Take a Tour of Italy at Mama’s

What may appear to be a small deli on the corner of 104th Street and 46^th Avenue in Corona, is just the beginning of a set of stores that will give you access to a replica of an Italian Piazza.  The history goes back to Irene and Frank Leo, who came over from the Italian city of Bari, opening Loe’s Latticini back in the 1930s at a different location.  

Their daughter, Nancy De Benedittis and her husband Frank De Benedittis, took it over and brought the business to Corona.  Nancy, known as "Mama", was the matriarch of the family and the person that expanded the deli to include the Southern Italian recipes of hot foods.

The above is a sandwich made with her delicious pork roast.   
In 2011 after Nancy passed, the corner street was named after her, with the deli acquiring the name of Mama’s of Corona. Her three daughters, Irene and Maria DeBenedittis and Carmela Lamorgese took over what is now a complex, one part of which is the deli. Abutting was a store devoted to the making of fresh pasta, which after several years was closed to the public.

  

Fresh pasta is no longer made at this storefront as it is now leased to a florist.  It could not be a better choice having some tables and plants sitting just outside near the deli. As for the pasta, you can be certain that it doesn’t come out of box….still made the old fashioned way.  

More than 50 years ago Mama came up with a sandwich the now famous Special Italian Hero, which is also sold at Citi Field.  In fact, USA Today conducted a contest of fans voting for their favorite food at all ballparks in the country. Mama’s came in at 4^th place In case you haven’t tried this long standing hero, it consists of: pepper ham, salami, store-made mozzarella, marinated mushrooms and sweet peppers.  

Mama’s offers both sandwiches and hot foods on the daily lunch specials to include sliced pork roast with gravy.  “Our roast pork and roast beef are made from scratch. There is always a daily pasta dish available.”  Twist my arm, I just had to sample the roast pork and roast beef.  OMG! Perfectly seasoned with nothing overpowering and both quite juicy and tender.  Can it get any better?  Oh yes….the gravy!   

You will also see the Italian deli meats hanging in such a tempting way and are welcome to explore the shelves for the many Italian imported products in jars, cans and packages.   

  

Breads are baked in their bakery, the third part of the group. There is no seating in the deli.  Take the food “to go” or bring it to the bakery known as Mama’s Backyard Café, where you can casually sit at a table along the side or the one large table in a room towards the back. 

Feast your eyes on the Italian pastries such as sfogliatelles, cannolis, Italian cheesecake, lobster tails, rainbow cookies, biscotti, and rhum baba, resting in the extended glass cases.  Enjoy a cappuccino.  Take home some of the breads like ciabatta, great for making a quick pizza.  They sell their store made sauces as well.  My taste buds were having a huge party celebration with the pastries.  Bet you can’t eat just one….sorry…maybe you can resist…At least I waited until I go them home.  

You will feel as if you are in Italy as you enter the backyard, a replica of an Italian piazza complete with a water fountain, white wrought iron furniture, herb wall garden and a mural that includes a statue of St. Francis.  “We renovated the garden with new furniture and a wood slatted covering under the mural,” said Irene.  “It separates the abutting back apartment building and seems cozier and changing from the black wrought iron to the white certainly makes the garden brighter.”  

Having the deli closed on Sundays and Monday’s it is quite common to see the community gather in the backyard especially on Sunday after people attending mass at a nearby church.  Deli sandwiches are available at the bakery these two days to accommodate the steady customers.  

With the recent passing of Maria, Irene and Carmela continue to run the operation.  As Irene continues to do most of the work, (She did all of the recent Halloween decorations.) she always has Maria in mind and the way she would want the women owned and run enterprise to be represented to the community and beyond.   May this landmark Italian enterprise go on for many more years.