Saavedra Gonzalez was raised in Eagle Springs and attended the local schools. When she and her husband, Jose, decided to open a casual local Italian restaurant, they specifically chose Seven Lakes.
“I said, ‘We should put it in Seven Lakes’,” Saavedra said.
The couple had visited the Italian Table Restaurant during its existence and wanted to provide locals with a sit-down Italian restaurant again.
They began looking for a location and found the Pumpkin Creek Café. After talking with the owner, it was agreed that he would close the doors of the Café, allowing Mama Mia to emerge from the location.
Jose received authentic Italian training during his twenty years of working at Vito’s. In fact, the couple owned their own Italian restaurant before and operated it for about four years.
“You get to be creative with dishes and have your own rules,” Saavedra said.
The Gonzalez family plans to open the restaurant in March. They plan to serve the community by providing New York style pizza, pasta, and other special dishes that cater to everyone.
“We’ll add something different for vegans; there will be options for everyone,” Saavedra said. “As the chef, you get to make something new to please everyone.”
They hope for Mama Mia to provide Seven Lakes with home-made quality food. Dishes will be made fresh daily with no processed or pre-cooked food.
“We make everything from scratch,” she explained. “We’ll make fresh bread every day.”
Their two daughters, ages twenty and fifteen, may also be seen helping at this family-owned restaurant. Mama Mia will also be hiring servers and hosts.
“We wish to be here for a long time,” Saavedra said. “We want people to be happy with our service and food. We want to become part of this town and get to know people.”
Jose and Saavedra hope to provide a positive experience that will bring families back for years to come.
“We plan to make people happy,” they explained. “It’s more than just the money.”
Mama Mia plans to open in March, serving lunch from 11:00AM – 2:30PM and dinner from 5:00PM – 9:30PM. They will initially be open seven days per week before creating a schedule that accommodates to the needs of the community.
“We want to let people know that everyone is welcome,” Saavedra said. “Come try our food and see what we have to offer. We will always offer the best we can with fresh ingredients.”
Mama Mia is located at 4243 Seven Lakes Plaza in Seven Lakes. To apply for a position as a server or hostess, please visit the restaurant or call Saavedra Gonzalez at (910) 638-1514.
