HAMPTON BEACH -- "Our food is excellent; it speaks for itself," says Gus D'Angelo, who with his lovely wife Linda owns and operates Beautiful Mama Leone's restaurant.

Located beneath the Hillcrest Hotel at 113 Ocean Boulevard, Mama Leone's has been a favorite family-priced restaurant for more than 32 years. With a décor that's inviting as well as comfortable and a friendly waitstaff that greets and serves you with a smile, Mama Leone's is clearly a gem that's not to be missed.

Building up their establishment "piece by piece, year by year," Gus and Linda have created a very special place for people who expect only the very best in Italian and pasta dishes, fresh seafood, prime steaks, lobster dishes, chicken and veal. Beautiful Mama Leone's serves all this great food, and lots of it, at family-friendly prices — always.

Gus, who notes that his recipes are the same today as the day the restaurant opened more than three decades ago, says "Our food is always consistent. What you find today, you'll find tomorrow." That means it's always available, always beautifully presented, and always delicious.

It's also very fresh too, with everything prepared on-site using only the freshest ingredients and the restaurant's very own recipes. That special kind of care and attention is evident in every dish that comes from Mama's kitchen.

"Everything we make here is from scratch," says Gus. "We use fresh herbs in our marinara sauce, and our tomatoes are the best. We serve only choice meats and our seafood is strictly fresh. There are no shortcuts. We cook very good food, give people plenty, and charge a fair price."

That's exactly what new and repeat customers will find — first time, second time, and every time they come to Mama Leone's. Each dinner starts with fresh bread and a choice of antipasto, garden salad or homemade soup — a perfect beginning to the memorable meal that follows.

The mouthwatering list of entrees (such as Mama's excellent Eggplant Parmigiana, boneless Chicken Parmigiana or signature favorite Veal Parmigiana, for example) are accompanied by a choice of spaghetti or ziti with Mama's famous marinara sauce, or French fries.

There's also a fine selection of ocean-fresh seafood (Broiled Fillet of Haddock Almondine, Fried or Broiled Cape Scallops are just two of them), prime steaks (such as a lean 8 oz. Sirloin served with fresh broiled haddock and scallops) and tender veal (served scaloppini- or rollatini-style).

It goes without saying that pasta dishes are a popular favorite at Mama Leone's. The Baked Stuffed Cannelloni Florentine is an exceptionally delicious dish, created with a seasoned ricotta cheese, veal and chicken stuffing rolled up in homemade cannelloni shells and topped with Mama's sauce.

In addition to the regular dinner menu, Mama Leone's has a children's menu designed specifically for "the Younger Set;" tempting desserts; a take-out menu; and a full bar serving an assortment of wines, beers and cocktails.

Originally from Lawrence, Massachusetts, and with more than 56 years of experience in the restaurant industry from Florida to Hawaii and ultimately to Hampton, Gus brings a vast array of knowledge to his business.

"We've enjoyed serving the people at Hampton Beach," he says, "and we hope to continue serving the best food possible for many years to come." With an exemplary reputation for serving consistently delicious food season after season, Mama Leone's is definitely a restaurant for those people who expect only the very best.

Discover for yourself. Come to Beautiful Mama Leone's, and bring a big appetite. Mama Leone's is open seven day a week. Breakfast is available from 7:15 -11:30 a.m. and dinner is served from 3:30-9 p.m. For more information, call (603) 926-5576