Leaving its longtime home, this restaurant is moving to Bellefonte. When will it open?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Little Mamma’s Pizza will relocate from Pleasant Gap to Bellefonte’s Titan Market.
- The restaurant aims to open in the new space by early October with dine-in and delivery options.
- Community programs, including youth meals and cooking classes, will continue.
After initially facing an uncertain future, a beloved Pleasant Gap restaurant has announced plans for its next chapter.
Little Mamma’s Pizza will leave its longtime space at 105 S. Main St. and move to Bellefonte’s Titan Market later this year, the restaurant announced on Facebook. Friday still marks the pizzeria’s final day of operations in Pleasant Gap until it reopens in its new space.
“We are so grateful for this chance to continue doing what we love in a space that shares our values,” the restaurant’s owners wrote on Facebook. “As we settle into our new home, we’re committed not only to serving you the food you love, but also to supporting and uplifting the incredible vendors and businesses that make Titan Market so special.”
Though Titan Market primarily operates as an indoor farmers market, Little Mamma’s will open as more of a restaurant embedded within the warehouse-style market, owner Lucio Perez said. It will have a dedicated section at the back of the market space, leaving plenty of room for vendors to continue uninterrupted.
“People can come in, support the local vendors and shop around and then grab a bite to eat with us,” Perez told the Centre Daily Times. “We’ll also try to work with the local brewery and cidery to really enhance the experience for vendors here and customers who visit us.”
Little Mamma’s will use the next few weeks to move most of its equipment to Titan Market, Perez said. The restaurant’s team will spend most of August and September collaborating with market officials to upgrade key infrastructure, including plumbing.
Perez hopes to have Little Mamma’s up and running at Titan Market by the end of September or early October. The restaurant would maintain its typical menu featuring a wide range of pizzas, chicken wings, sandwiches, salads and pasta dinners, but there should be enough room to expand offerings and even feature special dishes like tacos, he said.
Little Mamma’s also plans to continue key community outreach initiatives, including its free summer youth meal program launched in 2024. Perez said the restaurant will also explore opportunities to host cooking classes and pizza-making sessions for families.
Though some key details remain unclear, Little Mamma’s hopes to offer dine-in, takeout and delivery throughout the week once it’s open in Titan Market. Hours should remain largely similar to its restaurant in Pleasant Gap, which was open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.
The indoor market is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Perez said he hopes installing a restaurant in the space could help Titan Market and its vendors expand their offerings.
“Our understanding from speaking with the market manager is that by being available more often throughout the week, the market itself and vendors will be able to increase their availability and hours for the community,” Perez said.
Little Mamma’s first announced plans to close its Pleasant Gap location in mid-July. In a Facebook post, the restaurant said several new challenges — including a change of property ownership, increased rent and outdated infrastructure — complicated efforts to maintain the customer experience and provide livable wages for employees.
“I was just talking with my dad a few minutes ago about how rare it is to have the opportunity [to move] come up when we’re facing such a dilemma,” Perez said. “We’ve been working on this over the past few weeks, trying to finalize some logistics and details. It just happens that everything connects perfectly from our passion for our food and the community that exists in a bigger atmosphere where we can do more and serve more. It’s a really surreal moment for us.”
Little Mamma’s said it intended to close its Pleasant Gap location only temporarily while it searched for a new space. The restaurant offered up a few cryptic Facebook posts with clues for customers who hoped to get the scoop on its future home.
While winding down operations in Pleasant Gap, Little Mamma’s started reducing the size of its menu as it worked to use up its existing inventory. The restaurant nearly sold out of its tacos over the weekend to celebrate its final Sunday in business.
“It’s been a roller coaster that our community has been a part of from day one, when we received an outpouring of support,” Perez said. “We’ve been taken aback by not only them being there for us and showing so much compassion and understanding for what we’re going through, but also for them to come along on the journey as we worked to announce the big news.”
%202.JPG)