Mamma Mia Trattoria Pizzeria — Restaurant in Greater Brisbane

Redland Bayside News restaurant review:

By ANDREW JEFFERSON

Mamma Mia Trattoria Pizzeria – A Redlands gem where everyone feels like family

TUCKED away in Cleveland’s beautiful Raby Bay Harbour, just steps from the glistening water of the marina, Mamma Mia Trattoria Pizzeria isn’t just a restaurant — it’s an experience, steeped in tradition, heart, and a whole lot of flavour.

Owner Peppe Staiano has been serving up authentic Northern and Southern Italian cuisine here since 2011.

That’s 14 years of hand-made pasta, imported Italian ingredients, and the kind of old-school hospitality that leaves a lasting impression.

“I came to Australia more than 20 years ago,” Peppe said.

“I grew up cooking with my brothers back home in Italy. It was always part of our lives.”

He pauses, pointing outside, which he personally designed and landscaped to resemble a Mediterranean garden.

“I want this to feel like a little piece of Italy — the colours, the atmosphere, the smells,” he said.

It’s working.

The scent of bubbling tomato sauce, wood-fired dough, and shaved truffle drifts through the air as a steady stream of locals arrive for dinner.

The vibe is relaxed but elevated — more trattoria than fine dining, but with attention to detail that goes far beyond casual.

I start with the Al Capone pizza — a bold, meaty offering layered with mozzarella, Italian sausage, parma ham, and spicy salami over a rich Napoletana sauce.

It’s rustic and indulgent, cooked to perfection with a blistered, chewy crust and flavours that punch through with every bite.

“We make everything from scratch,” Peppe says.

“The pasta, the sauces — even the ravioli.

“People don’t realise we’re back there every day making it fresh from the flour up.”

It shows.

Peppe points out that all his key ingredients — mozzarella, tomatoes, prosciutto, even the flour — are imported from Italy.

“Yes, it costs more,” he admits, “but that’s the price of quality.”

“When you open the menu, you might think the prices are a little higher, but you’re paying for authenticity.

“You can taste the difference.”

While the food is reason enough to visit, it’s the atmosphere that truly makes Mamma Mia special.

There’s an effortlessness to the service, a rhythm to the way the team works, and a sense of being welcomed — not just as a customer, but as a guest in Peppe’s home.

“We’re not fine dining,” he says, “but we are something special.”

“It’s about making people feel like family.”

It’s a philosophy that’s earned Peppe a loyal following of locals. With seating for up to 200 guests, Mamma Mia is also a popular choice for functions, from intimate anniversaries to weddings and birthdays.

Peppe’s wife helps transform the space for private events, complete with white tablecloths, custom décor, and personal touches that give even large gatherings a homely warmth.

“We do everything — birthdays, big family dinners. Just last week, we had a group of 20 on a Tuesday night,” he said.

In a world where so many restaurants chase trends or cut corners, Mamma Mia stands out by doing the opposite — leaning into tradition, quality, and connection.

It’s a place where you’ll eat well, be warmly welcomed, and leave planning your next visit.

Whether you’re craving wood-fired pizza, silky handmade pasta, or just a quiet place to watch the sun set over the marina with a glass of Italian red, Mamma Mia delivers...

ZERO STARS. Review - blank. Honestly, if there was something to review I would, but unfortunately it's very hard to review on the consumption of half a glass of water. NYE and we arrived 5mins early for our booking, only to be greeted by staff flying everywhere but towards us. One staff member flew by stating she'd be with us in a minute only no eye contact made at all. When we were finally welcomed, it appeared that they were still making room for our BOOKED table for 2, even though it appeared to be spare tables in existence. Once seated, we were supplied menus and water, but nothing more for the next 20 minutes, not even an offer of drinks. Even after attempts by my frustrated and somewhat anxious partner to bring our plight to the attention of passing staff, nothing. Apparently it was easy to obtain beverages in the kitchen, however, as one kitchen staff member appeared to be enjoying what I would describe as a Peroni Nastro Azzurro (I'm a fan - I know the label) in the plain view of patrons (and we were seated by the door outside).

I was prepared to wait half an hour, but after witnessing our neighbouring table arrive (after the 20min delay plus 5mins waiting to be seated) and be attended to by a waitress for a drinks order on immediate arrival, our patience had been exhausted. Menus were left on the table and we departed using the same stealth strategy that our service was provided with.

On a positive note, our last minute attempt at a NYE meal was happily accepted at very short notice by The French Table up the street, where we probably spent twice the amount for a set menu WITH SERVICE, EYE CONTACT AND SMILES.

Recommend not attending here unless staff promise to...

As a local, normally this was a restaurant I liked to dine at, but will definately never return under current management! Totally disappointed with the food and lack of service on Saturday 16/9. I rarely leave a bad review as I only look at the positives, but this warrants a warning to others. Four of us arrived at 6.30pm for our dinner booking. 20 mins went past and being totally ignored by wait staff we had to go and ask for food and drink menus. We waited another 15-20 mins before we had to get up again and have our drinks, entree & main orders taken. About 7.45pm our main meals came out and we hadn't even been served our entrees yet! Sent the mains back and about 8pm out entrees turned up. Around 8.30pm the same main meals came back out and served to us. Pasta was cold in the middle and warm on the outside. The chicken dishes were luke warm and the pizza was cold! We were told the meals were remade. The chef has serious issues with the quality of the food being served if he/she finds that acceptable! The manager in the meantime came out and identified there was an issue with the service and all he could say is, "I will sort the final bill out"....but you are having a good time YES? Infact NO, we weren't having a good time. We barely touched the main meals and went to pay the bill. While paying the bill an elderly lady who we assumed was the owner lectured us that we came at a busy time, the wait staff are only kids and we shouldn't come at a busy time. Wow! Never had this problem there before during peak dining times. Something has definately changed at Mamma Mia's in recent times, with the numerous...