake on the side.  Hope to see you all there….

Suzanne Elefante will be the first to tell you that Mama Louisa’s stands for family. She and her husband Joseph, who died in 1998, took over Mama Louisa’s in 1973 when they moved from Florida to Tucson.

Her husband was a printer and decided to go from printing to pasta. Having no real cooking experience, he learned and mastered the fine art of Italian cooking. Suzanne worked at first as a server so she could be with her husband. As their family grew so did the help. Her three children as toddlers learned to roll meatballs and over time continued to learn the culinary arts associated with being the children of restaurant owners. 

Suzanne now runs Mama Louisa’s and states, “This is a life, not a job.” She says, “We are proud of what we do because it’s important to have good food.” Being a patron of Mama Louisa’s since I was a wee child, I fully agree that the food is served with pride. The day I was there to do this interview, her sister Theresa Mowery, the head chef who keeps the traditional recipes tasting so good, could be seen keeping the kitchen running like a fine-tuned machine and though she looked busy and hectic, she has a sparkle about her. You know that this food is prepared with love and pride.

Mama Louisa’s, located just north of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, serves Italian cuisine like no other place I have eaten at in the 50-plus years I have lived in Tucson.

Their sauce is tangy and goes quite well over a variety of their homemade pastas they make daily. They make sauce daily as well; however, they allow it to simmer to perfection for a day so you get all the wonderful flavors of an aged sauce. 

With yummy dishes such as Joe’s Special, which is homemade linguini topped with cheese, hot-pepper seeds, fresh chopped garlic, and a very special sauce that makes your mouth water, how can you go wrong? While I was there, I had their famous meatballs that are not only gigantic they are moist and filled with flavor. I personally like their eggplant or pork parmesan with fresh linguini; however, no doubt, whatever you decide to eat you are bound to be happy.

Because Mama Louisa’s has been in the same location for over 56 years, they have become an icon in Tucson. Suzanne says she has watched young families walk in with their children, watched their children get married, and have their own families. She says she loves to see the generations walk through their cozy restaurant located at 2041 S. Craycroft Rd. 

Whether you are young or old, a native Tucsonan, visitor, or new to Tucson, Mama Louisa’s is one Italian restaurant you do not want to overlook. As I was eating my spaghetti and meatballs, writing this article I thought Mama Louisa’s stands for family, flavors, and fun. Then I thought I should have asked Suzanne how to get spaghetti sauce out of my light-blue shirt.

So go pay them a visit, tell them I sent you, and ask for their power card. Earn points and earn a free gift card. Take your family, friends, and out of town guests to this family-run Italian Restaurant and bite into a little taste of Italy and a lot of love.