Mama Louise Opens in The Marketplace!

 Shut Up and Eat!

Mama Louise Restaurant

Mama Louise Brings Its Homemade Flavors to Dr. Phillips

Mama Louise Restaurant — a new Italian eatery located in the spot of the former Cariera’s Cucina Italiana in The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips — was designed for the neighborhood locals to come, eat, spend time with their families, have fun and feel at home.

Forty-year restaurateur and chef Joe Esposito has successfully owned and managed many restaurants in his life, but only this restaurant deserved to be named after his beloved mother, Louise Esposito. With a tear in his eye and a smile on his face, chef Joe described his late mother as hard-working, loving and feisty. The latter explains the tongue-in-cheek slogan of the restaurant, often heard coming from the mouth of Louise to her sons many years ago, “Shut up and eat!” This slogan, along with “shut up and drink” over a fully stocked bar, can be found in several places around the restaurant to add a little amusement to the experience.

A lot of thought was put into making the restaurant look, smell, taste and feel like home. When guests walk in, they are warmly greeted and walked to their table with the familiar red-checkered tablecloths, red glass candleholders, and wicker-basket bottles of Chianti, as though they’ve stepped back in time. As they settle into their seats, diners may hear Louis Prima singing Buona Sera or Dean Martin singing Volare over the sound system. In the gallery room, large local artist paintings of Frank Sinatra, Vito Corleone and chef Joe himself adorn the walls. The room is filled with the warm, savory, familiar smells of the Italian comfort food that people crave.

Family Roots

 

After losing his mother, chef Joe thought he would never again taste her classic marinara sauce, giant half-pound sausage and ground beef meatballs, or baked layered lasagna served bubbling hot. But after opening his family’s recipe book and getting inspired by his roots, chef Joe recreated the familiar flavors for all of Dr. Phillips to enjoy. He also wanted to recreate the taste of the pizzas with the thin, crisp crusts that he grew up with in New Haven, Connecticut. With the differences in water from Connecticut to Florida, it took a little science, but chef Joe nailed the taste and texture of his hometown pizza crust. He tops them with his mother’s sauce and his own special blend of mozzarella and provolone, so guests want to eat every bite.

Chef Joe said “love” is the most important ingredient in his food. He instructs his staff to cook with love, “as if you’re making it for your own mother.”

Louise would approve of the way chef Joe makes a point of stepping out of the kitchen to walk around and meet his guests. He especially loves greeting grandparents, shaking hands with children, and making everyone feel welcome. What’s even better is when people come back and greet him with an excited, “Hi, Joe!” Mama Louise RestaurantThe staff is wonderful and warm, enticing guests to return and racking up regulars since opening in December 2015.

“The guys in the kitchen have been with me for years and know the expectation of running a kitchen. And I have all the confidence in the world that Mama Louise would approve of them as well,” chef Joe said.

Hometown Experience

Chef Joe describes his restaurant as “fun dining, not fine dining.” He created the dining establishment for locals to have an affordable place to go with their families a couple of times a week, not just a couple of times a year. When extended family or out-of-towners visit, he wants Mama Louise to be the go-to place. The restaurant can accommodate get-togethers for 20-100 people with either a buffet, family-style or a la carte menu.

“Don’t forget to bring Grandma,” chef Joe said.

He has been known to buy the meals of grandmas older than age 90, just for being honored by a family bringing their matriarch to his establishment.

As an added bonus, chef Joe established daily specials. On Mondays, kids age 12-younger eat for free with a paying adult. Guests can buy one pizza and receive a second one at half price on Tuesdays. Wednesdays have been dubbed Wining Wednesdays, during which patrons can buy one bottle of wine and receive the second at half price. On Thursdays’ Mama’s Nights Out, ladies can enjoy happy hour from 7-9 p.m., a hot and cold buffet and live music. Friday and Saturday evenings guests are treated to live music, and Sundays will soon offer a brunch.

To ensure that he is doing everything properly, the way Mama would have wanted, chef Joe invited the Very Rev. John Giel of Holy Family Catholic Church to bless every room in the restaurant, including the kitchen and even the tiramisu. The food, atmosphere, hospitality and blessings are all up to Mama Louise’s standards. Chef Joe encourages everyone to pack up the family, head to Mama Louise Restaurant, say hello, sit down, and shut up and eat!

Mama Louise Restaurant is located at 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd. in Orlando. Operating hours are Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., and Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. For more information, call 407-345-1000 or visit www.mamalouiserestaurant.com on the Web.