Mamma Mia Pizzeria Summertown — Restaurant in Oxford

I’m in Oxford for work and, by pure accident (or fate?), I discovered this restaurant. Since I don’t like judging a place based on just one visit, I decided to go twice. Spoiler alert: it was a wild ride.

Night 1 - The Case of the Missing Tap Water I walk in. The restaurant is half-empty. The host stand? Abandoned. No one in sight. I stand there awkwardly, slowly creeping closer to the counter, wondering if I’m invisible. Finally, a friendly gentleman (who I assume is the manager) spots me and takes me to my table.

He asks, “Still or sparkling?” I confidently reply, “Tap water, please.” He nods, says “OK”… and then vanishes into thin air.

Water? Never arrived. Did he forget? Did he go on a quest to find the purest tap water in all of England? We may never know.

Luckily, a hardworking and super sweet waitress saved the day by taking my order and -miracle of miracles- bringing me the water I had requested years ago (okay, maybe just minutes, but it felt long).

Food-wise? Pizza was fantastic! A little too much chunky pepperoni for my taste, but that’s a personal preference. No complaints otherwise.

The bill arrives with the usual service charge included. I paid it- but only for the waitress, because our dear manager? Not exactly a service MVP.

Night 2 - Speed Service & Vanishing Objects Friday night. Full house. I brace myself for a long wait, but lo and behold. same manager, different energy. This time, he seats me instantly (growth!) at a not-so-great table near the door. No problem, I’ll take what I can get.

Does he ask if I want water? Absolutely not. At this point, I assume I’ve been blacklisted from the tap water club.

A new waitress, equally delightful, takes my order. Food arrives in record time. I order salmon rigatoni. The salmon? Great. The rigatoni? Blah. No seasoning, no flavor, just… pasta. I consider asking for parmesan, but putting cheese on fish feels like a sin. Then, something incredible happens. I take my last bite. I wipe my mouth. Before I even lower my napkin..BOOM! My plate disappears. Like magic. Before I even blink, my napkin follows. I half expect my phone and wallet to vanish next. Final Thoughts - Lightning-Fast but a Bit Chaotic This restaurant has a solid foundation: good food (mostly), insanely fast service, and hardworking waitstaff. BUT, the customer care is… inconsistent. It’s like they’re on a speedrun of restaurant service, prioritizing efficiency over making guests feel truly welcome. Oh, and maybe, just maybe, someone could bring the tap water next time? Would I...

I visited Mamma Mia Pizzeria last Saturday without a reservation. Despite the place being packed, the very friendly waiter quickly found us a table and let us know we’d have about an hour—perfectly fine with us! Within that hour, we had plenty of time to enjoy our meal. The service was fantastic; the staff was attentive, and the food arrived quickly. They were also very considerate in keeping our glasses full—every time I finished a beer, the waitress was right there to ask if I wanted another.

As for the food, it was good quality, though the pizza style wasn’t quite to my personal taste. I can see how others would really enjoy it, even if it didn’t quite wow me this time. However, I may still come back for the great service, lively atmosphere, and the warm welcome I received. Overall, I’d definitely recommend this place for anyone looking to have a great dining experience.

A 12.5% service charge was added to the bill, which I feel is a bit high, but I’m willing to accept it since I didn’t have a reservation and other restaurants had turned me away. Mamma Mia Pizzeria was gracious enough to find us a spot even on a busy night, which made the...

Not really sure where to start with this one, there was so much wrong with it.

First when my coffee arrived I told him this was mine, it was then place in front of my 8 month baby who put his hand in it and burnt himself.

The staff member just walked away, no concern, nothing.

He then came back with my milk and put that also right in front of the baby, which he knew to be allergic to milk (Not intolerant, allergic)

Then he started coming with the pizzas, sure you can guess where he placed them.

At this point we knew to watch him as he places the food down, but sadly my son managed to instantly slap his hand into it, leaving boiling hot cheese that he is allergic to burning his hand.

The staff was also very keen to rush things, we came in, sat down had menus put in our hands and instantly expected to order.

Would also reccomend not going near the garlic bread, it has no taste at all, literally none. The pizza wasnt much better at all.

Noticed we also had to pay a 12% service charge for the service of them scalding my son, not sure that's a service I want to pay for.

In short, bad pizza, even worse...