A Culinary Dream Comes To Life With Pasta Mia

For owner Maria Alexandri, Pasta Mia is the realization of a dream she’s had for many years. Alexandri grew up in Greece, but both her mother and grandmother had Italian roots, so she grew up eating fresh pasta with a mix of Mediterranean flavors and ingredients.

“It was my dream to blend Greek and Italian cuisine and share it with others,” Maria Alexandri said. “My mom and grandmother taught me everything I know. Now, I’m blending those traditions with my own twist.”

Pasta Mia, translated “my pasta,” is located in the former Flaming Amy’s Bowl location at Long Leaf Mall. The restaurant offers fresh pasta with homemade sauces and accompaniments. The pasta is made in-house with the help of a machine that forms and cuts Alexandri’s fresh dough into four different varieties: rigatoni, cavatappi, casarecce and fusilli.

“We create fresh pasta every day,” Alexandri said. “The flour, water, a little bit of oil – it’s a secret recipe,” Alexandri shared with a wink. “Everything is made from scratch, from the pasta to the sauces. This is something I would not compromise.”

Customers have their choice of pasta to be mixed into dishes such as Creamy Mushroom Carbonara, Blackened Chicken or Seafood Alfredo, Beef Ragu, or Yiayai Ellie’s Pastitsio, named for Alexandri’s grandmother. Other sauces include fresh pesto and a creamy pink tomato sauce with spinach, basil and fresh mozzarella. While there are plenty of menu options to choose from, a create your own option is also available and all pastas are served with fresh bread. Pasta dishes range from $10.99 to $15.99 and kid’s meals are $6.99.

For years, Alexandri had the vision of opening a restaurant, but it was only in the past year that the dream started to take shape. A big part of that was finding the right location. While the food is all homemade, the concept is fast-casual, designed to be eaten in a casual on-site dining area or packaged for carryout. She and husband Yanni Papanikolaou, who has long been a partner in several locations of The Greeks in Wilmington, felt the layout of the former Flaming Amy’s Bowl location was perfect for their concept and would require a minimal upfit.

“It’s a family-owned business,” Alexandri said. “Yanni has been instrumental in handling the business side of things, making the day-to-day operations run smoothly.”

The couple has also secured a Hampstead location which is now under construction adjacent to the Food Lion Shopping center on Hwy 17. It is expected to open by the beginning of next year.

Once Pasta Mia has gains its footing, Alexandri plans to offer her fresh pasta by the pound and half pound, as well as pre-packaged homemade sauces. They also plan to offer catering.

The restaurant is dedicated to Alexandri’s late mother, the inspiration behind many of the recipes.

“Everything started with my mom,” Alexandri said. “She passed away six weeks ago, but I know she’s proud of what we’ve created. I dedicate this restaurant to her. It was a challenging journey, but seeing it all come together is incredibly rewarding.”

Pasta Mia is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.