đș PRESENTATION; RESTAURANTE A CASA MIA
đș A HIDDEN GEM YOU HAVE TO VISIT IN PUERTO DE MOGĂN
There are restaurants you find because they are right in front of you.
And then there are places you need someone to tell you about, or someone to invite you to.
So I have to thank my good friends Mona and Rune for taking me to A Casa Mia and introducing me to an experience I wonât forget. đș
Hidden in a tiny alley in the old part of Puerto de MogĂĄn, this little family run restaurant has only around 22 seats. You could quite easily walk past the alley without ever knowing what was waiting inside.
And my first advice is very simple:
âïž Book your table well in advance: +34 928 324631
They do not accept reservations by WhatsApp. You can book by telephone, in person, online or through their Facebook or Instagram.
With so few seats and the reputation this little restaurant has built, they are very often fully booked.
đźđč A little piece of Italy in the old pueblo
A Casa Mia translates beautifully as âAt my homeâ, and I honestly cannot think of a better name.
Walking through the door feels almost like being invited into someoneâs home in the old part of the pueblo.
It is small. It is intimate. The kitchen is right there. The family is around you. You see the food being prepared, while Aythami moves between the kitchen and the tables, serving dishes, checking that everything is right and taking care of his guests.
For me, this is probably one of the most authentic eating out experiences you can have in Puerto de MogĂĄn.
And after publishing my original presentation, Aythami contacted me and told me something very important about the story behind A Casa Mia that I am very happy to correct and share with you.
đ©âđł Patrizia Di Leo is the chef and the heart and creative force behind the kitchen.
Patrizia is Italian and her husband, Aythami DĂaz, is Canarian. All the dishes and recipes at A Casa Mia are Patriziaâs creations.
Aythami describes it beautifully himself. He says that he follows in Patriziaâs footsteps, accompanying and supporting her.
Unfortunately, we didnât get to meet Patrizia during our visit because she was at home with their daughters.
Instead, Aythamiâs mother Alicia was looking after us front of house, which somehow made the name A Casa Mia feel even more appropriate.
Even the restaurantâs logo has a very personal meaning. The womanâs face was created in honour of Patriziaâs mother.
This really is a family restaurant.
đ And there is something else you should know about Patrizia
This isnât simply a little neighbourhood pizzeria.
Patrizia is an award winning pizza chef who has competed successfully at an international level.
And I want to make this particularly clear because I originally attributed these achievements incorrectly to Aythami.
The competition victories and awards belong to Patrizia.
She is the one who competed and won, while Aythami accompanied and supported her.
At the 2024 Pizza DOC World Championship, Patrizia achieved second place overall and first place in the specialised Pizza Ruota di Carro category.
She has also achieved recognition in Gran Canaria, the Canary Islands and at Spanish level.
Once you know the story behind this tiny kitchen, you begin to understand why people are prepared to book ahead for one of those 22 seats.
â And I am certainly not the only one who loves it
A Casa Mia has built an exceptional reputation with its guests.
It holds an impressive 4.9 out of 5 on Google, with nearly 500 reviews, and also receives outstanding ratings from travellers on TripAdvisor.
For such a tiny restaurant, that says quite a lot.
It is perhaps no surprise that getting a table can be difficult, so booking ahead really is important. đș
But what I particularly like is that the food doesnât feel like it is trying to impress you with awards.
It feels homemade.
The dough is made with masa madre, sourdough, the pasta is made fresh, the bread is homemade, and Italian traditions are combined with ingredients from here in the Canary Islands.
And then we ateâŠ
đ§ Please order the PROVOLONE
There were four of us, so we started by sharing the Provolone A Casa Mia, âŹ17.50.
Oh my goodness.
It was absolutely delicious.
Rich, bubbling, comforting and made for putting in the middle of the table and sharing.
Quite simply, it is to die for.
You can also start with homemade sourdough bread, garlic prawns, grilled vegetables, squid, bruschetta and several other dishes. Starters generally sit around âŹ6.50 to âŹ18.50.
But then came the reason I already want to go back.
đ THE GUAPA PIZZA
I asked Aythami what he recommended.
His answer was the Guapa, âŹ18.50.
Porcini mushrooms, black truffle cream, smoked Canarian cheese from Valsequillo and Canarian black pork.
Italian tradition meeting Gran Canaria on a pizza.
And I am going to say something I donât say very often:
This was probably the best pizza I have ever eaten.
I loved it.
The combination of the earthy porcini, truffle, smoked local cheese and Canarian black pork was incredible, but underneath all those ingredients was that beautiful sourdough base.
And now that I know this is Patriziaâs creation, I am even more sorry that I didnât get the opportunity to meet the woman behind it.
The only problem with discovering the Guapa is that now I just want to go back and eat it again. đ
đ And it isnât only pizza
This is important because someone will inevitably say, âBut I donât want pizza.â
You absolutely donât have to.
There is an extensive selection of fresh handmade pasta, including Bolognese, Amatriciana, black tagliatelle with squid, prawns and saffron, seafood, four cheeses, goat ragĂč and agnolotti with roasted ossobuco.
Fresh pasta dishes are generally around âŹ17.50 to âŹ25, with homemade tagliatelle with lobster at âŹ35.
And if you are in Spain and really want something more Spanish, they havenât forgotten you either.
đŠ Garlic prawns
đ„ Mixed paella
đŠ Seafood paella
đ€ Black rice with squid
đ Rice with goat meat
đ± Vegetable paella
There is even rice with chorizo de Teror, prawns and smoked goatâs cheese, another wonderful meeting between Canarian ingredients and Mediterranean cooking.
So donât let the word Italian make you think this is simply a pizza restaurant.
It really isnât.
â° One important piece of advice
Take your time.
If you are looking for fast food or somewhere to rush through dinner, I donât think A Casa Mia is the right restaurant for you.
And that is actually part of what I loved about it.
There are only around 22 guests. Food is being made properly.
During our evening, Aythami was constantly in and out of the kitchen, serving, talking to guests and making sure everything was as it should be.
Some dishes arrive with a freshly baked sourdough covering, and Aythami comes to the table to open them.
This is somewhere to sit, talk, eat and enjoy the evening.
We had an absolutely wonderful experience.
đ HOW TO FIND THIS HIDDEN LITTLE PLACE
Finding it is part of the fun.
From the blue bridge, walk along the side of the road opposite the taxi rank.
Just after Restaurante Playa de MogĂĄn, look for the narrow alley leading into the old part of town.
A Casa Mia is tucked away there.
đ A Casa Mia
CallejĂłn Las Conchas 6
35138 Puerto de MogĂĄn
Gran Canaria
âïž Telephone: +34 928 324631
đȘ Approximately 22 seats
đ Tuesday to Saturday, approximately 18:00 to 22:00
đ¶ Many dishes are around âŹ15 to âŹ25 per person, depending, of course, on what you order.
â Closed Sunday and Monday
Booking well in advance is strongly recommended.
Remember, they do not accept reservations through WhatsApp. You can reserve by telephone, in person, online or through Facebook or Instagram.
đș A Casa Mia
I call this a Restaurant Presentation, not a restaurant review.
Iâm not interested in sitting with a checklist and awarding points to restaurants. I want to take you inside places in Puerto de MogĂĄn, show you what they are like, introduce you to the people behind them, tell you what we ate and share my own experience.
And this was an experience I really wanted to share.
A tiny restaurant hidden down an alley.
An Italian chef, Patrizia, creating the dishes and recipes.
Her Canarian husband, Aythami, supporting her and taking care of their guests.
His mother Alicia welcoming us front of house.
A logo honouring Patriziaâs mother.
Homemade sourdough, fresh pasta, award winning pizza and only around 22 people sharing this little space at a time.
And a Guapa pizza that I am still thinking about.
A Casa Mia is one of those little Puerto de MogĂĄn places you need to know is there.
As always, this is my personal experience. I recommend looking at Google and TripAdvisor too, reading what other guests have experienced and making up your own mind.
But from me?
Put this hidden gem on your list. đș
Thank me later đ„°
Elisabeth đș
Acasamia Puertodemogan
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