Casa Me, a new Italian restaurant at 7 Sconset Square, is the first joint venture of fashion designer Pina Ferlisi and her husband, restaurateur Mario Fontana.   Fontana owns the Bodega restaurants in Fairfield and Darien, both specializing in Mexican cuisine. He has also owned several restaurants in Norwalk.

The Southport couple decided to return to their Italian heritage with Casa Me, Ferlisi said, envisioning the concept during the COVID pandemic lockdown. An Italian who grew up in Canada, Ferlisi and her husband, an Italian American, were inspired by their favorite place to visit — Italy — and what she called “Italy vacation foods.”