The Italian food most Americans grew up with was a creation of Italian immigrants that settled in New York City beginning at the end of the nineteenth century. Untrained as chefs, and without many of their traditional ingredients, they used locally available ingredients to create a new version of their cuisine. Starting in Little Italy, they opened restaurants and pizzerias, introducing these new flavors to America.

In 1952, the first Casa Mia restaurant was opened in a storefront space in Hoquiam, Washington by Phil Bellafato, an Italian American who grew up above one of the original Italian restaurants and pizzerias in New York. After a stint in the Army, Bellafato settled in the Northwest. At that time, most locals' exposure to "Italian" food was limited to spaghetti; pizza was virtually unknown. Casa Mia, one of the first Italian restaurants in Washington State is credited with changing all that. To this day, the Casa Mia menu is centered on Phil's recipes, with nearly everything still made the old fashioned way. Pizza is hand tossed, with fresh dough made daily in each of our restaurants, then baked on a brick hearth. Our spaghetti sauce is made daily in each restaurant, simmered for six hours to develop its rich and distinctive flavors.

TIn 1974, Phil sold the restaurant and recipes to Roger Jump. In 1982, Bob Knudson joined Roger in a partnership to open the next Casa Mia in Lacey, Washington. That was followed in 1985 by the third restaurant in Olympia, Washington. In 1992 the first franchised Casa Mia was opened in Kennewick, Washington. There are now nine Casa Mia Italian Restaurants throughout the state of Washington.

In 1994, Casa Mia was selected a one of four finalists by Hunt-Wesson foods for their Prima Pizza recipe contest, our first national pizza award. Since then we have been awarded first prize in the "Pizza Across America" contest, and have twice been selected and winners in the Pizza Today Magazine's Pizza Festiva International Pizza Recipe Contest.

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