Old Town Clovis pizza owners share their passion
Located in the heart of Old Town Clovis, Luna Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant serves hearty Italian meals for almost 50 years. Original owners Franco and Carmela Liberta established Luna in 1969 with little money and no help.
Franco and Carmela immigrated from Italy in their early years and came to America. After living in New York, the Liberta’s needed to move to a place with a dry climate because of a sickness that their children possessed. The Clovis community seemed like the perfect place for them to settle and start their very own restaurant.
As Franco and Carmela began growing older, they decided to pass Luna down to their sons, Bert and David Liberta. After the passing of their parents, the Liberta brothers still keep Luna in business and hope to keep the tradition alive. Owner Bert Liberta tells us about the history of Luna and his favorite thing about working there.
“Luna’s has been opened for close to 50 years,” Liberta said. “My mom’s dad had a couple delicatessens in New York and so the background comes from her side of the family. My favorite thing about working at Luna’s is working in the morning by myself.”
One factor that makes Luna even more special is that they close on Sundays in honor of the Sabbath. Even though they lose money for not being open, God has blessed Luna in many other ways.
“The reason why we do not open on Sunday is because we were raised in a church,” Liberta continues. “My parents always believed that we should always keep that day sacred for God. We’ve tried to keep that in tact and it is really difficult but it has blessed us in the long run.”
The first step into Luna gives you the Italian feel with the artwork hung around the walls and the smell of fresh pasta. Known for their tasty Italian meals, Luna offers many options on their menu including pastas and pizzas. They also provide bread, sauces, soups, meatballs and calzones that are handmade using Luna original recipes.
Not offered on the menu are cookies and biscotti made from an original recipe that Carmela created. To get her delicious treats, you have to ask the server who will pass along your request. They are worth the wait.
In the following podcast, Megan LeBlanc talks to Bert Liberta about his restaurant in Old Town Clovis.
Avery Loeffler, ’22, explains what she enjoys eating at Luna’s and why she would recommend it to anyone.
“My favorite thing about Luna’s is definitely their bread, it is so good,” Loeffler said. “I usually order pasta because it is my favorite food and their pasta is really good. I actually had my tenth birthday party there. I would recommend Luna’s to other people because they have really good food and it is a great place to go with your family and friends.”
Throughout the years, Luna has won many awards for their tasty and appetizing meals. Given by the Clovis Independent’s Best of Clovis and the Fresno Magazine Best of Fresno, Luna’s has won the ‘Best Italian Food’ for many years in a row.
Mason Blowers, ‘20, tells us why he loves Luna’s and about a time he went with his family.
“My favorite thing about Luna’s is probably the friendly atmosphere there that the workers give you ,” Blowers said. “I usually order the angel hair pasta. We went one time just with the family after the Christmas lights parade. We just had a good time and people were very friendly. I would definitely recommend it to other people, it is a good place to go.”
Even though Luna is known among many people in the Clovis and Fresno community, not everyone has enjoyed the meals that Luna provides. Senior Alina Ochoa explains how she knows of Luna but never thought of eating there before.
“I have heard of it before, I heard it has good food,” Ochoa said. “I just never thought of going out to eat there before. I would definitely go to Luna in the future because I would want to try the food.”
The Luna and Fresno Christian connection goes back decades. Up until 2010, the football team played at Clark Intermediate due to the lack of a home football field. During these years, Luna provided their space for the students to have 5th quarter. Even to this day, the owners remember the Fresno Christian students coming in and enjoying a time of excitement and fun.
“I have great memories of the Fresno Christian kids coming to Luna’s after the football games,” Liberta said. “It was great to see kids and families all come together in a fun and safe environment. The kids would hang out on one side of the restaurant and the parents on the other. Everyone was well mannered and they did not mess up the bathrooms. It was a great experience.”
For those who have enjoyed Luna Pizzeria over the years or just last week, please share your favorite dish or memory of a night of dining at this long time Clovis eatery.
Luna is located at 349 Pollasky Avenue in Old Town Clovis. Monday through Friday, lunch is served from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and dinner from 4 – 9 p.m.. On Saturday, Luna is open from 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. and they are closed on Sundays. The lunch menu ranges from $9-20 and the dinner menu ranges from $12-23. For more information, you can call in at 1 (559) 299-4141 or visit their website.
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