Bottom (Left to Right) Concetta, Nicky, Annie, James, Felix
Felix Barbiere emigrated from Simbario, Calabria, Italy to the United States in 1905. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the SS Prinz Adalbert with his sister, Immacoalata, and brother, Salvador. The trio arrived at Ellis Island in December. They were going to Ishpeming to join their father, Quintilian, who worked as a shoemaker. Felix, like many young immigrants, found a job in the mines. In 1911, he married Concetta Sarvello, who had come to Ishpeming in 1910.
Sometime in 1920, Felix was injured in an accident and was no longer able to work in the mine. In order to support his growing family, he started a confectionery shop at 208 W. Division St. in Ishpeming. There was also a barbershop on the first floor and the family lived on the second floor.
In time, the confectionery shop turned into a hot dog stand and sometime in the 1930’s Felix began selling “gudighi” or “cudighi” sandwiches. His shop was right next door to the Roosevelt Bar, whose patrons were always hungry when the bar closed. While Felix was not the first to make cudighi sausage but he is believed to be the first to use it in a sandwich and sell it. Felix’s cudighi sandwiches were always served with mustard and onions and soon they became a food synonymous with Marquette County’s foodways. Both Concetta and Felix prepared mouth-watering Italian food and insisted on using only high quality ingredients in their meals. Felix raised his own pigs for use in the cudighi sausage.
However, cudighi sandwiches were not Felix’s most important contribution to the Marquette County culinary scene. In the 1950s, Felix’s sons Anthony and Salvatore moved to Milwaukee and opened Mama Mia’s Restaurant on North Avenue and several others over the years. Most of Felix’s other children went to work at these restaurants and two returned to Marquette County to open their own. His son Nicholas opened Barbiere’s Villa Capri in 1967 using some of his parents Italian recipes. Son Augustino continued the tradition by opening Tino’s Bar and Pizza in Negaunee, which he owned for twenty years.
The next generation got into the act in 1981, opening Mama Mia’s in Ishpeming, owned by August’s son Phillip, and Casa Calabria in Marquette owned by Felix and Concetta’s grandchildren; Jim, Joan and Phil Johnson. All of these restaurants are still popular today, known for their authentic family Italian comfort foods and legendary garlic bread. Though Tino’s Bar and Mamma Mia’s have been sold to other families, both the Villa Capri and Casa Calabria are still owned and operated by Felix’s descendants.
(Right) Felix’s shopfront next to the Roosevelt Bar in Ishpeming.
Right: Tino's Bar frontage.
View Detailed Image Description
Detailed Image Description
New restaurant in Ishpeming specializes in Italian cuisine
Phillip and Julie Barbierie, owners, are shown in the quiet atmosphere of Ishpeming's newest restaurant, Mama Mia's, which specializes in Italian cuisine.
August and Carmen Barbierie are still in the kitchen in the new restaurant, but they've been joined by their son, Phillip, 30, and his wife, Julie, 24, the co-owners of Mama Mia's.
Phillip has been around the family's businesses in Ishpeming and Negaunee for several years, but neither he nor Julie has ever managed a restaurant before. A carpenter by trade, he did much of the remodeling work over the eight-month conversion period. Julie recently quit her job with Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. to devote more of her time to the restaurant, where she serves as hostess.
Considering Phillip's and Julie's lack of management...
...has been excellent, Julie said. And the word around Ishpeming is that the food, too.
"I think we did pretty well, considering we never had a restaurant," Julie said.
There's no shortage of restaurants in Ishpeming, but the Barbieries saw an opening for "something a little different — Italian cuisine, served up in a supper club atmosphere where families would feel comfortable as well.
No alcoholic beverages are available yet, but the Barbieries have applied for a beer and wine license. Customers can now wait for open table in a small foyer at the entrance.
Mama Mia's is open from 4:30 to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and until...
Celebrating 25 Years
Come Celebrate July 1, 200...
For 25 years we at the Casa Calabria have strived to bring the people of this area the best in Steak & Italian Cuisine.
Thank you for recognizing our hard work by voting us Readers' Choice:
- Best Steak Dinner
- Best Dinner
- Best Italian Cuisine
- Best Intimate Dining Spot
As voted by the readers of The Mining Journal.
On July 1, 2006 our customers are invited to join us in celebrating 25 years by receiving 25% off everything on the menu! (Dine-In Only.) We look forward to celebrating with you and serving you the best for years to come.
Mama Mia's Italian Restaurant
steaks seafood chicken lasagna ravioli tortellini manicotti gnocchi spaghetti veal pizza and cocktails
Open Mon-Fri 11 AM Open Sat-Sun 4:30 PM
207 E. Pearl Ishpeming MI
TAKE OUT - 485-5813
Images provided by Patricia Garrett.