About
Approaching forty years of establishment in Gettysburg, Mamma Ventura Casual Italian Dining is located at 13 Chambersburg Street, just west of Lincoln Square. Housed in one of Gettysburg’s antebellum structures, the restaurant can claim a most historic beginning, with some of the town’s most illustrious citizens having lived on the property. The Reverend Alexander Dobbin first won the lottery to claim the lot when James Gettys first offered sectors of land for the creation of the town in 1786. Alexander’s son, James, inhabited the property, with a log home and summer kitchen that predated the current building. James sold the property to George Orr, who after a few years sold it to Robert Smyth, a Gettysburg banker and prominent citizen. It was Smyth who erected the spacious brick building that stands today, in 1831.
During the Battle of Gettysburg, David McConaughy, an attorney and one of Gettysburg’s most illustrious townspeople, lived in the house with his family. His wife, Leana, had given birth to their fifth child, Hannah, just days before the battle began. David McConaughy was the first superintendent of Evergreen Cemetery, and one of the main voices for its inception.
David McConaughy sold the property to George Benner in 1887. Mr. Benner enlarged the home and added a third story to the two-story house.
During the first decade of the twentieth century, a local bank owned the property. When the Lincoln Highway opened to wide appeal at the close of World War I, tourists began to flock to Gettysburg. In the 1920s, 13 Chambersburg Street housed a local restaurant, called the American Restaurant, boasting seasonal fruits, fresh seafood and desserts.
When Carmelo Fazzolari moved to Gettysburg in 1977, he opened a pizza shop on York Street near Lincoln Square, and named it Mamma Ventura. In 1982, there was a large fire at the Gettysburg Hotel, which was used as an apartment building. Restored and purchased by Gettysburg College, the hotel returned to its former glory days as an inn in 1990. Carmelo’s pizza shop was part of the shopping area near the hotel, necessitating a move for his restaurant. Carmelo and his wife, Jackie, purchased the nearby historic home at 13 Chambersburg Street, and renovated the building to reflect the comfort and history of the era. Deciding to bring a more upscale dining experience, Mamma Ventura, then and now, offers popular authentic Italian cuisine, using time-tested recipes brought from Italy. The establishment, which offers fine dining in beautiful, art-deco style surroundings; also offers a spacious banquet room for wedding parties, anniversaries, and rehearsal dinners. There is a welcoming separate bar and lounge downstairs.
Mamma Ventura also boasts an extensive wine list, and a fine selection of beers and ales.
Carmelo’s and Jackie’s daughter, Cristina, is a celebrated chef in her own right. A graduate of the Cordon Bleu School in Pittsburgh, Cristina specializes in the delectable desserts offered at Mamma Ventura. Cristina also offers her baking expertise for made-to-order desserts.
Carmelo passed away on August 15, 2003. Since his untimely passing, Jackie and Cristina have carried on operating the popular restaurant and bar. A new generation was recently added with the birth of Cristina’s son, named affectionately for her father.
At Mamma Ventura, all the food is fresh and created on the premises. The sauces, pasta, dough, and desserts are all made daily. “We grew up cooking,” says Jackie.
Sampling the delicious fare, it is obviously so.
Mamma Ventura is open daily except Sunday. Business hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The bar, with its own separate entrance, is open seven days a week, from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 p.m. Sunday, to 1 a.m. early Monday morning. The bar offers a more casual menu, with pizza, wings, and appetizers to accompany the variety of brews.
