About Us

Who is Momma D?

Portella is a small village in Italy, near Naples and Rome. It is the birthplace of Momma D (Antonia DiMambro). It was 1898 when Momma D - then Antonia Fionda - was born. She grew up in Portella learning fine Italian traditions, as did Chris DiMambro.

Chris and Antonia were childhood sweethearts, but Chris went to serve in the Italian Army in WWI. He was captured by the Germans and imprisoned until after the war.

In 1921, Antonia and Chris married. Times were difficult in the small town. So, looking for a better life, Chris came to the United States without his bride. He visited his wife, and soon their two children, several times before he could afford to bring them over in 1929. They settled in Brighton, MA, then moved to Dover in 1930 where she had two more boys.

After WWII Chris and his oldest son, Armond, opened a small convenience store on Stark Avenue in Dover. The store flourished and became DiMambro's Market. They sold it in 1965.

Although raising her family in New Hampshire, Momma D was a traditional Italian housewife. At any time, someone could walk into the house and smell good food cooking on the stove. Momma D would insist that you sit and eat. Mangia, mangia (eat, eat) were her favorite words. Her fine cooking inspired her son, Henry and his wife Kathy, to open Momma D's Casa di Pasta in 1985. Despite a language barrier, Kathy worked with her mother-in-law for eight months to learn her recipes.

In the mid 1990's, Momma D's Casa di Pasta was purchased by its current owner, Henry (Henry and Kathy's son), thus continuing this family restaurant's family tradition. Momma D and Pa are now both gone, but their legacy of fine memories and fine Italian food lives on

ENJOY!

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