Mamma Mariella - Piccola Osteria Romana — Restaurant in Gżira

A Comedy of Errors! The food is good and tasty but the service is mediocre. The person serving tables does not even understand simple English let alone the job. It is very evident that she was put there with no training at all. She should not be there- not fit for purpose. She even needs the customer to tell her to get separate small plates to share the antipasto. We were 3 people to share suppli and fiore di zucca. First she came with literally 1 (one) suppli item for 3 people. When the first suppli went cold we had to wait for the other portions to come cause we learnt that you only get 1 suppli in a portion. Again we had to ask to have the fiore di zucca together with the rest of the antipasto. The drinks - we asked for a shandy which was not available. No problem 😊 we asked to have a lemonade and beer separately to mix together ourselves. She came back bringing the beer in a glass and told us that 🍋 lemon ice tea was not available. Mmm...Who ordered ice tea?......Then she brought a small empty glass in which we were supposed to mix lemonade and beer.....by this time I was hyperventilating. Not to mention the wine. She came with the wine ALREADY opened at the counter and a glass half filled already with the wine. We also had to ask her to bring another 2 wine glasses. I guess she imagined I was going to drink the wine all by myself😀 which wouldn't have been a bad idea after this experience. Next she did not understand that we needed an ice bucket to keep both water and wine cold. She brought us a large glass with blocks of ice stuck together .....what were we supposed to do with that. The list goes on.... By the reviews of good food, it never crossed our minds that we would experience such an ordeal with the service which was so ignorant and unprofessional. A pity for this trattoria and my Sunday lunch which also happened to be a birthday occasion to be remembered for a very long time. If you do not want to feel like you are in a kindergarten telling a child what to do, don't go there. It's a pity that such people with no training whatsoever are put on the front desk waiting on customers who by right expect a service for which they are paying...

A Cozy Italian Gem – Mamma Mariella

My girlfriend and I dined at Mamma Mariella a few nights ago, and we left happy. The restaurant has a charming, no-frills Italian vibe—simple, intimate, and unpretentious. Our waiter, Carolina, was sweet and attentive, adding to the welcoming atmosphere.

The menu is thoughtfully curated (no overwhelming list of options—a big plus in my opinion). I ordered the carbonara, tempted by their slogan: "We don’t speak very good English, but we make a really good carbonara." They weren’t lying—it was delicious! My only small wish: having bread, olive oil, salt, and pepper on the table would’ve been nice. My girlfriend had the cacio e pepe and loved it.

Overall, a great experience. If you’re craving authentic Italian food in a cozy setting, Mamma Mariella...

We visited this restaurant drawn by its incredibly high ratings and charming Italian atmosphere. The decor was lovely and the music added a delightful Italian vibe to the experience. Our server was exceptionally kind and welcoming, making us feel right at home.

Unfortunately, the food was a letdown. We ordered two amatricianas, but they fell far below our expectations. The guanciale was tough and consisted entirely of fat, with no trace of actual meat. This was, regrettably, the most disappointing amatriciana we’ve had, especially compared to the many we’ve enjoyed across various regions of Italy.

While the ambiance and service were wonderful, the food left much to be desired. A solid 3 stars for the...