Mamma Lucia

Imagine this: dying to eat at Mama Lucia for two months because I remembered it being so good. And then the first bite… just pure disappointment... I didn’t even want to finish the whole pie. I ordered a full pizza and it came out soggy, wet, and clearly undercooked. Meanwhile, my friends ordered slices and theirs were noticeably better — maybe a 7/10 — but even that wasn’t anything to write home about. With how many good pizza spots are around, this just isn’t worth coming back to. The cannoli was actually pretty solid, but that’s about it. Disappointed and definitely not returning.

Mamma Lucia -- an Authentic Slice of Heaven in Fairfax From the very first whiff of fragrant Italian herbs wafting through the air of Fair City Mall, I knew Mamma Lucia was going to offer an extraordinary dining experience. Nestled at 9650 Main St, this gem of Fairfax, VA, has quietly crafted some of the most authentic and delicious Italian dishes I've ever tasted. The star of the show is their pizza. Perfectly balanced with a robust tomato sauce with just the right hint of sweetness and topped with the most indulgent, bubbling cheeses, every slice of their pizza promises a journey straight to the cobblestoned streets of Italy. It's not just the freshness of the ingredients that set Mamma Lucia's pizzas apart; it's also the perfect execution of thin yet substantial crust with those sought-after, slightly charred edges that only a masterfully maintained oven can produce. If you think it can't get any better, let me tell you about their Chicken Parm Sub, a stunning symphony of crispy, tender chicken nestled with a generous helping of marinara and molten cheese, embraced by a fresh, soft sub roll that somehow holds it all together without surrendering to sogginess. Every bite is a testament to the love and years of perfected technique in Mamma Lucia's cooking. Part of what makes Mamma Lucia a veritable institution in Fairfax is the warm, familial service that completes the dining experience. On a recent visit, I was heading back home to South Carolina and wanted to share this culinary joy with a friend. Mamma Lucia prepared two magnificent pizzas, intentionally undercooked and uncut, ready for me to reheat at home. Her understanding of my request and willingness to adapt was heartwarming. These pizzas survived the journey flawlessly and baked up into golden, cheesy perfection that transported my friend and me right back to Mamma Lucia's welcoming establishment. Mamma Lucia is, without a doubt, the crown jewel of Fairfax's dining scene. It’s not just a place to eat; it’s a destination for those who appreciate a meal prepared with passion and precision. I am immensely grateful to Mamma Lucia and her exceptional team for not just a delightful dining experience but for bringing a slice of Virginia’s finest pizza to my home. To all pizza enthusiasts out there – this is as authentic and delicious as it gets outside of Italy. Mamma Lucia is the best pizza place in VA, hands down.

If you’re anywhere near Fairfax, do yourself a favor and get the steak and cheese from Mamma Lucia hands down the best on the East Coast. Perfectly seasoned steak, melted cheese, fresh bread that’s soft but holds up, and peppers (if you want them). It’s one of those sandwiches that ruins all other steak and cheeses for you. I’ve tried Philly, DC, Baltimore nothing touches this one. Mamma Lucia doesn’t miss. Staff is friendly, place is clean, and it always hits the spot. This is the kind of hidden gem that deserves a line out the door.

A good place to stop off for a quick meal before or after going to the movies at Cinema Arts. The salads are really fresh and good and you can buy a whole pizza or just a slice. Sandwiches and entrees are available. Prices are very reasonable.

I've been eating at this pizza place since the 90s and considered to be my favorite pizza spot, but from today's experience, I will no longer support nor recommend this place ever again. I really wanted to have my buddy try out this pizza place on 6/7/25. Upon ordering 2 large for $27.99? deal, the lady tried to charge us $8 more when we just wanted to eat by the public table with the carry out box. She declined and have told us that if we eat at the public table, we are going to have to get smaller to go boxes and as mentioned above, bill came out to be around $36. It just did not make any sense and we both got upset and left. It's very unethical and hope you guys fix this issue.

Mamma lucia is an institution of Fairfax. They are quick and rustic, and they always guarantee to feel your belly with something yummy. I didn't give them a higher score on the pizza simply because I'm really picky.

Stopped by unexpectedly for lunch. Got a steak and cheese sub and a whole cheese pizza. Both were delicious but the pizza really was excellent. Thin, no flop with a light crisp to the crust and fresh. Will come back next time in the area.

Below average pizza & bottom tier customer service. The good reviews must be nostalgia. The safeway next door has better pizza.

Amazing food and service...we miss being in this area on a regular basis. Nice drink selections.

Imagine this: dying to eat at Mama Lucia for two months because I remembered it being so good. And then the first bite... just pure disappointment... I didn't even want to finish the whole pie. I ordered a full pizza and it came out soggy, wet, and clearly undercooked. Meanwhile, my friends ordered slices and theirs were noticeably better -- maybe a 7/10 -- but even that wasn't anything to write home about. With how many good pizza spots are around, this just isn't worth coming back to. The cannoli was actually pretty solid, but that's about it. Disappointed and definitely not returning.

On the way to a movie, across the way was Momma Lucia, and we were a bit hungry. The wife wanted a thick Sicilian and I decided on the thin NY style. The wife added three items and I just added the pep. The slices came out within minutes, very quick as our movie Jane Austen Wrecked My Life in Français. Super friendly staff and the pizza was excellent.

I stopped in for a quick slice for lunch. I saw that they only had cheese and supreme, I figured I was SOL to get a slice with sausage. But no, they added sausage to the cheese and popped it in the oven. I was ready in about 5 mins. The per-slice pie looks to be an 18" pie. The cheese came out nicely melted with a pleasant tomato basic sauce. The sauce was not sweet (yay!). What made the day for me was the crust: eating a slice is a two-handed proposition because the crust is so thin (looked like a 1/16" crust) that drooped even when folded in half. One hand holds the fold. The second supports the end for the first couple of bites.Yes, the crust was properly cooked. I was just really thin. I would certainly go back.

This place is a rip off. They charge you an extra 4 percent if you use your card. Didn't see the little sign , where you pick up the pizza instead of the sign being in front of register. So a slice of cheese came to over 4 dollars. In a time wheee everyone is struggling. You want to rip people off.

Wonderful service. Excellent white pizza. The location inside Fair City Mall can't be beat. It's right next to the excellent Cinema Arts Theatres. This pizza place faces a small open court, so eating here is not as quiet as eating in a restaurant. But it's usually not too noisy.

Been ordering from here for years. Our family loves this pizza! Service is great and friendly.

I read that it had closed recently but it's still there as of 4/10/25. The 1/2 salami sub that I had was terrible- one- that's right- one slice of the thinnest salami I've ever seen. The roll was pretty tasty, but $9.00 for a pile of lettuce?? No thanks.

Fav local pizza spot. Always on point and they're a mom and pop shop. Great pizza, great prices and also a good Greek salad!

I grew up in this general region so have passed by Mamma Lucia ever since I was a kid - I'm not sure if it's the same owners or even the same restaurant that has persisted in the shopping center though. We came less than an hour before closing and it was busy with folks eating, waiting for their orders, or ordering. The staff member who took our order was really nice even though the day was almost over and he must've been tired. We got a lasagna and a sausage roll. I asked that the lasagna not have any onion with the side salad and despite how busy they were, they made sure it didn't have onion. Husband liked the sausage roll - only thing he would've liked is if the sausage was a little better. The lasagna was pretty good but was a bit too much mozzarella cheese on top for me - it felt like half of the dish was melted cheese. Will definitely come back and try their other dishes and pizza.

Even if Fair City Mall vanished into thin air, by a cosmic black hole, there's no doubt Mamma Lucia would be up and running. What a wonderful family owned restaurant, that's inside the mall, next to the movie theater. I have always enjoyed the top notch employees, and genuinely delicious food. It's going to be more expensive than fast food, but it is still reasonably priced. You will find value, and the areas best pizzas here. I love their crust, cheese, and toppings. If you want to destroy your diet in a good way, pizza, fries, and a Coke work. Yet one dish that's exceptional is their chicken parmigiana. What a large serving and the pasta is perfect. I love this as my "go to," when time does permit. The seating area inside the restaurant is a little small, so try to get a table inside the mall. There you can enjoy a from scratch meal.

This is our favorite pizza place, it's always really good. When my family and I go shopping we always stop to get the great NY style pizza. The service is really good and they are really friendly.

Pizza staple in Fairfax! I love theirs pizzas, no frill experience. I also love the cheese sticks. It's hard not to eat on the way home with some pies. Family owned for decades and is loyal to local HS students.

The pizza here is a hidden gem!! Tucked away in a strip mall, I didn't know what to expect when first stepping in but heard about this place through the great reviews on Google. Mamma Lucia is a local, family business serving up great pizza with an incredible crust. We got the Momma's special 16 inch NY style I believe and the crust stood out to us. It was the perfect amount of crispiness and lightness. It wasn't too thin either.

I used to love this place, and was really the only pizza that I enjoyed near our house. I now cannot stand to come here. The perpetually depressed employees, the ever increasing prices, and the major in consistency and quality was already enough. But today I had the lovely surprise when I arrived of learning that they now charge 4% on your bill to use a credit card. I've never seen a business charge that much for a credit card fee let alone, pulling it out of thin air. I am officially done.

Best white pizza ever! I've been coming here for years (decade?) and this pie is perfect...perfect amount of garlic, lightly sprinkled with diced tomato, and amazing cheese. It's a bit of a hike which is why I always get extra for the freezer so I always have some on hand.

Ok, so while I respect reviews from 5+ years ago, I'd also say take them with a grain of salt and try Mamma Lucia yourself to develop your own opinion.My SO regularly picks up Mamma Lucia for lunch or dinner and I've come to love the thin crust pizza. Each slice is large as expected. My favorite is the white with spinach, but I can also vouch for just the plain cheese. The cheese to sauce ratio is solid and the thin crust is respectfully crispy. My SO will shout here to the moon that Mamma Lucia makes his favorite local pizza, and I would agree that if you like a super thin crust, definitely try Mamma Lucia's. It's not exotic pizza but it's quite classic and delicious:

I came in here tonight for dinner while waiting for a movie to start at the Fair City Mall theater. I got a 12-inch Italian cold cut sub, some garlic bread, and a sweetened tea. The total was a little less than $20. The sandwich was excellent. It had fresh white Italian bread, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, ham, salami, prosciutto (I think), peppers, and vinegar. All of the ingredients were fresh and tasty. Fresh ingredients are especially important in a cold cut sub. The service was reasonably quick. No complaints. Keep up the good work.

Family run pizza restaurant located inside fair city mall with its own food court seating. Conveniently right outside Cinema Arts Theatre, we always like stopping by for a quick slice of pizza before/after a movie. Service is friendly enough for a counter order spot and pizza is always fresh. They offer plenty of topping but I do not recommend getting toppings on slices. Slices are already a bit small then they only add a pinch of toppings on an already small slice for $.60 per topping at the time of this review. I would think topping are more generous when you order a whole pie like most places though. Overall, great thin crust NY style pizza without a doubt though and worth a try if you are in the area.

I ordered a full pie to go and it smelled good so I wanted to eat a slice fresh. I ended up eating the entire thing by myself on the spot.

I came here for a quick bite to eat and I really enjoyed the pizza that Mamma Lucia has to offer. The crust of the pizza was nice and soft. The sauce was good as well. The pizza was easy to order at the counter. Check this place out!

They wanted to charge me almost $8 for two of these slices? Then argued with me that prices are going up, plus complained it was expensive for them to run my debit card? $3.98 for this slice was not worth it..

Been coming here for over 20 years. Still imo the best NY style pizza in the area. Mamma works so hard day in and day out cranking out them pies. I finally changed it up and tried the Sicilian. I've been missing out all these years. It was amazing! In the past a couple months I have tried a total of 6 different Sicilians in the area. This one came in 1st place for me. The 2nd time I ordered it well done which was a game changer. The reason why I liked it the most is due to the crust not being oily like all the others while having a crunchy exterior and chewy interior with a very flavorful sauce. The sauce she uses on the Sicilian is different than the NY, its robust & hearty. Whether you order a pizza or sub its always consistent. Eating here brings me back to my childhood.

Great food and Service!!! Lasagna was Amazing!! Going try the chicken Alfredo next time, it looked delicious...

Rounding up. I was surprised at the taste of the pizza and it was really quality NY style pizza despite being a little shop at Fair City Mall. Also got a small side of garlic bread and cheese cake, both ok. However my side orders took a while, I believe they just forgot. Owner was apologetic but did leave me with bad taste because I waited quite a while and asked a couple of times. In general it seems they are pretty busy on a Friday night which is great for a local place.

Really yummy pizza for the price in Fairfax. Took the pizza into the movie theater and it was very enjoyable. Covid precautions are good too. The mall is very nostalgic. The strip is suffering (half of the buildings in the mall are empty) but it's nice to have a great slice of pizza during covid. I support this business especially during this time. There was a line so I suppose other people like it here.

I've been going to Mama Lucias for years and it never disappoints. It's in a convenient location right next to the Cinema Arts Movie theater. Their pizza is excellent and the best in the area. It's NY style and just light enough where you don't feel too stuffed after eating. We always go with sausage pepperoni. Best pizza spot in the area, no question.

I used to skip school in the 90's for Mama Lucias and its still just as awesome as ever. My friends and I still talk about how great this place and we're in our 40's now. Pizza, steak n cheese, and birch beer are my favorite things there. The best in NOVA!

The owner is great and very personable. The theatre has improved so hoping more people give this pizza place a chance. I Usually order pizza or spaghetti but was adventurous today and went with the steak and cheese. It's sooo good. The fries here are good too but hahah I'm on a diet

Best Italian food in Northern VA! Their tomato sauce is packed with flavor. I always get the gnocchi, spaghetti, or lasagna! Great carry out and perfect meals for a rainy or cold day!

Friendly service and a great Sicilian style pizza, fluffy and not overly dense with a tasty tomato sauce. A longtime customer.

I'm a NYer and this is the best NY style pizza in the DMV and great prices! Staff also very friendly! Lived in area 15 years ago and moved away but recently moved back. Pizza has not changed and we love it so much we drive 1/2 hour to pick it up!

It's Funny that after 10 years...i've decided to write a review...well that's a fail on my part...but i guess even after 10 years this place's quality is about the same...well i'll admit sometimes its a hit or miss with my pizza..but i can tell you when its a good day the pizza is amazing...I've tried a few of their pastas before and they actually weren't that bad...then again i am a bit of a picky pasta eater.. so i can't say it's as amazing as the pizza. The Subs... are good on flavor plus they are pretty stuffed for subs of their size. I usually get the steak deluxe..its not too bad.But the cold subs are pretty good too. Overall this place to me is a great place for a quick bite.

I had visited this location several years ago and ordered the lasagna and thoroughly enjoyed it. Fast forward to last night which was a complete disaster prompting me to write this review, or rather, forewarning. When I got my lasagna it looked like a blob of Molten plastic. A piece of lasagna should maintain its square shape and show the layers. There was way too much sauce and the cheese on top was so chewy I could barely cut through it. As for meat, I barely found a few crumbs. I just liked it so much that I couldn't finish it and ordered a slice of pizza instead. Another disappointment. How can you mess up pizza? By making the crust too thin to support the toppings. No flavor from a nice robust sauce. The guy reheated a slice of cheese pizza and added pepperoni to it which resulted in uncooked pepperoni that couldn't adhere to the barely there cheese. This crust was so thin, it was actually non-existant in one spot. My husband ordered the Chicken Sorrentino. Description said, artichokes, peppers and capers in a lemon wine sauce. The chicken looked anemic and rubbery. He said he couldn't find one single little piece of artichoke,which he loves and prompted him to choose this entrée. In my opinion, this restaurant will not survive much longer as they skimp so empathetically on ingredients that make food good and flavorful. Save your money and avoid this place like the plague. With the skimpy antipasto salad and drinks, I wasted $55. Unbelievable.

Regrettable, need to give one star. Both my friend and I did not appreciate the cleanliness of service. My pizza was served on a dirty tray and believe it or not my friends ham & cheese calzone was served directly on the tray. Granted, the server relayed he cleaned it but I doubt the Food Inspection Agency would approve.

I grew up in NYC. This is the best pizza here in Va. it is a hidden mom and pop treasure.

**Update** I'll keep this short, because everything I wrote before is still 100% applicable and true. And as before, I'm only reviewing the pizza. However, I did finally try a slice of their white pizza, and I was pleasantly surprised. Most places just use garlic sauce as their white sauce, but this one was ricotta based. There was also diced tomato bits and a little of spinach as toppings. It's SO much better than their normal pizza, in part because you can avoid their bland marinara sauce. The dough, while still thin, had a little more fluffiness to it than their cheese slices (I'm not sure why they don't slap all of their pies the same way) and the slice was much more firm than floppy. If I was basing the review on this slice alone, it would get 4 stars easily. But in conjunction with my previous experiences trying their cheese or pepperoni slices, it averages out to a respectable 3 stars.

You can smell it when you walk by! The pizza is cheesy and delicious! Definitely try a slice!!

Okay, to be fair I'm from NY so would never a local pizza shop a 5 star rating unless it deserved it . And this does! Right about or cheese to sauce, not too sweet, ask them to make it crispy (ny thing) and you're golden. Enjoy!

We tried this for the first time and I can say that it might be the best pizza I've ever had. Thin crust, fresh ingredients and good service. The bottom line is that the pizza is delicious

Pizza is sold just wish they had more selection of slices. Lady behind the counter always has a welcoming smile on her face, which makes the experience a good one.

Used to come here for lunch when I used to work at Funcoland(I'm showing my age here! LOL!). Anyway, family and I came here for dinner last night, and wished we didn't! We ordered 2 slices with Sausage and Pepperoni, 1 slice with Sausage, and 1 Spinach. The owner and her worker get everything together, and throw them into the oven to heat up. As we're waiting for our pizza's, I noticed that there are crumbs on the table. I guess they don't both cleaning up anymore since this is a public place to eat at. We are called back to the counter because the pizza was ready. Before we start eating, each of us had decided to sprinkle on some Garlic Powder onto our slices. We start eating, and noticed that the pizza has no flavor at all! We barely managed to finish our pizza after that! My wife decided to open the Garlic Powder Shaker, only to notice that the Garlic Powder was clumped up and dried out! No wonder we didn't taste any Garlic Powder! The Tomato Sauce on the pizza had no flavor as well! It was very bland! The crust was alright, which is a good thing! But the Spinach Slice had no oil dripping out of it like the other slices did! The last time I was here with the family was back in '03 when the food was really great! Guess since the owners had divorced, the ex-wife doesn't really care about how the food should look and taste now. It's a shame that this place has gone down here over the years. :-( Goodbye Mamma Lucia's, you were the best in Fairfax City. :-(

Don't be fooled by the location. This place packs a punch with some of the best NY style pizza in NoVA! Friendly, covid-guideline-following staff...great prices...excellent pizza. What more could you ask for?

**3.5 stars** I met up my mom for lunch and she suggested this place since they had great steak and cheese subs... but I decided to venture off and try the lasagna, which came with garlic bread. The lasagna was a little tasteless for me, but I did enjoy the garlic bread. (but who can mess up garlic bread) The service was good, and there was plenty of tables to sit at. If we come back again, I'm going to try the steak and cheese.

Situated inside the Fair City Mall plaza, next to the theater, across from the Old Country Buffet. Mamma Lucia is situated in the 'mall court' that offers Italian dishes (chicken parm, salads, etc.) as well as pizza by the slice. I tried out a slice of their NY style cheese pizza. It was pretty solid, and with a dash of the hot chili flakes and the Parm cheese - oven-heated, the pizza itself was pretty okay. I folded it, and I enjoyed how the cheese basically glopped together as it slid off the thin tomato sauce. The slice sets you back about $2.80, inclusive of tax. There are plenty of tables to sit and enjoy. Service was friendly and Mamma Lucia was definitely a surprising treat in this mall! +pizza by-the-slice +located inside the Fair City Mall

My rating is based purely on service and policy. Sadly I can offer no opinion on the food since I was turned away. While taking a leisurely walk through this shopping center, I became curious. I thought I might find a new pizza place. Usually my go-to pizza is Church Street Pizza or Lombardi Pizza. I was hopeful that this place could become my local favorite. I ordered a slice of pizza that came to nearly $4. I extended my credit card and the guy behind the counter insisted on cash for any purchase under $5. I've been in the business long enough to know that restaurants incur a transaction fee for credit card payments. But a savvy or considerate employee would recognize that turning me away because of a credit transaction fee (which amounts to pennies) is extremely shortsighted. No matter how you slice it (pun intended), they missed a sale that would have generated immediate profit and potentially higher revenue in the weeks to come. My family spends an average of $150 on pizza every month! Food for thought... imagine all the costs associated with obtaining a new customer (brochures, print ads, coupons etc). Now consider the logic of turning away a sale because the mode of payment would reduce profit by a few cents. Taking my business elsewhere.

I guess this place mainly sells pizza but I came in for the spaghetti and meatballs. I also ordered two orders of garlic bread and specifically asked them if the bread only had butter and garlic on it, no spices. They said the garlic bread did only have the two things on it. The meatballs (two) were pretty bland, the spaghetti was OK. The garlic bread had no garlic on it so I took it back and complained and they said they put on more garlic but it still tasted light on the garlic to me. My wife got a salad which she said was OK. She was mad later as she really wanted a hamburger and didn't notice the hamburger subs on the back of the menu. The place is really slightly inside of the mall. A little hard to find. Right in the corner of the back part of the mall. I guess I won't return as it just wasn't that good.

I was pleased to find this little pizza place outside the movie theater as I'd been in a hurry and didn't have time for dinner before our movie. I got a slice before and a slice after of cheese. The crust was perfect-the right combo of crispy and chewy; the sauce was okay, but better than many places (hard to get proper NY style here). I'd like to try some of their speciality pies and subs next visit.

Some great places don't have flashy lights, flashy signs, or the most swankiest locations. That's why I really enjoy discovering these places and even better when they are close by. I've had their pizza and I can't complain. Cheesy and testy tomato sauce, not much to complain about. The calzones are great but sometimes a little too much on the ricotta cheese but still delicious. Overall, I'd come back here again and try more stuff. Great little pizza joint right outside a mini movie theater. If you can't find anywhere to eat and are close by, give it a try and you might be pleasantly surprised.