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If you want to experience what Italian cuisine has to offer, come to Mario’s Pizzeria & Ristorante in Somers, CT, on 48 South Road in the Southfield Corners Shops with dine-in, takeout and delivery. The locally owned and operated restaurant is welcoming for families and anyone who wants to experience true authentic Italian recipes brought over from Bracigliano, Italy.
Mario’s Pizzeria & Ristorante is more than just a pizza shop. Owners Mario Ferrentino and Nikko Plescia offer something for everyone with choices of appetizers, soups, arrays of salads, wings, grinders, pizzas, pastas and many classic Italian dinner entrees. Ferrentino and Plescia manage the restaurant and run a close-knit team of amazing employees. They do a little bit of everything to keep the kitchen clean and to keep the operation running smooth, taking pride in serving good, quality Italian food and bringing new creative ideas to the table.
In March of 2026, Mario’s Pizzeria & Ristorante celebrated its fifth anniversary and has become a staple in the heart of Somers.
“It feels great,” said Ferrentino. “We work so hard day in and day out to be the best and give the best to our customers. When we opened during COVID, it was challenging, but the amount of support we got from the community from day one was overwhelming and we’re so happy to be in Somers. It’s been the best five years of my life and we’re looking forward to many years to come.”
Plescia added, “It’s an awesome thing to celebrate. We love Somers and met some amazing customers that now we consider as close as family. With our restaurant, it’s important to get to know the community and marking five years is a great milestone to show that we’re here for the long run.”
Ferrentino comes from a family well-versed in the restaurant business. His father, Claudio, along with his uncles, owns the landmark Teresa’s Restaurant in Ware, MA. His other family members have restaurants all over Massachusetts and Connecticut. It’s been something Ferrentino has been doing his entire life, which he loves and has a passion for.
Plescia wanted to be an environmental police officer growing up, but started off as a dishwasher when he was 15 years old. After eventually working his way through various positions, he realized that he wanted to be a part of the food and restaurant industry. Plescia began working at Teresa’s Restaurant and developed a love for it. There he met Ferrentino and the two became close friends and have worked together for many years since.
As time went on, Ferrentino was looking to open a restaurant and Plescia was looking to branch out and start something new, leading to the duo deciding to join forces and, from that point, Mario’s Pizzeria & Ristorante was born.
“The best part about working with Mario is that I’m working with a family member,” said Plescia. “He’s someone that I’m close with, someone that I trust and get along well with.”
Ferrentino reiterated, “We work well off one another, dating back to our years working together at my father’s restaurant. Having a good working relationship is key to having a successful business and it’s an extra bonus that we have a close friendship outside of work as well.”
Ferrentino wanted a place where people can not only order take-out and delivery, but also offer an inviting space to dine in and enjoy a nice meal with family and friends. Somers was the town Ferrentino envisioned because it was close to where he grew up in East Longmeadow, MA. He fell in love with the town and family atmosphere, describing Somers as a town he watched from afar. When the opportunity came, Ferrentino knew it was the perfect fit.
“Somers is a very tight-knit, close family community where everybody helps each other and looks out for one another,” said Ferrentino. “I honestly couldn’t imagine a better home for a restaurant. I couldn’t be happier in Somers.”
For someone going to Mario’s Pizzeria & Ristorante for the first time, Plescia and Ferrentino would recommend their pizzas like the Margherita (plum tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella & fresh basil) and the Olivia (tomatoes, eggplant, fresh basil, mozzarella, spices, oil & garlic sauce) named after Ferrentino’s daughter. They also added that for their dinner options, the Chicken Marsala (with sautéed mushrooms in a sweet Marsala wine sauce) and the Chicken Piccata (with capers in a lemon, butter & wine sauce) are both great choices.
Mathew Bys from Ludlow, MA, has followed Ferrentino’s cooking abilities from his last restaurant. When Bys heard Ferrentino was opening a pizza shop in Somers, he was thrilled and knew he had to be there. “Mario’s Pizzeria & Ristorante is a great place for a quick delicious meal that won’t rip your wallet from your pocket,” Bys said. “My favorite things to eat there are the combo pizza and the spicy calamari depending on how my taste buds are feeling.”
Every time he’s in the area, Bys stops in. While eating there, he has shared the restaurant with numerous families headed to dance recitals, dirty from baseball games, to countless adult meetups with friends of all ages. “The laughter and conversation that fills those pizza oven-heated walls makes you feel right at home,” Bys said. “Coworkers, friends and even strangers have all recommended this restaurant. So, you know the food is good.”
Recently, the restaurant underwent some in-house renovations and added a bar with draft beer, along with a variety of wines, hard ciders, and hard seltzers. Ferrentino and Plescia wanted to give people that option so they could have it to make the place in the dining room and the whole dining experience as comfortable as possible. In the meantime, the two will continue to work hard and send out quality products they are proud of. “Our goal is to stay consistent and stay true to who we are,” Ferrentino said. “We want to continue growing our brand, being a part of this community and helping the town any way we can. We’re happy to have a home in Somers.”
Mario’s Pizzeria & Ristorante is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday & Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from Noon to 8 p.m. Visit its website at mariossomers.com. You can also follow it on facebook.com/mariospizzeriaandristorante where it runs weekly dinner and pizza specials of the week.
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