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 Pepic, the owner of Massimo’s, 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 taxi driver in 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.