It’s hard to say which of Giuseppe (Joe) Pirrone’s passions comes first - food or family. Fortunately, as the owner of Mona Lisa Italian Restaurant, he doesn’t have to choose. For more than two decades, Pirrone has had the pleasure of working with almost everyone in his immediate family, and serving the food they all know and love, namely authentic Italian cuisine.
Since its founding in Fort Myers 22 years ago, Mona Lisa has become one of the oldest family-owned and operated restaurants in Southwest Florida. In fact, it has been in the same College Parkway location since it opened, between U.S. 41 and Kenwood Lane in the Office Depot center.
“We were here before most of the chain restaurants even started,” says Pirrone. “We’ve never compromised on quality because we’re passionate about what we do.” That passion has made Mona Lisa a local landmark and popular site for occasions ranging from wedding receptions to wakes.
Throughout the restaurant, the aroma of garlic and tomatoes fills the air, while family photos and framed art fill the walls. Among Pirrone’s prized possessions are pictures of his “new” wife (“We’ve only been married about 30 years,” he jokes) and their four grown sons, two of whom work at the restaurant with their father.
Original art by sons Angelo and Sal is displayed in one of two dining rooms which recently were remodeled. As a result, the 160-seat restaurant now features a more family-friendly entry separate from the bar and a large non-smoking dining room.
Beyond a glass partition is a combination dining room/lounge, where smokers are welcome. The spacious room contains an impressive full-liquor bar, ample seating for diners and 10 TVs, including a large screen which draws a crowd for Sunday football and nightly karaoke.
In addition to Mona Lisa’s interior improvements, the exterior also has been refurbished as part of an overall facelift at the College Parkway center. What hasn’t changed at the restaurant is its authentic Italian cuisine, much of which is based on family recipes from Palermo, Sicily.
Because the restaurant is open daily until 2 a.m., menus vary according to time of day. Besides Mona Lisa’s standard lunch and dinner menus, there’s an Early Bird menu (available from 4-6 p.m. only), a children’s menu and a late-night lounge menu (available from 10 p.m. - 1 a.m.). There’s also a catering menu to help clients select items for lunch and dinner buffets or party platters.
Mona Lisa’s regular lunch and dinner menus are lengthy, with original dishes craved by customers from far and wide (takeout is available). To accompany meals, there is an extensive selection of imported Italian wine displayed throughout the restaurant and lounge. Also, an impressive wine list is updated annually to include the world’s top-rated wines.
In addition to traditional soups, salads and pasta dishes, diners may choose from a wide selection of pizzas (ranging from 14- and 16-inch, family-style to pizzetta for one), Italian sandwiches and the restaurant’s inimitable Calzone. Sized for one or two, this creation of specially-blended Mozzarella and Ricotta cheese along with other mouthwatering fillings is a Mona Lisa specialty, and like no other Calzone you’ve ever experienced.
There are also 6 or 7 daily specials. For example, for $5, lunch customers have a choice of various pasta dishes (such as baked ziti, lasagna or sausage marinara). Or, for an additional $1.95, the special includes a salad and soft drink. Bigger appetites may want to select one of the special $7 entrees, such as salmon or stuffed eggplant timbale.
Similar good deals are offered nightly with dinner entrees that typically include such variations on veal, chicken or eggplant themes. The regular dinner menu also features numerous sautéed and baked pasta dishes, steaks and seafood dishes, along with house specialties such as Saltimboca (chicken or veal, sautéed w/prosciutto, spinach and mozzarella in a Marsala brown sauce), and Costa Esmeralda Chicken or Veal (egg-battered in a Grand Marnier sauce w/sliced orange and kiwi).
While everything is fresh and delicious at Mona Lisa, from the pasta to the sausage, some consumer preferences have emerged over the years. Best-sellers include: Chicken or Veal Francaise or Marsala; Chicken, Veal or Eggplant Zingarella (sautéed w/asparagus, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and mushrooms in a white wine lemon-butter sauce); and the restaurant’s incomparable Ciappino, a seafood serenade fit for a queen (or a king, based on the size).
All dinner entrees are reasonably priced, starting from around $10.95, with pasta priced from $9.25. Kid’s meals start at $3, and range from spaghetti and meatballs to chicken fingers and fries.
Mona Lisa also caters special events off-site and even has access to a banquet hall for large, private gatherings.
(Mona Lisa is conveniently located on College Parkway & U.S. 41 in Fort Myers, next to Office Depot. Open daily until 2 a.m., with dinner served until 10 p.m. nightly. Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The restaurant opens at 4 p.m. Saturday and at noon on Sunday. Daily Happy Hour from 4-7 p.m. Reservations suggested for parties of 5 or more. Phone: 939-5344.)