I’ve been dying to try Mama’s Too for a while, but its location on the elusive Upper West Side of Manhattan has kept it just out of arm’s reach for me. This pizzeria has had a buzz around it for a while, and it’s only been open a little over a year at this point. I finally decided to make the trek to the small pizza shop that everyone’s been talking about with some friends on a Friday night. By the end we were all very happy that we made the schlep!



Mama’s Too’s interesting names comes from the fact that it was created by a son from a family that runs another pizzeria in the area called Mama’s. As the New York Times writes:

He didn’t open Mama’s Too a block away to outdo his parents; he’s bringing their product into a new era.



Mama’s Too is tiny inside, but you’ll be stunned by how many people are willing to wait in the cramped area for their precious pizza. On a cold Friday night the inside of Mama’s Too was bustling with people waiting to eat-in, take-out, and deliver food. They were selling pizzas so fast that they could barely keep any on their small display counter. It was truly a sight to behold how fast their new slices were doled out!

The Pizza

On top we have a vodka slice, this is not something I would ordinarily get but it was the only slice available when we initially ordered. About 2 seconds into my first bite I was supremely happy I didn’t pass this up. The sauce was incredible, truly packed with flavor. There’s also ricotta cheese topping this slice, which combines with the vodka sauce to create a creamy tomato flavor that’s out of this world. I also think this might be the best picture of a pizza slice I’ve ever taken, so it’s going to be in my heart for a long time. I would travel far to have this slice again.

Next we had their pepperoni. Interesting to note on this slice that the sides are burnt, which is a specialty of Mama’s Too and sets it apart from other ‘roni cup Sicilian slices. I really enjoyed the burnt edges on this slice, which were packed with flavor and added an incredible unique texture to the pizza. The rest of the slice was (obviously) great. Good CSR, crust cooked well, ‘roni cups on point, great slice. Would I take this pepperoni slice over a Spicy Spring from Prince St pizza however? No. This is great, but Prince St’s incarnation is at the top.

Final Words

Mama’s Too lives up to the hype. It may be a bit far to travel for pizza, but if you’re obsessed like me you have to make the trip. It’s in the current pizza zeitgeist for a reason, and you’ll understand it once you’ve been there.