About Us
Our History
ESBA's roots can be traced back to 1981, 28-year-old Izzy, opened his first restaurant. Called Massimos Pizza, the 30-seat fast casual in Costa Mesa, CA, promised “the best customer service and the best quality ingredients.” He understood that excellent service and quality would be vital to success.
Walking into Massimo's Pizza & Pasta restaurant, the first thing that will catch your eye are the family photos that line the wall. Some show the evolution of Izzy, as a young father recently moving from New York to Costa Mesa and sharing in his kids dreams of becoming professional athletes. Many others show off the incredibly talented athletes that come through Newport Harbor High School and have been a part of the Massimo's family since they were young.
In 1981, Izzy Pepic, a former pizza cook in Coney Island, New York, came to Costa Mesa with a simple goal – bring the New York style pizza he loves to California and find a grass field, instead of the concrete of New York, where his sons could learn to play and love the game of soccer in the same way he did as a youth.
Massimo's Pizza & Pasta has been in business as a family-style restaurant in Costa Mesa since 1981. From its door step, Massimo's has witnessed the incredible growth of 17th street. With firm roots in the community, Massimo's has served customers that span across three generations, and for many of them Massimo's is a part of their Orange County lifestyle.
Massimo's would not be able to continue to share our dream of offering great Italian food without the loyal customers that have shared in this journey with our family. As we look toward the future, we are excited to welcome and serve future generations of customers while still being a family-owned and family operated restaurant. Izzy and the boys are always working hard to serve the finest Italian food and we thank all of our customers for continuing the tradition of family values and good food.
Our Founders
The offsprings of Izzy are self-driven and motivated entrepreneurs with a proven track record of success and achievements in building Massimos Pizza and Pasta from a simple idea to a successful business. Combined have over 80 years of restaurant experience.
Our Values
Our purpose defines what we accomplish, but our CORE values define how we do it. They are essential to our brand identity because they lay out the principles, beliefs and philosophies of what is important to us.
Our Brands
Massimos Pizza and Pasta
Massimos Pizza and Pasta
Massimos Pizza and Pasta
Izzy's NY Pizza
Massimos Pizza and Pasta
Massimos Pizza and Pasta
Sherif's Halal Pizza
Massimos Pizza and Pasta
Armino's Italian Grinders
Armino's Italian Grinders
Armino's Italian Grinders
Armino's Italian Grinders
Benji's Cucina Salata
Armino's Italian Grinders
Eddie's Pasta and Salads
Eddie's Pasta and Salads
Armino's Italian Grinders
Eddie's Pasta and Salads
RAZ Chicken Shop
RAZ Chicken Shop
RAZ Chicken Shop
Massimos 2 Go
RAZ Chicken Shop
RAZ Chicken Shop