A couple from Kosov, north of Albania, found their way to Eufaula by way of Texas to open an Italian restaurant, a diner whose cuisine rivals most metropolitan eateries.

Sara and Alban Osmanaj have had tremendous success since they opened Mia’s Pizzeria & Restaurant in Plainview, Texas, followed by Mia’s Italian Bistro in Wichita Falls, followed by Modo Mio Italian Restaurant in McAlester and now Cucina Italiana Al Lago, at 134 N. Main St. in Eufaula.

Eufaula folks had been hoping for an Italian restaurant for years, and they now have one that is everything they hoped for.

He says the restaurant has been serving between 400 and 500 diners per day.

The couple are excellent Albania chefs, but they have concentrated on opening Italian restaurants because of the demand.

“People don’t know much about Albanian food,” Alban said.

Since his family of restauranteurs have owned Italian restaurants for generations, he brought his expertise to the United States.

At a recent opening attended by several invited guests, the Osmanaj’s surprised everyone by preparing Albanian dishes, which seemed to please everyone, most of whom had never tasted Albanian food.

The occasion was hosted by Karen Weldin, head of Vision Eufaula, to celebrate the return of artists, Tracy Lee Strum and Sayak Mitra, the couple who painted the 3D mural on Selmon Road near downtown in September 2020.

They are creating a mural on a wall inside Cucina Italiana depicting a typical mountainous Italian village, adding to the ambiance of the dining experience.

The Osmanajs also are working on getting a liquor license, which also will enhance the experience. What’s Italian food without wine?

Alban and Sara are not new to the restaurant business.

“Our whole life, our family. Everybody. It’s all we’ve done,” Alban said.

He started out at the age of 14.

He went to New York City when he was 17 and eventually he moved to Texas where he worked until he could afford to open his first Italian restaurant in Plainview.

Six years ago they opened their restaurant in McAlester, which became a popular site for Eufaulans.

“We had a lot of people come to McAlester and eat. They’re like, ‘You have to come to Eufaula. You’ve got to come.’” And they did. They were considering opening in Eufaula, looking for a suitable location, when E’s Hideaway closed in October 2024.

“We said, ‘Let’s do it.’ This town has a small population, but I think, you know, it brings a lot of tourists in here so I think it will be a great town for us,” Alban said. “I think during the summer, like starting in May all the way to September. Business should be pretty good, then, you know, we’ll have a lull time, but then we’ve got Christmas. I think we’ll be fine. It will be great.”

Even though the population is relatively small, if you have good food and good service, people will come, he says.

“It doesn’t matter how far,” he said. “I’m used to Texas, and you know, people don’t mind driving. Twenty miles for them is nothing. They drive. If they like it, they drive.”