A Parkville restaurant that has been serving Italian food for more than a quarter-century will shut its doors at the end of the month.

Mamma Lucia Da Fausto’s owners announced the restaurant’s impending closure on Facebook last week.

“We are immensely grateful to all who have dined with us, whether you have been a long-time patron or a recent visitor,” Fausto and Luisa Illiano wrote. “Your unwavering support and loyalty have been the cornerstone of our success, and we are truly honored to have been part of your most significant life events, from birthdays and graduations to first dates and celebrations of life.”

They also hinted there could be more to come: “Stay tuned… a potential new restaurant opening soon,” the Facebook post teases. “Exciting times ahead!”

The owners were not immediately available to comment on Tuesday. Leasing agents for Perring Plaza, where Mamma Lucia is located, did not immediately respond to an inquiry about whether the shopping center has a new tenant lined up for the restaurant space.

Fausto Illiano, a native of southern Italy, moved to the United States in 1983 and bought the Parkville restaurant in 1998. The location is not linked to other Mamma Lucia eateries in Maryland.

The restaurant’s “bright lights, tile floors and counter service” gave Mamma Lucia “all the atmosphere of a strip-mall pizza parlor,” a Sun critic wrote in a 2005 review, but the staff’s warmth and a menu of classic and affordable Italian-American dishes, like pizza, shrimp scampi and cannolis, made up for the restaurant’s stripped-down ambiance.

Longtime customers flooded the Facebook announcement with comments lamenting the closure and reminiscing about Mamma Lucia’s 26 years in business.

“You will be missed! We love your food, your excellent service, and your eternal kindness,” wrote one. “Wishing you all the best as you turn the page on the next chapter. We hope you come back soon!!”

Have a news tip? Contact reporter Amanda Yeager at ayeager@baltsun.com, 443-790-1738 or @amandacyeager on X.