Yes, there really is a Maria! Maria Alfano of Maria’s Italian Kitchens is the matriarch of the Alfano family. A native of Hoboken, New Jersey ( known for the some of the most famous Italian restaurants in America) Maria was called out to visit LA by her two brothers in the early 60’s. Matty and Mikey wanted her help with the family recipes that would enable them to open the famous, Matteo’s restaurant in Westwood. Maria fell in love with California. She convinced her husband, Donald to make the move across the country. With their five children and a suitcase full of family recipes the Alfanos moved into Brentwood Village where Maria opened the first Maria’s Italian Kitchen in 1975.



Maria prepared Classic Italian dishes, like Hoboken style Meat ravioli and eggplant parmigiana and soon families were flocking to her little kitchen. The smell of fresh baked garlic bread attracted customers to the Brentwood Kitchen thirty years ago and is still bringing them to Maria’s Italian Kitchens (now expanded to 10) throughout Los Angeles and now in Santa Barbara at the Five Points Shopping Center.



Maria has been a role model and mentor to her daughter, Madelyn Alfano who expanded her moms business by opening and managing the new restaurants. The two Italian Women who cook real Italian food have made their mark on the palates of Los Angeles! All the recipes for the kitchens come from their Naples style Italian cooking. The food is made fresh each day. Maria would like to clarify what she means by fresh. She means cheese that was grated fresh today (only imported Romano will do, the real thing). She means garbanzo beans there were bought from a grocer today and cured by hand. She means Italian sausages and meatballs that are homemade at Maria’s everyday and never store bought. Olive oil that is 100% pure, bread, pizza dough, and pastries that are baked fresh every day. Pasta that is imported from Italy and served al dente; and, of course marinara sauce that Maria makes from scratch using the finest, naturally sweet plum tomatoes.