Mambo Italia in Sewickley reopens with new look, ownership and menu

An Italian eatery in Sewickley has reopened with a new layout, menu, staff and ownership.

Customers are welcome once again to Mambo Italia along Broad Street.

Business partners Joe Piccirilli and John Schiavo bought the restaurant in the summer following its closure.

Mambo Italia underwent extensive renovations, added new staff in October and reopened Jan. 4.

“It’s been a little crazy,” Piccirilli said. “We’re just trying to make sure everyone’s in sync. We’re kind of controlling the flow through reservations. People are coming in. No one’s waiting. Every day the staff gets better and better. The kitchen gets better and better.”

Piccirilli, who also owns 424 Walnut, another restaurant in the borough with head chef Jimmy Zipparo, said he wanted to create a more casual atmosphere with more pizza and pasta options.

“I was looking to take a pay cut and work more hours,” Piccirilli joked. “It’s completely different from Walnut. More family stuff. It’s a different menu.”

Mambo Italia features a very experienced kitchen staff with head chef Rob Longerman of Hopewell, sous-chef Dan Eaton of McDonald and head pizza maker Justin Giammario of Peters Township.

Longerman has about 38 years in the restaurant business while Eaton has 26 years and Giammario 18 years.

“I absolutely love it,” Giammario said of his new role in a new restaurant. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do when I was in different management positions. I dreamed of working in an Italian place, making wood-fire oven pizza — the mozzarella, everything thing that goes along with it and training others.

“It’s fun times. I love it. We were here for a couple of months practicing, ironing out all the kinks. Now that we’ve gone live, it’s actually fun to me.”

Piccirilli said the staff have been training since October with some dishes being reworked about a thousand times until they were perfected.

Having the right staff was a key component to the reopening.

Piccirilli interviewed 75 servers and selected six.

He said he wanted to “build a culture” focused on the dining experience.

Pizzas are baked in a wood-burning oven. About 70 to 80 pounds of fresh mozzarella is made per week.

Specialty pizzas include the Mambo. It features prosciutto di parma, fresh grape tomatoes, arugula, Parmigiano, extra virgin olive oil and fresh mozzarella.

An off-the-menu specialty pie is the Sewickley — made with mushrooms, truffle oil, pancetta and mozzarella.

One of the best-selling appetizers is the Arancini Napoli, pasta croquettes made with stuffed egg pasta, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella breaded and fried.

Mambo Italia also boasts homemade pasta and red sauce as well as imported San Marzano tomatoes. Deserts include tiramisu, fried dough, gelatos, cannolis and limone mascarpone cake.

“Our job is to use the best and freshest ingredients,” Piccirilli said. “I think it reflects in the products.”

The dining room seats 52 people. Daily specials are posted on the restaurant’s website.

Reservations are required. No take-out – other than pizzas – is available for now.

Piccirilli said they plan to add an outdoor seating area in the spring, and the bar area will be available for customers once plastic barriers are installed.