Our Story
Rooted in family tradition, built on authentic Italian recipes
About Our Restaurant
Conveniently inside the Creamery Marketplace, a retail destination in downtown San Luis Obispo, Mama's Meatball is the neighborhood's favorite cozy Italian restaurant. We offer authentic, homemade Italian dining and catering with slow-simmered sauces and fresh, locally sourced ingredients. As part of our authentic Italian dining experience, we prepare some of our signature dishes, such as our famous Fettuccine Alfredo, at your table. It can't get any fresher than that!
About Chef Nico
Chef Nicola started his culinary experience when he was only 2 years old helping his mother cook for family and friend in her small kitchen in Italy. He grew up in Bari, a city located in Puglia right on the heel of the boot. After working several years for a Pizza Place called Il Marinaio and for Restaurant II Faraone, he decided to study at a culinary school and received a degree from the Italian Culinary Institute of Bari in Puglia, Italy.
Nicola spent seven years working and traveling in many cities and regions of Italy. Immediately after receiving his degree, he worked all over Europe, including France, England, and Germany. A few years later, he decided to open a restaurant in Dominican Republic.
In 1999, he moved to the United States, hired by Alfredo The Original of Rome in EPCOT Center, Disney World, Orlando. He was also a chef at Tiramisu and Aura Restaurant in Miami Beach, Florida. Chef Nicola then proposed to move to California, and after opening 3 Restaurants in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Covina, and Lake Arrowhead, moved to San Luis Obispo in 2001, where he worked as Executive Chef of Benvenuti Restaurant for two years. Now with the passion taught by his mother and a vast experience from all over the world Chef Nicola Allegretta is here to serve San Luis Obispo with Mama's Meatball, a restaurant and catering service specializing in Italian Gastronomy in an innovative mix of traditional and contemporary cuisine.
