Not fast food. Not a chain. Not somewhere you have to drive 20 minutes to reach.
Just a place in town—comfortable, welcoming, and worth coming back to.
Now, that may finally be happening.
Capone’s House of Pasta, a new sit-down restaurant envisioned and created by Tripp Acker, head chef at La Famiglia Gourmet Pizza Company and sponsored by Mars Pizza owner Mike Porreca, is preparing to open at 200 West Hook Street, just off Grand Avenue—with a goal of welcoming its first guests as early as May.
From Dishwasher to Head Chef
For Tripp Acker, the journey to opening his own restaurant didn’t start in culinary school—it started at age 15, washing dishes.
“I got a job working in a kitchen as a dishwasher,” he said. “Just a summer job.”
But it didn’t stay that way for long.
Acker worked his way up—from dishwasher to prep to line cook—learning every part of the kitchen along the way.
“I enjoyed the fast pace, the hustle… working with my hands,” he said.
Over the next 22 years, he built his experience the old-fashioned way—through long hours, repetition, and a willingness to learn. He eventually found his stride in pizza shops, developing a deep appreciation for dough, sauces, and creating something from scratch.
Now, this restaurant represents something different—not just another job, but something he can call his own.
A Scratch Kitchen in Every Sense
At the heart of the restaurant is a simple idea that’s becoming increasingly rare:
Everything is made fresh. Every day.
“There are no microwaves, no freezers,” Acker said. “No preservatives or ingredients you can’t pronounce. This is homemade—like your grandmother made years ago.”
That includes the pasta itself, rolled and cut in-house, along with sauces made from scratch using hand-selected ingredients.
Even the philosophy is simple.
“Flour, a few ingredients, and water,” he said. “Simple—but done right.”
Not Your Typical Pasta Menu
While the restaurant will offer familiar dishes like chicken parmesan and fettuccine carbonara, Acker is also leaning into creativity—developing dishes designed to surprise people.
One of those is already generating buzz.
Full disclosure: The 228 Times was treated to a plate of homemade Cajun Chicken Alfredo fettuccine and a chocolate-covered cannoli during the interview—and they didn’t disappoint.
One bite delivered exactly what Acker described—tender, slow-cooked, hand-shredded beef, topped with a thick, rich gravy, all wrapped into a single, unexpected experience.
“It’s like Grandma’s Sunday meal in one bite,” he said. The 228 Times, totally agrees.
That’s the goal—not just to serve pasta, but to create dishes that feel both familiar and new.
Don’t expect the same menu every time. Acker said dishes will rotate regularly—and because everything is made fresh, once it’s gone for the night, it’s gone.
“I want people to say, ‘I’ve never had anything like this,’” he said.
A Restaurant Built for Mars
Beyond the food, the restaurant is being designed with something specific in mind: the community.
“I believe Mars needs this,” Acker said. “Something you can afford and leave full and happy.”
He pointed to what many residents already know.
“If you’re in Mars after 3 o’clock, what are your options for a sit-down meal?” he said. “There’s not a ton of places with more than a few seats without going somewhere bigger—or leaving town.”
This new restaurant aims to fill that gap.
The space will be small and intentionally intimate, with softly lit rooms designed to create a quiet, comfortable atmosphere—something between casual dining and a special night out.
“It’s not suit-and-tie upscale,” Acker said. “But it’s a place you can take your family… or someone special.”
The vision includes a subtle speakeasy feel—dim lighting, muted tones, and the sense that you’ve discovered something a little hidden.
A Community-Focused Experience
For Acker, success won’t be measured just by how busy the restaurant gets—but by how connected it becomes to the people around it.
“I want to come out and greet every table,” he said. “Learn people’s names. Have them come back every week.”
The goal is simple: A place where Mars residents feel like they belong.
“This is for Mars,” he said. “I want people to be proud to have it here.”
A New Chapter for a Familiar Name
While the restaurant is a new concept, it comes with a familiar connection.
Mars Pizza owner Mike Porreca is helping bring the project to life—pairing Acker’s culinary vision with his own experience running successful businesses.
Together, they’re building something rooted in tradition—but not limited by it.
What to Expect Next
The restaurant is currently in the final stages of preparation, with equipment installation and final approvals underway.
If all goes according to plan, it could begin serving customers sometime in May—though Acker said the early weeks will be a learning process, with limited hours and a focus on getting everything right.
“We’re going to figure it out as we go,” he said. “And ask people to be patient with us.”
The Bottom Line
Mars has been asking for a sit-down restaurant.
Now, one is finally on the way.
And if the early taste is any indication, it won’t just fill a space on Grand Avenue—it might fill a gap the community has felt for a long time.
