Mama's Pizza — Restaurant in Saint Paul

In a word: incredible!

We arrived to find only a short wait for a table. The man behind the counter making the pizzas we found out was the owner, Tony. He took time to talk to us, asking if it was our first time there. I had been once before for lunch many years ago, but it was my significant other's first time. He thanked us for coming and was incredibly friendly and welcoming.

Our server, Dante, was just as friendly and welcoming. We ordered a little bit of everything; a pizza, and some small pastas (the Sampler: spaghetti, mostacciololi and ravioli, and the stuffed shells, both baked with cheese). we were surprised at the generosity of the owner who provided a complimentary cheese sticks. We wouldn't have thought to order it, as it looked relatively simple...cheese on a pizza crust. It was utterly amazing! The seasoning on the cheese and crust was incredible, and the red sauce was absolutely perfect.

The small pastas were very generous portions; we struggled to finish them (and I'm not one to push away from the table), and then the pizza came! We were both able to put down a small piece or two of the cheesy, saucy, perfectly browned pie before throwing in the towel. We had plenty of leftovers. We were able to put down our complimentary ice cream cone deserts somehow.

We thanked Tony for his generosity and warmth on the way out. We had initially planned on going to another popular italian place near the Xcel Energy Center, but due to there being an event, we couldn't get in easily, and didn't want to wait. Best food decision ever! While I was telling Tony of our plan to eat elsewhere but ended up at Mama's, and how amazed we were, he caught a glimpse of the hospital visitor tag my Significant other wore, and asked if she was a nurse. We explained my daughter was in the hospital, and he asked how she was doing and expressed genuine concern for her and wishes and prayers for her to get better.

It's clear that Mama's food is exceptional, but what puts it over the top is that the people are as warm and genuine and caring as you'll find. In these times, that's rare...and it's why Mama's has made us customers for life. We will be back again and again thanks to the incredible food, and the warmth and generosity of the owners and employees. I could not more highly...

I'm certain that this will never change.... it hasn't in the time that I've been alive and one can still feel it when they are there. It's that, 'I'm home' or 'I'm with family and friends' or 'they really do know me somehow' or a combination of them all, type of feeling! It doesn't matter how much my hometown of St.Paul has changed over the years, Mama's Pizza is still Mama's Pizza, a heartwarming, down to earth place that seriously makes the best pizza and pasta anywhere! If you don't believe it, just simply stop in there and you'll see. Maybe you'll have to wait for a table, but it's better to go to a place that's full than a place that's half empty because that in itself tells the story about a place. I remember back when I was in my teens and they had a steady flow of people going in and out and I had to see what the big deal was... and I simply ordered a pizza to go and I was hooked... didn't even make it home, that box was open before I got a block away. The next time I went in. Just a long haired kid in the late 80's and most places would give me that look or treat me in a way that made me uncomfortable, but not Mama's, oh no, they made me feel like I was their family and that's a feeling that really makes a person feel great! And even today, a disabled person that has trouble getting around and they make me feel at home without any of the looks that I get other places. The food, the staff, the atmosphere... it's all a part of what you need to experience! If they're busy like they usually are, just be patient because once it's your turn you'll be pleased that you waited and you'll understand what it is that makes Mama's Pizza so great!

And tonight when we stopped in there just so happened to be a person there with his family because he wanted Mama's Pizza for his birthday dinner.... before he finished his visit, the entire place, customers and staff sang happy birthday to him! Initiated by our waiter and participated in by all that were present friends, family, and strangers all coming together like we were at our own home celebrating this man's birthday! That is and was truly priceless!!! You may or may not experience something like that when you're there, but I guarantee that you will be completely satisfied and pleased that you took the time to experience...

I'll start my rant by saying I love pizza. I love pizza so much, I've been to an adult pizza camp and when travel, I eat pizza in every state/country. My fav is mostly NY or Calif style. Hate deep dish. But my hate in pizza is a like for others. I love most pizza styles and toppings.

With the above being said, I'll start with the good:

The people working there were very nice and clearly working their bums off. I went out of my way based on the amazing reviews and I've been dying to try this place a long time. So I was excited to finally try them. Everything was cooked well, they didn't skimp on toppings and portions were generous. Price was decent too.

The blah:

Now the food was good, but feel overhyped. The meatball subs were not traditional subs. It came in a pasta bowl and drenched in so much sauce, we couldn't really see the meatballs. It looked like chicken at first glance under sauce, so thought we got pasta instead. No, it was a "meatball sub" the bread was underneath. Flat laying bread, meatballs, gallon of sauce & cheese(asked for cheese for extra charge). People I ordered these for are not picky eaters, but one wouldn't eat it all. Said it would be better to add pasta with little bread/all sauce. The other person said it was ok and ate it all. Our pizza was good. For ref, id say it's like Carbone's, but with more toppings.

Again, the workers super nice. Had a mom and pop feel, which I love. But for me going 30 mins out of my way, each way wasn't worth it. Maybe I overhyped in my head...