4. Restaurants

Mamma Teresa

Petco Center,13305 Poway Rd, Poway, CA, 92064
  • (858) 513-3667
  • Store is closed

Mamma Teresa Menu

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  • nathaly a.

    Absolutamente meraviglioso!!! The food was incredible, and dessert was even better! We started the portobello mushroom caps and Tuscan bruschetta which were wonderful. The mushroom caps were particularly exquisite, so complex and bursting with flavor drenched in a creamy red wine sauce which was a masterpiece in and of itself. We had several dishes among our 5 person party and we all wanted to lick the plates at the end if our meal. Dessert was the crown jewel of our dining experience!! We shared 3 of the 5 desserts, each better than the last! My personal fave was the Mama Teresa, rich home made lady fingers, layers of blue berries, raspberries, and strawberries, and a thick topping of their homemade mascarpone, it was sinful in a word. So sinful that I also got one packed up to go. I am such a happy little foodie. I will go back again and again. Io amo Mama Teresa

    (5)

  • C J.

    Very charming and down to earth, the food is wonderful and the desserts are worth the trip. The staff is very polite and attentive and the ambiance is very low-key. This quickly became one of my regular restaurants that I recommend everyone try.

    (5)

  • Yaar D.

    My husband I stopped here for dinner and found the food mediocre at best. We had the shrimp risotto which was undercooked. We informed the overbearing owner/waiter who did not seem to care and made no comment or effort. The tiramisu was dry. I've had more appetizing store bought tiramisu. Will not be returning and strongly encourage others to boil your own spaghetti and toss with Ragu.

    (1)

  • Richard S.

    Absolutely the best. We rank this among the top 5 Italian restaurants in the county. Actually número uno. Keep up the goodness. Your dishes are a pure sensation to the palate. Love the tiramisu! Will return soon for more tastes of the menu.

    (5)

  • JIGNESH B.

    Amazing authentic Italian restaurant in a very boring looking strip mall. Came here based on the yelp reviews and it was a great experience from the moment we walked in. They were very friendly, brought our toddler's food out very quickly, and she loved it. DW and my food was good as well. We were full, but tried dessert since we were on vacation. The tiramisu was great too. I can't say anything negative about this place. Not a negative, but, its a friendly neighborhood place, and if you are looking for an upscale place to impress a date or business prospect, than this may not be the place. However, the taste of the food and service were among the BEST I have had at any Italian restaurant.

    (5)

  • Chloe B.

    Love love love. Wish the dining room was larger and a little more plush. I would come here every day if I could. The service is terrific, the food is delicious, and all of the staff care about not only whether you are enjoying the food, but if you are enjoying yourself as well. A++. See you soon.

    (5)

  • Darya P.

    This is Poway's hidden gem! We were craving Italian and didn't want any chains so we headed here and were pleasantly surprised! The restaurant is owned by the sweetest Italian family who are fantastic hosts and great cooks! They made us feel like family right off the bat, it was wonderful. The Caprese salad was the best I've ever had, definitely recommend it. We also had the garlic pasta and the spicy penne which were both fantastic; the spicy penne is quite spicy so only order it if you're brave! I will absolutely be returning asap and have already recommended it to all my closest friends! You won't be disappointed :)

    (5)

  • Jackie T.

    Not sure how this place is getting such great ratings. I went here for lunch with a huge group of people to check it out. First the food was just okay. Not completely inedible but a lot of things were over oily for my taste. The pasta was soaked in oil. They were also skimping on the meat. My friends asked for meatballs with their pasta which you can pay for and they either got none or one dinky piece of meat. We did complain and they did end up fixing the meatless issue but it's just wrong to have to ask. On top of it, I understand the waitress was fairly new, but even for being new she was very awkward. She kept coming to our table every 5min and said "it's good, huh?". like omg that's not even a question. Bottom line weird service and just okay food. This is coming from someone who just went to Italy. The recipes might be "authentic" but the cooking was just okay.

    (3)

  • Manny G.

    My wife and I have been there a few times and have had great meals each time. The Chicken Parmesan is the best! Lasagna is pretty good but a little heavy on the cheese. The bread is always fresh and awesome. It is a small family owned restaurant but it's some of the best Italian food you can get in San Diego.

    (5)

  • John L.

    so good. Loved the bread, calamari, and the atmosphere. Our waiter Alex was superb. And I loved my chicken dish with lemon sauce & capers - amazing!

    (5)

  • Janine G.

    My husband and I were very disappointed with our dining experience at Mama Teresa's. The Yelp reviews seemed good and we are always looking for a new place near home but we won't be returning. It was a busy Saturday night so we dealt with the fact that our table for two was on top of another table for two but this meant for awkward service. The waiter couldn't get to our table without hitting the table next to us so some things had to be served over the wall on the other side of us. Our food came and it was just so so. The mushroom ravioli was decent but not great. My husband's linguini carbonara with chicken was tasteless and definitely not worth the price. We ended up skipping dessert and getting frozen yogurt next door.

    (2)

  • Geof A.

    This has very quickly become one of our favorite restaurants. I only like authentic Italian food and this place is right near the top. The Eggplant Parmigiana is to die for, and other dishes such as Lobster Ravioli is right up there with anywhere. Alex is great-his recommendations are always great and his delivery makes you feel like you are in Italy. The family presentation is also wonderful-a delightful place to have a meal and reasonably priced. The fresh cooking is very apparent in everything from the main dishes to the desert. Who wants microwaved Americanized Italian food when you can have this!

    (5)

  • Eli M.

    Eh, service wasnt great and they made us wait even though there were plenty of tables available. Food was so so.

    (2)

  • Shelley F.

    We had such a wonderful experience here, they made special dishes for my kids, I had an amzaing veal special and the chocolate dessert was delish! Great service, easy location and for sure we will be back

    (4)

  • Gina B.

    I felt compelled to try to balance out all of the overly-positive reviews. We arrived a little after 4:00 on a Sunday afternoon & there was no one else in the restaurant. Alex & Teresa were sitting at tables outside when we (our family party of 3) arrived. 1) Alex & Teresa were very nice & accommodating 2) Bread was heavenly, but was only loaf of rosemary bread; there were no garlic knots as other reviewers had been offered (probably due to slow time of afternoon) 3) Pasta was under-cooked in 2 of 3 dishes and the alfredo sauce was bland 4) Alex gave us a business card for free desert next time with dinner, but we won't be returning. There were no other customers there during our visit, and if this is the best they can do, we'll try somewhere else for Italian.

    (2)

  • Cara C.

    Delicious home cooked Italian food. The service is amazingly personal and warm. The bruschetta was great as was the spaghetti! Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Larry A.

    A nice touch... ...so for appetizers my wife ordered the minestrone soup and then we wanted to split a Caesar salad. The waitress asked what we wanted out first, and I said my wife's soup. After a couple of minutes, the waitress returned and said, "The chef wanted to make sure sending out the soup first is OK since the gentleman won't have anything to eat until the salad comes". I said this was fine, but usually this kind of attentiveness only happens at a white glove restaurant. I was very impressed on how thoughtful this was! The Caesar salad we split, by the way, has HUGE and delicious. So glad we split it. My wife was in heaven with her lasagna, and remarked, "This is how lasagna is _supposed_ to taste!". My chicken parmigiana was outstanding, soft as butter, and better than the first time I had it here when they first opened. Our new favorite Italian out of 4. 1. Mamma Teresa 2. Yanni's 3. Villa Capri (by Target) 4. Domenics . . 147. Olive Garden (Never! ;-)

    (5)

  • Li L.

    Really enjoyed the whole dinning experience from food to waiter. Felt like I was in Italy!

    (4)

  • Valerie R.

    Beautiful people who make you feel like you're at your distant relative's house in Italy, and meeting them for the first time. Friendly, knowledgable, welcoming, comforting, and awesome cooks that love feeding people and watching them enjoy!!! Bellissima!!! The food was A+ excellent!

    (5)

  • Mike G.

    Very good authentic Italian food. Sea food liquini was fantastic! I recommend Mama Teresa highly.

    (4)

  • Bonnie M.

    WOW true Italian direct from Italy via NY. Famous old Italian restaurant in NY sold it in 2010 and moved to SD for warmer weather. The bread is heaven, Chicken Marsala with a hint of fine wine, and fresh pasta. Italian music, nice selection of wines, and true Italian women creating in the kitchen. Next visit I will load up an App that will translate Italian. Siri did not understand.

    (5)

  • Adrian V.

    I came here with a friend of mine to have some dinner and the food was great. Some of the best Italian I've had here in San Diego. Place has great atmosphere and the owners are friendly. Also the waiter is a Mustang fan, can't go wrong with that.

    (5)

  • John W.

    Everything about this place is amazing. Great atmosphere, great wait staff, and of course, delicious meals

    (5)

  • Ben F.

    Excellent food! The portobello mushrooms completely stole the show for me, though! I am going to have to come back, possibly for just those alone! I had the chicken parmigiana for my entree. It was pretty standard, but still quite tasty. The tiramisu was superb, as well! The service was excellent! He was very polite, and quite lighthearted. It is very obvious they take great pride in what they make here. I will be back again!

    (5)

  • Marshall C.

    a few weeks ago we went to dinner at Mama Teresa's based upon a recommendation of a friend. I ordered an entree of pasta with meat sauce. When the waiter, Alex, brought it to the table it was cold. When I informed him, instead of just taking it back and reheating the dish, he brought out a thermometer and stuck it in my food and tried to convince me that the temperature on the gauge was hot enough. How insulting and humiliating! Never again!

    (1)

  • Jennifer B.

    So happy we found Mamma Teresa's. Everyone was extremely friendly and the food was excellent. Make sure you save room for dessert because you do not want to miss out on the deliciousness!

    (5)

  • Aaron V.

    The best Italian food in north county!!!! must try..

    (5)

  • Melissa G.

    My husband and I tried this place last night on a whim and it was one of the best meals we've had in a long time. Growing up with full blooded Sicilian grandparents and great grandparents and eating home made Italian meals I can say that this place came very close to those homemade meals. I got the portobello mushroom stuffed ravioli and my hubby got the chicken parmigiana and both dishes were excellent! The restaurant is very small and quaint which gives it that homey feeling. The wonderful Italians (whom are first generation Americans) were so welcoming and attentive. People that have left reviews about the place being small and not having enough options of food, wine etc. This is a small mom and pop place, not to be confused with other overrated Italian places. If you want good home cooked Italian food then this is the place to go. I know we will be returning customers for sure!

    (5)

  • Dori C.

    After reading the reviews here on Yelp my husband and I took my mother there for a late Mother's Day, early Birthday dinner, we now wish we went somewhere else to celebrate. We went early last Sat. night and was seated right away, we ordered the calamari and the bruschetta to start, the bruschetta was good but the calamari was kind of tough and had no seasoning on it, the sauce that came with it tasted like warm tomato soup..I asked if they had tarter sauce for it, no so I had to use ranch dressing to eat it so it had some flavor. My husband ordered a salad and he said it was ok, not the best he has every had but it would do. The bread they bought to the table was a little stale but with the balsamic vinegar/oil it was better..I thought we were going to get Garlic Bread but I guess you have to order that off the menu. For the main courses we ordered the Eggplant Parmesan and the Lasagna our server told us it would take about 20 minutes which was find we weren't in a hurry and we did have are starters to eat first. The main course arrived and be careful !!!! they are HOT !!!! The Lasagna was bubbling it was so hot..now we had to wait for them to cool off a bit or you would have burnt your mouth! My husband said his lasagna was good but again he had had better and my mother and myself felt the same way about the Eggplant Parmesan..it was good but not want expected after reading some of the reviews here. The eggplant dish was served with pasta that tasted like it had the same warm tomato soup sauce that the calamari came with on it so we passed on that. Maybe Mama had the night off because from the reviews here I really expected much more for a hundred dollar for 3 people! So I guess I would say it is a little over priced too. Would I go back? no...but if the reviews keep coming up 4-5 stars then do try it, maybe we just hit it on an off night.

    (2)

  • Stephanie G.

    This was a diamond in the rough. It's use to be our secret fishing hole. Until the word got out what a wonderful family restaurant this is. We love the food and we love the owners they make you feel like your family. This is our favorite Italian restaurant in Poway.

    (5)

  • Gary S.

    Mamma Mia! It's going to be very difficult to say anything that hasn't already been said! From the minute we walked in, I felt like I had just married into the family! Mamma's is the friendliest restaurant we have EVER been to, anywhere! When we go to an Italian place for the first time, I always try the Fettucine Alfredo...just to get a baseline. Trust me, by the size of my girth I have had a lot of Alfredo sauce! This is the best I have ever had, bar none! You can taste the quality of the ingredients with every bite! If my wife hadn't stopped me, I would have embarrassed myself and licked the plate! The meatball and sauce I had on the side, excellent! Thank God for doggie bags, can't wait for tomorrow's meatball sandwich! The only thing I will not like is the twenty miles each way we will be driving to eat here again, which will be very soon! Oh, almost forgot! How many times do you get a thank you... AND a handshake as you leave your favorite restaurant...you will at Mamma Teresa's!

    (5)

  • Francis P.

    I'm giving them 5 stars even though I didn't like my main dish. What sets them apart is the service, price and attention to detail of there food. We weren't dressed up and really just wanted a nice Italian meal before heading home. Holly molly. My date had one of the best dishes I've every tried. It was like eating a piece of heaven. The dessert was made fresh...hell everything is made in store and simple Italian fare. The greater at the door was so friendly that she instantly made you feel at ease. Almost like you were a long lost friend that she hadn't seen in a while. The owner came out (who doesn't speak a word of English) and proceeded to have a conversation with us that was translated by our waitress. It was one of the most delightful dining experiences I've ever had. Again, My dish I wasn't particularly happy with, but everything else was terrific. If you're in Poway, give this place a try.

    (5)

  • Candy M.

    Ok where to start.. First off I lived in northern Italy for 5 years and have been perpetually on the lookout for authentic northern Italian cuisine. Is Mama Teresa's that.. no but it is authentic and a smooth blend between Northern and southern styles, which comes damn close to what I was looking for. We have now gone few times and every time has been wonderful. Everything from the staff to the food is incredible. Recommendations - Caprese Parma with Prosciutto - Heavenly with Italian imported Prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and home made pesto you cannot go wrong. When it comes to their menu I would say wait before deciding. The chef makes daily specials that are simply divine. The staff will let you knwo what they are. We have had Salmon picatta and the fish melted in your mouth it was so amazing. Also I had chicken Valencia which was a breast of chicken stuffed with prosciutto, spinach and cheese. The celebration of the saltiness and fresh spinach was divine. Everything we have had has brought food-gasms in our mouth. We will come back here regularly as I finally found a place that gives me authentic Italian with some northern flair. I have not had a chance to meet the chef just yet, but the gentlemen that run the front of the house are charming, attentive and truly make it feel like your being welcomed into their home instead of a restaurant. Best little gem in Poway, its so wroth coming to see what they are about.

    (5)

  • Joann F.

    I am Italian and i am very picky about Italian food. I don't know what made me try this restaurant but I am so glad I did. Wow! this is San Diego County's best kept secret! This restaurant reminds me of a restaurant we visited in Castellammare Di Stabia near Naples, Italy! Authentic, home made Italian food with imported ingredients. Mamma Teresa cooks and serves you. She makes you feel like a guest in her home. We cant wait to try her other specialties. . We will definitely return soon! Io sono italiana e sono molto esigenti in fatto di cibo italiano. Non so che cosa mi ha fatto provare questo ristorante, ma io sono così felice di averlo fatto. Wow! questo è il segreto meglio custodito della contea di San Diego! Questo ristorante mi ricorda un ristorante che abbiamo visitato a Castellammare di Stabia in provincia di Napoli, Italia! Autentica, i cibi fatti in casa, con ingredienti importati da italia. Mamma Teresa cuochi e si serve. Ti fa sentire come un ospite in casa sua. Non vediamo l'ora di provare le altre specialità. . Ci torneremo sicuramente presto! Ciao, Giovanna

    (5)

  • Neha D.

    Salmon Picatta... Definitely recommended

    (4)

  • William D.

    I enjoyed a late dinner with my girlfriend on a Saturday night (9PM). First, we started with a calamari dish in tomato sauce which tasted great. If you like squid, this dish preserved the taste of the squid more than most dishes I've had. Plus, it includes the squid tentacles which are my favorite. Next, we both had the "Linguine Pescatore," my girlfriend had the "tomato" version while I had the "ink squid" sauced version. Both dishes tasted great, there was a good amount of seafood - no need to conserve the seafood to accompany the noodles. Seafood pasta is our go to dish when we try new Italian restaurants, and Mamma Teresa is the first place that we've seen with "ink squid" sauce. It's a nice change of pace from the tomato and I wish it was common. Service was awesome, our waiter was conversational/casual and service was fast. We arrived shortly before closing, so we had our server all to ourselves, plus the owner. We were continuously complimented for "cleaning our plates" and won a free desert for enjoying the food...it was also a bribe to get a review on yelp. Anyhow, Mamma Teresa deserves this review, bribe or no bribe. Oh yea, one last thing regarding the deserts. They all look great! Visually, the deserts look rich (good amount of saturated fat, no whimpy whipped cream here) and homey. For our free desert, we had a citrus cake coated with chocolate and whipped cream, then topped with a cream puff. It was good.

    (5)

  • francesco t.

    This evening we decided to have dinner at this restaurant and as Gary S. said, Mamma Mia !!!!!!!! We were a group of six and we got to taste 6 different dishes. When we were finished eating, the plates were clean as if we had washed them. (Ok, I got a little extreme). Basically we licked them clean. That says it all. Outstanding dinner followed by 4 different desserts shared among the group......all delizioso. Also the staff and owner were welcoming, attentive and let us linger as long as we cared to. It was such a pleasure to dine here. We love Mamma Theresa's!!! P.S. Emmeline , next time take your son to Mc D. for his B/D. Your boring review is a statement of your ignorance and lack of knowledge of good authentic Italian Food.

    (5)

  • Greg H.

    wonderful service. Amazing caprese, risotto, brocheta... cannolis are fresh, handcrafted and delicious. You have to try the fettuccine Alfredo! Its incredible. We will be regulars. Have to keep these nice people in business!

    (4)

  • Lori C.

    A great addition to Poway! The food is authentic Italian, (ok, I'm Irish, but I know what I like). You won't find anything frozen in this resturant. Teresa and Alex are great hosts and make you feel like you are enjoying a meal at their home. We enjoy our visits with them as much as we do the food. Teresa's brother recently joined the staff and his specialty is deserts. Definitly a MUST try!

    (5)

  • Tara T.

    Terrible service...we waited forever and the place was empty. I can understand the preparation taking a littlelonger for "fresh" food, but 30 minutes for pasta? Won't be going back.

    (1)

  • Marnie C.

    We really enjoyed our dinner at Mamma Teresa! The staff was attentive and welcoming and the food was great. I've driven past it many times but it wasn't until I read the reviews on Yelp that I was tempted to try it, but I'm glad we did!

    (5)

  • Tim D.

    Excellent place to eat delicious Italian food!!! On a Saturday night, my wife requested that we not cook dinner. She was in the mood for Pasta, and suggested O.G. In an attempt to sample some of the local establishments vice feeding the machine, we found Mamma Teresa on Yelp! and saw the glowing reviews. We took the short drive to Poway, and walked in. The place was packed! I thought this food MUST be good!! We were seated at a table even though we didn't make reservations (tip: call and make reservations :-) ). We had water on the table almost before we fully sat down, and within another second, an awesome waiter asked us for our drink order. We perused the menu, seeing several delicious looking meals and made our choices. I had the veal parmesan and my wife the chicken piccatia. The meal arrived and I was instantly impressed. I am used to the chains giving you a small portion of the beef and loading your plate up on the cheap pasta.... not here... the plate was loaded with several large pieces of excellently cooked veal with a side of pasta. My Wife's chicken was the same way, I would like to know how big the chicken was that piece came from. Our waiter checked on us often and we were never short of anything. For dessert, we had to try the tiramisu. It was delicious as well. You could tell that this was not something bought anywhere, this dessert was made by someone with a awesome recipe and with lots of care not just making a large batch of it. We briefly spoke with the manager and thanked him for a wonderful meal, even though next time my wife suggest eating out on a Saturday, we will make reservations. Highly recommend this place if you love Italian food!!

    (5)

  • Kathy B.

    Excellent Italian food! Enjoyed my mushroom ravioli! Husband had eggplant parmesan which was extremely flavorful, not the overly breaded stuff many places serve! The bread was excellent with the balsamic vinegar and oil! Our dessert was phenomenal...a berry tiramisu with the most delicious marscapone cheese! It was not heavy, yet hit the sweet spot perfectly! Absolutely recommend you try this place!

    (5)

  • Niko S.

    I sure hope yelp is not paid by them to show this place always at the top... I don't get it. Their food is terrible, yet this place keeps getting good reviews, and it always show up at the top.

    (1)

  • Shan L.

    Had a great experience. Love supporting small family owned businesses and this restaurant is exceptional!

    (5)

  • Ann H.

    I'd be inclined to try again.... the service was AWESOME! We chatted with the chef, Mama Teresa, while we were deciding what to order. She suggested to the man-friend, the veal. I had Chicken Parmaseana. Both meals were great. Both had a lot of great flavors. A bit too much sauce for my preference. The waiter asked several times how we enjoyed our dinner and really was concerned on meeting our needs.... you don't get service like this hardly anywhere!

    (4)

  • Heather D.

    The food was excellent! I've been wanting to try it for awhile now. I love Italian food, I've eaten more than my fair share of it and this restaurant serves amazing food. Service was also wonderful. I went in tonight right before closing and I ordered the caprese with prosciutto salad which was dynamite. I wanted something simple for my entree so I ordered lasagna. I almost wish I had just ordered spaghetti and meatballs because the lasagna was awesome but I really wanted the satisfaction of a big plate of pasta. The staff all were very welcoming and friendly. I'm sure once I've tried more of the menu id give 5 stars quite easily! Just a side note, I reviewed the other current yelps and let me just say that the people who spoke negatively couldn't be farther from wrong possible. Clearly they don't know a quality restaurant when they eat at one. If you don't like garlic don't get a garlic dish. Simple. If you like light sauce then ask for light sauce!! Not rocket science. And if you call $15-20 expensive for an entree stick to what u know and go back to fast food. My only negative part is the wine list. I'm a foodie and also very knowledgable on wine and there was nothing I'd want to drink on the list. Get some big bold Italian reds pleeease!! Barbera, super Tuscan, something other than a chianti and a montepulciano. Can't wait to go back to this fantastic cozy little place:) 2 thumbs way up!!!

    (4)

  • Norm S.

    Consistently authentic, well prepared food. We have NEVER benn disappointed here and the owners go out of their way to provide very personal service.

    (5)

  • Antoinette P.

    Only reason I didn't give them all 5 stars is because I've only had 1 dish there(...when I go back..and I AM going back!!! :D) I'll up that to the 5th star. I had the penne with meatballs...all delicious...I especially loved the meatballs! They weren't too big but weren't small either..just perfect. :) I happened to order takeout and the guy that gave me my food gave me utensils and bread to boot! He was very helpful and friendly. The rest of the staff was very friendly as well.. and the food came out fairly quick! I will most definitely be back. I think next time I will try lasagna..... :)

    (4)

  • April S.

    I really hope that everyone goes to Mamma Teresa's in Poway and has an amazing food experience like i had today. Fresh Italian food from their own garden. No over salty over sauced food here. Just great fresh yummy dishes. The best butternut squash soup I have ever had. I could tell the moment i took my first bite that everything was fresh. It isnt only there food that is so great, Its also the owners. So friendly and giving. If you cant live in Italy this is a close second. Im planning my second trip already. Looking forward to their Italian wines and beers Oh and desserts!! Tell your friends. I want them to be in business forever!

    (5)

  • Ryann H.

    Food was good, but unfortunately for such a small place in a strip mall in Poway, over a hundred dollar tab is a bit pricey. Wishing we had gone to the gaslamp for that price. Won't be going back.

    (3)

  • Kele J.

    An authentic Italian food restaurant within walking distance of my house? Oh joy! Not so much. I wanted to like this restaurant so badly. I really, really did. Some of the most amazing gems I've discovered have been in California strip malls--it's like an unwritten code here. The interior color is pleasant--they're still working on the walls, can't hold that against them. It was warm inside, but they immediately turned on the AC. By the time our food arrived, the temperature was quite agreeable. I ordered a caprese salad--based upon the other review. My honey ordered Penne Arriabiata. As soon as my salad arrived, I knew there was going to be a problem. My tomatoes were very pale in color. I attempted to cut into one with my fork--no go. I grabbed a knife. It was like biting into a stump, the tomatoes were that unripe. Okay, I'm fair minded. I figured the tomatoes were having an off night. So I sent it back and ordered the Minestrone, hard to mess up, right? Wrong. When it arrived, I was surprised to see that it was chock full of Chinese food style baby corns. Then I noticed the water chesnuts.....what? The last straw was the singular chewy black mushroom at the bottom of the bowl. There were also some julienned carrots and some unidentifiable mushy veggies in the bottom of the bowl. This was not my mama's minestrone. Heck, it wasn't even Olive Garden's minestrone. Meanwhile, on the penne front, my honey was digging thai style green chilies out of his pasta, which arrived cold around the edges and extremely hot in the center. The parmesan cheese that was offered could not have been fresh. It was more like the Kraft canned stuff. How hard is it to offer fresh parmesan cheese grated tableside? Especially when you're asking $11 for a cereal bowl sized portion of pasta? After reading the other review, I thought we were in for a real treat. I may give them another chance when they've been open for awhile. I prefer my Italian to be, well, Italian. This was some bizarre sort of Asian/Italian fusion and these two should never meet.

    (2)

  • April Z.

    Went here for the first time with my mother in law and daughter. We had heard about his restaurant from my mother in laws ex husband. This place is spectacular. It reminded me of when I would go to my great grandmothers on sundays for the traditional Italian meal and the Italian restaurant I worked at growing up. We ordered the caprese with prosciutto, real prosciutto from Parma, Italy, calamari and veal Porto all were delicious. Real Italian food. fresh and homemade. This reminded me of my family.the desserts were to die for. We ordered the tiramisu, chocolate mascarpone and white mascarpone dessert..Fantastico! I love that this is a family owned restaurant and the chef, mamma Teresa came out and talked to everyone. Alessandro and Gino were great! We have plans to go back to celebrate Gino and my mom in laws birthday in March. Of course I will go back before then.

    (5)

  • Gilbert A.

    Another great find. Some friends of ours suggested this place. This is a great family restaurant really friendly too. There bread is wonderful. We got a calamari in tomato wine broth as an appetizer and chicken piccata and loved it. The calamari was flavor full and tender I used some of there great bread to sop up some of the juices. The piccata was outstanding nice and tender and just the right size. We received everything in a timely manner. This place is a must try for anyone looking for a great Italian place.

    (5)

  • Lauren L.

    Tonight was our first time at this authentic Italian jewel of a restaurant! The owners and the staff were amazing - super kind and with thickly accented Italian - charming! The food was fantastic and they have vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes to boot - so you can take friends with all kinds of diets. We started with bread and excellent olive oil for dipping, then had the antipasto misti and the vegetables were great! We had three pasta dishes and the flavors were to live for - definitely reminded us all of our time in Italy. This authentic Italian food will please Italian (like some of us!) and American palettes alike. The place is new and was packed tonight (Saturday.) Try the desserts and have wine with your meal and an espresso afterward! We will be back for sure.

    (5)

  • Fran T.

    I am from the East coast and know good food. I tried Mamma Teresa's a couple of years ago and was disappointed. I tried it today and was halfway through my Chicken Piccata and saw that there was very pink chicken. First, I must say that the Piccata was made with thick chicken pieces. This is not the typical piccata that is pounded very thin. Teresa kept apology and wanted to replace the meal. My concern was the dangers of chicken that has not been properly cooked. The piccata sauce was very weak. They could have had 3 chicken piccata's out of all the chicken that was served with just slicing it and then there probably not had pink meat. I say skip it and go to a good italian restaurant, maybe Philly or New York.

    (3)

  • Matt C.

    Ok, so I haven't actually been here yet. But my grandma brought home some left overs the other night...and omg, it was amazing. The chicken parmesan and lasgna is what she brought home. The sauce was realllly good and you could tell everything was homemade! I cannot wait to finally go here!

    (5)

  • Bass H.

    Everything is wonderful. Would come here every week if we lived a bit closer. And the family that runs the place is super nice. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Sean F.

    Nothing special. The food needed salt for sure. The marinara reminded me of an Italian soup broth. The owner was very nice. However, the kicker, our bill was $48 for two people... NO alcohol, NO soda. Just a shared salad, two entrees and a shared dessert. WAY too pricey for what we got.

    (3)

  • Cynthia M.

    Mamma Teresa's was recommended to me by a co-worker. She brought food back to me on a day in which I didn't bring my lunch. Everything was delicious! It was so good, in fact, that I went back there the next day. I sincerely recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking authentic Italian food. I could see the desserts in the cooler and they looked pretty amazing too. Drop in. You will be made welcome and you will leave with a happy tummy!

    (5)

  • Rex B.

    I've had the pleasure of eating at Mama Teresa's several times now. Each time the food has been fabulous. As others have said, the food is very authentic. When it comes to pasta, it is prepared Italian style - "al dente". By US standards, many may find it too hard, but Chef Teresa will happily prepare it the way you like. My favorites so far are the veal saltimboca. If you prefer not to eat veal, they will also prepare it with a pounded chicken breast and it is also fantastic. The lasagna is also fabulous. I've not found any better in San Diego. So, why only 4 stars...this is a new restaurant, and they don't yet have art on the walls, so it may feel a little sterile. The service can sometimes seem a bit slow, however having spent a great deal of time in Italy, it is very much like an authentic Italian restaurant. I encourage you to enjoy the leisurely pace. NEWS flash! They will soon be getting their pizza oven in and they will be serving real Italian thin crust pizza. Chef Teresa recently won runner up in a world championship pizza baking competition. I can't wait.

    (4)

  • David M.

    I have been by Mamma Teresa's a few times and attempted to eat lunch there last week but they were always closed. In any event I had the lasagna with meat sauce today and it was excellent. Piping hot and bubbling on the plate the gravy was tangy and very pleasing to the palate. The bread could use a little work and a little more salad as well but overall a great dining expereice. I also got two Tiramisu to go and they hit the mark. Chilled to perfection with just the amount of coffee flavor. the cake was moist and not soggy. The onwer sat me down, took my order and attended to my every need. As I sat there alone in the restaurant it dawned on me that this place was struggling given the emptieness of the place. Here this guy is busting his hump to just make it in an incredibly difficult economic enivronment. Hes up against unbelievable odds with the government demaning more, etc. I always pull for the little guys so i am asking everyone to go give Mamma Teresa's a try. I know i iwll definately be back.

    (4)

  • Lily H.

    The lasagna was so watery that you needed a spoon to eat it. The pasta with wine sauce was not seasoned with any salt. It may be a bad day for the cook but it certainly was a turn-off. Food was way too expensive given the quality. I would not recommend.

    (2)

  • Charlene D.

    Only reviewing the tiramisu. The tiramisu was just shy of $7 and the portion is good for just one person. I wanted to try this place out bc I've heard so many good things about their food and how authentic it is. No one I know has tried their tiramisu but I already had a lot of antipasto salad from Filippi's just down the street that night and I was craving dessert. Let me just say, it was nothing like I've ever had. The "ladyfingers" part of the dessert was thick and borderline soggy, the consistency of the dessert was like bread pudding. I'm not even sure the tiramisu was made w ladyfingers.. I've only had tiramisu from cafes in San Francisco's Little Italy and restaurants/pastry shops that I can't vouch for being "authentic" so maybe "REAL" Italian tiramisu is supposed to be soggy??? I guess I won't find out til I take that transatlantic trip. Anyways, the taste was good. I mean that neither espresso nor the liquor, overwhelmed the flavor versus the liquor in Buca's tiramisu is overwhelming in my opinion. There was quite a bit of liquid in the bottom of the bowl. It was delicious to drink but unexpected for tiramisu.. 3 stars bc it was pricey and unusual.

    (3)

  • David G.

    Wow...After seeing all these high ratings, maybe we just had a bad experience or something. But the food was subpar in our opinion. Our server was an older gentleman who looked to be of Asian descent (not important, just so you know who our server was). The restaurant has an odd layout. The kitchen and counter are on the right and then there's this little half wall cordoning off the table area. I ordered the antipasto plate to start, which was alright, nothing spectacular. The bread was the best part of the meal; fresh baked flavor and olive oil and balsamic vinegar at the table. I had several possible choices, so I asked our server for recommendations. He suggested the bolognese lasagna and the fettucine bolognese; over the carbonara and the signature "mamma teresa" penne. We took his suggestions and were roundly disappointed. The lasagna was presented in an oven dish and looked great, but it lacked flavor and the bechamel suace didn't do it justice. My wife's bolognese fett was terrible. Plenty of meat, but the pasta tasted washed and didn't hold the sauce at all and the sauce itself was runny, watery, and just tasted like thin marinara sauce. There was even tomato water pooled in the bowl at the bottom. We told our server after the meal that we were disappointed with the bolognese fettucine (he was busy setting up a large party while we ate) and he seemed concerned; so that was good. It was just surprising that of all the choices on the menu, our server suggested these two. We ordered the cannoli for dessert and it was pretty good; I like the addition of chocolate chips. All in all, nothing really stood out to bring us back. When we find a good Italian restaurant, we tend to just stick to it in the future, but this definitely wasn't the place.

    (2)

  • Blaine J.

    Awesome food, incredible staff. The Calamari Teresa was amazing! I wish I lived closer to make this a regular stop.

    (5)

  • B B.

    This place is LEGIT! No idea what some of the bad reviewers experienced... We've been 3 times now and tried different items each time and are yet to be disappointed! Definitely give Mama Theresa's a try!

    (5)

  • Clint P.

    This restaurant is like one from Italy. The food was supremo! I had the lasagna, and the cheese on it was magnifico. The home made vegetable minestrone soup was the best I have ever tasted. The owner was extreme friendly, who says he doesn't have customers, he has friends. For he treated you that way. He even brought out and introduced Mama Teresa (the Chef) from the back kitchen. You can tell that they take pride in their food, and wanting you to have a very satisfying experience in their restaurant. As you can tell from my review, I highly recommend them.

    (5)

  • Jessica G.

    This place is amazing!! My husband and I were looking for a new restaurant in the area and decided to check this place out. We were super impressed. Everything is excellent. I recommend the Osso Bucco. It's delicious. The appetizer caprese Parm is to die for!! This place is a must and we will definitely go again!

    (5)

  • mike g.

    Well for me being italian and growing up eating the best italian food from my mom and grandma making it all the time this place is right up there. I have only gone once because I moved to AZ but I'm coming back in town for Xmas and I'm for sure going at least once. My parents have gone back about 5 times and have taken other family here and they love it. I got the gnocchi and it was really good and thats what I have been craving since my first visit. Thats probably what I will get when I go back but I hear everything is so good. Its a cool little hole in the wall and I hear the place gets really busy later at night so make sure to make a reservation if you remember. They had great service and mama came out to ask how our food was and made sure everything was good. I will be going back some time in the next week or two. Tell your friends and take them with you.

    (5)

  • Sandra A.

    As a local, I am THRILLED to have a new restaurant in a gastronomically lacking town. Additionally, having been raised in a first generation American family of Italian and Sicilian immigrants, this place equals home. It is delightfully refreshing when restaurants, claiming to be Italian, actually cook Italian food. Novel concept. As a bonus, the service is fantastic and I can practice my Italian.

    (4)

  • Dominic S.

    *AUTHENTIC* Italian food. I cannot stress AUTHENTIC enough! This food reminded me of when I was living in Rome. Flavor was superb with everything I tasted. The bread offered is delicious, the Chicken Marsala I ordered was perfectly cooked and not at all heavy, and the desert pastry we ordered was a perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, and delectable. The prices aren't anywhere near breaking the bank, but this is definitely a case of price reflecting the quality of the ingredients used. Once again, *completely* worth it. Now, please understand, everything about this food is Italian, so don't go into it expecting fast food kind of speed and Olive Garden heaviness of sauces. If you've got time to really sit down and enjoy your meal, give this place a try. You will enjoy the experience. Spend an evening with a plate full of Italy. You're guaranteed to find yourself wanting more!

    (5)

  • Kelly K.

    Went here for a family Sunday night dinner at the recommendation of a friend...wow was our friend right! This place was absolutely fantastic. Amazing, authentically Italian service, delicious food, great setting. I love to support a local Poway business and I can't believe this place has been here for over a year and we've never been. Am doing my part to spread the word because this is a local business that deserves to stay in business! Best Italian food we've had in years. Piping hot homemade foccacia with oil and vinegar, ice cold Peroni beer, ravioli, pesto, meatballs, it was all delicious! Highly recommend. Kelly

    (5)

  • Trish S.

    We loved the porcini mushroom ravioli and the owner said his father shipped the mushrooms from Italy for the dish. It was delicious but pricey for $18. The eggplant parm was good and homemade, not breaded slabs of eggplant. Flavor was good but not fabulous. My thing is bread. It tells me what to expect and the bread was a store-bought white loaf sliced into cubes with wonder bread texture. No crusty hearty italian or rustic loaf. I'm hoping they were just out of bread but if that's it, that's a shame. The owner was genuine and kind and very thoughtful. Apologized for a brief wait several times and offered a free dessert on our next visit. The desserts looked amazing and we'll definitely return to try other items. All in all, a good find and worth trying out for yourself.

    (4)

  • Tanya H.

    A great hidden gem in Poway! Run by real Italians who speak very little English as another reviewer said. Mamma Teresa herself is the one cooking away in the kitchen, donning a big white chef's hat and all both times I've been there. The staff are all very friendly and helpful. On our second visit here, our waitress was an Italian woman who said that the tiramisu here was the best she'd had in the States, and she wasn't kidding--we got one to split between two of us, and immediately wished we'd gotten two. Teresa makes each little tiramisu individually. Yum! The marinara sauce is also made in house, and when we asked for some to go with the bread they give you before the meal they gave us both a regular and a spicy version, both of which were great. If you are in Poway, this place is definitely worth stopping by. Just make sure you don't leave without getting dessert! Restaurants in this part of Poway don't seem to last very long, so I hope this place breaks that pattern!

    (5)

  • Trish B.

    Everything was wonderful! I stopped in for lunch with my very picky Italian family. They were very impressed. Everything was made from scratch. From the bread to the sausage everything was made with love

    (5)

  • Jenna P.

    We keep going back and have yet to be disappointed. It's like visiting family or good friends. They truly care about what customers think and the food is consistent and great. I visited Pienza, Florence, Cortona, Orvieto, and it's like going back. If you had a not so great experience, please try again. It had to have been a fluke. We've easily been here five times and were never disappointed once.

    (5)

  • MG S.

    Food was good and we love the spicy sauce. Tiramisu is yummy! Lady Finger is fresh & homemade. Love the service the most. Will come back again.

    (4)

  • Samantha P.

    Absolutely the best Chicken Parmesan that I have ever had in my life! My boyfriend go the penne with arrabiatta sauce and he loved it. I will absolutely be back again!

    (5)

  • EJ C.

    I just got back from this restaurant. It was my FIRST time to Mamma Teresa but certainly not my LAST!! I'm so happy to have found this authentic Italian restaurant. My family and I moved to San Diego a few weeks ago...I lived in Italy for a while and some great American food cities like New York City and Boston, but this little gem stands toe-to-toe with the best! When you consider the whole package (food AND service), I'd say it IS the best little Italian restaurant I've ever tried! We started with the calamari, which was lightly breaded and wonderful. Allesandro also brought over a bit of true parmigiano reggiano with a touch of balsamic vinegar to nibble on with our bread. The balsamic had the consistency of chocolate syrup -- a top-notch, aged balsamic for sure! For our main course, we each chose a pasta. The lasagna, pappardelle, gnocchi, and ravioli all tasted home-made and fresh. The marinara and ragù were so good...with a depth of flavor that only comes from hours and hours of simmering. The zucchini in my daughter's pasta was straight from the owners' garden. She has some food allergies and Allesandro was very accommodating to say the least. By the end of the meal, we were all smiling from ear to ear. Dessert was equally impressive. We had a slice of the lemon cake to share, and Alessandro brought over a couple cannoli gratis. The lemon cake cooked by Chef Teresa was rustic, simple, and fresh -- not too sweet and cooked perfectly with pine nuts sprinkled on top (a nice touch). The cannoli, cooked by Allesandro, were simply the best I've ever tasted. There was a hint of orange in the filling and the shell was delicately lined with chocolate. The result was light, crunchy, creamy and sweet! The way a cannoli should be! Bottom line: Chef Teresa and Alessandro have bestowed a true gift upon North San Diego County. I don't normally write reviews, but my experience at Mamma Teresa warranted it. That, and selfishly, I'm hoping this restaurant stays in business forever! -Edward

    (5)

  • Katherine C.

    Read the reviews and decided to try this place this evening...WOW!!!!! One word: Outstanding!!! Service: attentive, knowledgeable, entertaining. Ambiance: warm & welcoming Food: fresh, 100% authentic, homemade, made us smile with every bite! Truly a dining experience that should not be missed. A meal which was prepared with love...we even got a hug from Mama Teresa before leaving! Best meal we've had in a long time. Next time I will simply ask Mama to make me whatever she would like, as I know it will be wonderful. Go. Now. Why are you still reading?

    (5)

  • Allison K.

    Similar to Kele J., I really wanted to like Mamma's. It's close to my work, I liked all the people that worked there and I have a thing for strip-mall restaurants. The food was just completely underwhelming and the for the price, the amount we received was a bit on the small side. I'm not a 'supersize me' American, but I want to leave somewhat full when I finish lunch. I will go back here...maybe I'll order something that's recommended here on yelp. For the number of legit 5-star reviews this place has, I feel like I perhaps just got a bad day.

    (2)

  • Eric E.

    Just ate here for our 14th wedding anniversary. Mamma Teresa knows her stuff! Best Italian meal we've had in years. This place uses the best fresh authentic Italian ingredients. We ate everything the guy suggested and it was wonderful! If you are in the mood for a delicious home cooked meal, go in and ask them to set you up. Bravo Mamma Teresa!

    (5)

  • Darlene J.

    Second visit. I walk through the door & Alex (the owner) welcomes me with a kiss on the hand, Teresa (his wife/chief) comes out of the back & welcomes me back. They quickly put a few tables together to accommodate the 6 of us. We start off with the Bruschetta Peperonata (which Alex recommended & it was very good) & a bottle of Pinot Noir. Gino (family friend) took our order & My husband ordered the Penne Pescatori, my Uncle had the Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina & the rest ordered the Parmigiana di Melanzane. All I can say is delicious, everything was wonderful & cooked fresh. The pasta was al dente, so you know it wasn't sitting around in a pot all day! We decided to try the lemon "pie" which I can't even begin to explain. It's a lemon ricotta (maybe)like-filling that is served warm the crust on this pie reminds me of another Italian favorite, of which I won't even begin to try & spell! Between all the wonderful stories that Gino told us about coming to the U.S. & the wonderful service we received this place is a must. Second time here within a week & second time Alex has served us complimentary dessert. We all received hugs when we left! We were made to feel so at home, we will be back!

    (5)

  • Alex S.

    Mamma Teresa Restaurant is a quaint little restaurant on Poway Rd., the food itself is fantastic and authentic. The service is wonderful and the people who run the place are awesome. I highly recommend the gnocchi alle serrentino, or the fuscilli gustosi pasta dishes. The desserts are magical and homemade as well. Try the tiramisu or the lemon mousse either way you will leave happy, full, and thoroughly satisfied.

    (5)

  • Sandy G.

    What a great place for a quick informal Italian dinner! My husband had spaghetti and meatballs with arrabiata sauce and I had one of their salmon specials.....salmon in a red sauce with fresh tomatoes, capers, olives, garlic, etc. What a delightful surprise. We also met "Mama" Teresa who was delightful as well. We will definitely go back!

    (4)

  • Erin T.

    This place is authentic Italian cuisine. I ordered one of the specials and it was good. It was some kind of pumpkin pasta. Very unusual, I know, but the dish worked. Good service

    (4)

  • Kate S.

    The first time I ate here I got the pizza. It was good, but pretty average. The second time I got the gnocchi which was good, but not great. The thing that keeps me coming back is the Tiramisu! It is sooooooooooo good! If you only get one thing there let it be that!

    (4)

  • Bill F.

    After hearing a glowing recommendation, we went to Mama Teresa's tonight. The smell from the kitchen made us think we had chosen well. We were seated and given the menu and wine list. The menu had things I had only seen in a cookbook, not on a menu. We picked what we wanted, and talked about what we would get on the next visit. Then we sat there for 20 minutes without anyone taking our order. We finally gave up and left.

    (1)

  • Bea T.

    Momma Mia Momma Teresa - Grazie, Millie Grazie - My family has been to this lovely little family restaurant many times now. We've had Eggplant Lasagna, Eggplant Parm (oh my God it is superb), Carbonara (knock your socks off good consistently), Cheese Ravioli with Garlic and oil (perfectly cooked and prepared). We had the meat sauce spagetti (nice, but not overly spicy) and tonight sirloin with Ragu and pasta (Very tasty dish). WE've enjoyed the delightful fresh bread (reminded us of Ethiopian Dabo). We loved the oil and balsamic vineger dipping. We enjoyed the spinach based cabage salad that comes complementary with the lunch entrees. We enjoyed the fresh ice tea (strong, but good) and today the Capachino (needs lots of sugar to do it justice). So, I'd say we can comment on the menu as a whole. First, the fresh ingredients and homemade treatments of the meals stands out as different in Poway. We consider this the best Italien restaurant in Poway, RB, Mira Mesa, Scripts Ranch or Carmel Mtn. We also like Lorna's in University City. We haven't tried the alfredo yet, but we will let you other dinners know what we think. We base our qualifications on two things....one, we are Italien and we prepare italien meals for many generations of our family using many recipies passed down to the present generation. Teresa's eggplant parm kicks our familiies recipe in the pants! And although the meals were all very good, good portions and plenty to take home for a delicious snack later, we have to make mention of the incredible desserts. chocolate Tiramasu, apple/peach individual pie, fruit tiramasu, lemon sorbet, and perfideroles - oh my word...out of this world. Have it with the coffee and be glad you have lived on earth!!!! Everything is made with love and care and the best ingredients Teresa can get a hold of. No cutting of corners. Lots of time and preparation goes into every dish. AS Alex (the husband and main front man) has said you can't please everyone all the time, and that is true of some decisions that have been made (I'd like to see shreaded cheese available for topping the spagetti side dish. I'd also like more care taken to give me aldente pasta. I also like my sauce added on top not mixed into my pasta. But those are preferences. The food is so good. You go to Mamma Teresa's for great service, great food and a good experience. I'd like to see the decor to be more upscale too. It's supposed to be comfortable, but it also needs to strike romantic for the date crowd. The lunch menu goes a long way to making us regulars for lunch. We'd like to see the drink included in the lunch specials so we can come more often. WE plan to eat there again on Friday of this week. We hope to see you there. Please order the Carbonara!

    (5)

  • Marica O.

    As a native Italian, born and raised in Italy, I can say that Mamma Teresa is definitely the best Italian restaurant in San Diego and North County. Everything - from the appetizers to the main courses and from pizza to the delicious desserts - is super fresh, tasty, and above all authentic: it's the real Italian cuisine. The dough is made from scratch and you can definitely taste its quality. Moreover, the staff are warm and friendly and they really make you feel at home. You can tell for sure that what makes the difference is the love, passion, and care that both the chef and pastry chef put in every dish they make. So "buon appetito" everybody!

    (5)

  • Patrick W.

    The food was great and the people here are awesome! The food was a little late but I will definitely try them again. I had the Chicken Parm and it had a fresh taste and was delicious!

    (4)

  • Jan J.

    I had high hopes for this place after al the good reviews, however, was very disappointed with lunch today. The waiter was great, the bread was uninteresting, the 2 bean soup was flavorless, salt helped & I have had better lean cuisine veggie dishes that the primavera they served today. The vegetables were so overcooked, limp & lacking flavor...they seemed to have been frozen, then overcooked. It was very disappointing, have not experienced any food like this in Italy so I don't know if it's just their lunches, or we hit it on a bad day.

    (2)

  • Cameron M.

    First time at the restaurant. The food was excellent, especially the appetizer with prociutto di parma and buffalo mozzarella. My mixed seafood linguine was excellent (except for me I'll get it next time w/o the squid ink). The tira misu was fantastic. The service was exceptional. I think it was the owner who told us about each of the dishes and about their other restaurant in Modena, Italy. He made the lunch more of an experience than just grabbing a bite to eat.

    (5)

  • Philippe M.

    We like it here ... Simple but very nice and the service is great and friendly ... Perfect family restaurant ...

    (4)

  • Sally D.

    I love Mamma Teresa's so much that I asked Teresa to make some of her awesome lasagna for my Birthday lunch for my entire office. The group RAVED about both the Bolognase and the Vegitarian styles. And they couldn't get enough of the yummy Foccacia bread that went along with it. We were nibbling on that bread all day long! But the very best part was the Torta di Compleanno! A very Italian, homemade marscapone Birthday cake that was AMAZING! One of the girls in the office said it looked so good that she wanted to sink her face into it! And almost did!!! LOL! It was a luscious cake filled with marscapone cheese and topped with blended fruit. Next time I will let Teresa add the Grand Marnier to the fruit! That would've been over the top! Everyone in my company loved Mamma Teresa's catered food and plan to visit the restaurant soon to try out all their other delightful dishes. THANK YOU, Mamma Teresa's for my AMAZING birthday lunch!!

    (5)

  • Checkin I.

    All i can say is...WOW it is like being in Sicily , food , people and the setting was great ...I will be back for Dinner and lunch

    (5)

  • Brian G.

    I just had my second lunchtime outing at Mamma Teresa's and I am a fan. Everything I've tasted here is outstanding. You just need to go with some extra time, if you're trying to fit in a workday lunch. The time is worth it though, you can tell the dishes are thoughtfully prepared. And the minestrone, oohhh the minestrone. Seriously the heartiest bowl of minestrone I have ever had. We will definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Keith S.

    Wonderful and authentic Italian dining. Excellent value at reasonable prices. Everyone we recommend this to, enjoys it as well. Teresa is a great cook and enjoys visiting with her guests. Her husband Alex is very enjoyable and entertaining.

    (5)

  • JOSE H.

    The Food at this restaurant is so great in contrast with how small it is in space. Real italian food cooked by real Italian people. Te ravioles were exquisite, the zuchinni soup was beyond belief. Great Place

    (5)

  • Dave S.

    If this small restaurant was in Europe it would be a neighborhood favorite hangout with a faithful, fanatical following. If it was in SOHO Manhattan, a location notorious for spectacular eateries, it would be swamped with reservations; a spot with everyone in town frantic to get a coveted acceptance. I've been to both environments and Mamma Teresa's has convinced me that we are indeed lucky to have such a jewel in a Poway strip mall. I hope the Italian owners (just off the boat from Naples) do not realize this and move to NYC to become rich & famous. I am a member of a small group of gentlemen who meet weekly for a meal and happy fellowship. We are pretty picky about our chow and notice the small things --- those which earn our patronage. We have been here twice and it's destined to be a regular on our very short list of favorites. Today I was surprised. From several earlier meals here, I already expected a great meal here, but today I was blown away by the linguine & clams. Of course, the pasta was homemade by the chef, perfectly al dente, covered in marinara sauce that must be from a family passed down recipe; but the surprise was the addition of fresh cherry stone clams, in their glistening ivory shells, that must have enjoyed today's sunrise at the shore, steamed in white wine and herbs, sauteed with fresh cherry tomatoes. I have never in my life seen such a gorgeous dish. The flavor was just as special as its presentation. The rest of my jealous companions swore to have this at our next meal here. I hope it is soon!

    (5)

  • N J K.

    Drove up to see my daughter who lives in Poway and decided to lunch at this restaurant based on Yelper comments. Going to add to the Excellence column here. The salad was garden fresh, and I want to grow that variety of not-peppery radish! One ordered the minestrone and it was full of flavor and good veggies. The bread was warm and soft, there was olive oil and balsamic to dip it in. We savored all three dishes ordered; chicken parmesan, penne arabiatta and the lasagna with ground veal bolognese sauce. All were fresh and delicious. We ordered the tiramisu and I closed my eyes after the first bite; it was just complete perfection. Server was enthusiastic and we loved our experience and meals here.

    (5)

  • Holly y.

    OMG...who knew that Poway had an incredible Italian/Mediterranian restaurant like Mamma Teresa. Recently opened in the Petco shopping center, this is the REAL deal. The charming owners are straight from Italy (and speak little English) so you know their food authentic and tasty. There were three of us at dinner and we tasted each others food. Every dish was to die for! It really makes other "Italian" restaurants pale in comparison. Also, the prices were very reasonable. I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • R. A.

    we have returned here several times because the food and really good .... truly authentic Italian .... only those with Italian ancestry and was in Italy, knows the difference ..... Mamma Teresa is not a luxury restaurant ... and a very simple ..... looks more like a Trattoria.... a house ... makes you feel at your ease and comfort ... Then Teresa and her husband are very good people ... welcome you with their simplicity and their bad English ... are wonderful I love this place .... and i repeat ... I repeat, really good food ...

    (5)

  • J H.

    I was so excited about a new Italian place specially since we missed holi moli ravioli so much. Cud not wait to try it. We went there for lunch and there were only a few tables exactly two occupied They give you the menu and sit down in rather dull atmosphere. They bring out a basket with white cloth. Inside there are exactly four small pieces of stale looking leftover bread.. Food i have to say was below par. If you have access to ragu or prego sauce and a pasta packet you cud do better. Nothing special . Just ordinary sauce laced with too much wine and pasta.Eggplant parmesan is just regular eggplant sliced and layered with sauce and cheese. i am terribly dissapointed.

    (1)

  • Bob G.

    Inconspicuous location and hidden gem in Poway! Authentic fresh and reasonably priced Italian food. Never too crowded and just the right setting for actually having a conversation with friends, family, spouse or date. IMHO, this is the finest Italian restaurant in Poway!

    (5)

  • Joe I.

    Outstanding food, outstanding service!

    (5)

  • Culinary Cache C.

    Went here again for dinner last night, had freshly in house made pappardelle pasta with proscuitto, mushroom, parsley cream sauce that was absolutely to die for. The Caprese salad was made with the most amazingly rich (and fresh) buffalo mozzarella. The milanesa of pork is absolutely phenomenal! The freshly made desserts are definitely worth saving room for!

    (5)

  • Kasandra B.

    Tried Mamma Teresa's out a couple weeks ago after seeing the grand opening. It was lunch time and there were only a few tables taken (I'm sure because they were still weeks new), so we were seated and attended to immediately. Our waitress was really nice and made sure we had what we needed (refills, more bread, etc). The food did take a little time to come out, but that is because everything is made FRESH! From the bread to the salad to the entree, everything tasted fresh. The salad dressing is pretty good, though they did put a little too much. Though I did not try the meatballs, the ladies at another table kept complimenting that they were the best they have ever had, and even spoke with the chef Mamma Teresa about how delicious they were. I will definitely come back again!

    (4)

  • Rachel V.

    This place is incredibly delicious! It's a cute family run business and the food does not disappoint. My kids love it and Alex is always so sweet and kind, in fact the whole staff is always accommodating and make you feel very welcome. It looks like they added more tables and they were filled on the Friday night when we went. I think we will make reservations next time. We didn't have to wait, but it probably makes it easier on them if you have reservations. I really think this place is great and will have to make it a point to go much more often! From appetizers to dinner to dessert, this place is top notch!

    (5)

  • Diane K.

    We enjoyed several meals here and recommended it to friends. Never again! When one meal was cold and tasteless Alex grabbed the dish, stormed off and kicked furniture in the kitchen. When one of us asked for extra cheese he refused saying there was already cheese in the meatballs and we couldn't have any more. We thought he was kidding but he was dead serious. We then asked one of the waiters but he said he looked very nervous and said he wasn't allowed to bring cheese. Apart from the disappointed, tasteless food, the atmosphere was so tense, you could not pay me to eat there again.

    (1)

  • Debbie N.

    Really good, authentic Italian food! My daughter and I went for my birthday dinner. The tuna tartar appetizer was superb. I convinced my daughter to try it - she always says she doesn't like fish. To her surprise she really liked it and ended up eating most of it! We visited Italy a couple of years ago and having dinner here brought back those wonderful feelings of being in Italy. I will definitely return. As for those negative reviews, well there are always those people that have to complain about everything.

    (5)

  • Chris W.

    Thank you Yelp for pointing me towards another hidden gem that I wouldn't have found on my own. When I think of quality Italian food I wouldn't think my destination would be a shopping center anchored by a Petco. Don't let that dissuade you because we thought the food here was great! This is a fairly small restaurant but it has a lot of charm. The man who helped us was named Alex and was as friendly as can be, not to mention quite funny. He gave us some lessons on speaking Italian words also! The bread that they bring out as an appetizer was just fantastic. I practically inhaled the first piece I liked it so much. Our request for a second round of bread was met with a smile and a quick replacement. The only part of my meal that I was not crazy about was the salad, but it was included with the price so no big deal there. I got the cheese filled ravioli lunch special with chicken added. When Alex brought out the other dish he specifically told me that I should taste the meatballs. I almost wish that I hadn't because it made me regret what I had ordered even though it was excellent. That was one delicious meatball! We were so full we didn't have room for dessert, but there were some beautiful looking ones in the display case at the front counter. Hopefully next time we'll get to sample them. I couldn't have been happier with our meal here.

    (5)

  • Steven B.

    Horrible. We called for a reservation for 8, for 6PM on a Sunday. "How about 7?" they asked. No. We are meeting at 6 with our family. "How about 6:30?". No. Ok, they said, you can come at 6 but we are busy at that time. Um, isn't that why one makes a reservation? We arrive at 6:00: my wife, my two kids (12 and 8), and me. The rest of our party was not there yet. The place was practically empty. We are seated and start waiting for anyone to come over and even offer a drink. About 15 minutes later, the waiter brings over two empty bottles of wine to show us the wines they're trying to sell - I mean offer. Nobody brings water or bread or offers other drinks. My wife asks for an iced tea. It's brought over. I am not asked if I'd like a beverage of any kind. The rest of our party arrives and we are all ignored for another 15 minutes. Then the same waiter comes over with a piece of raw tuna on a plate covered by plastic wrap. "This is our special. It was caught just a few hours ago." I'm sure it just jumped out of the ocean and ran to Poway. Still no water and no offer of other beverages. I interrupt the "what we have left over and are trying to discard" - I mean "specials" nonsense and ask if he can have someone bring over water for our table. We had now been sitting for 30 minutes. Air conditioning is on as are the ceiling fans. It's probably about 65 degrees in this "restaurant". We ask if they can turn the fans off. No, we are told, the fans are connected to the A/C and if they're turned off it'll get too hot. So, apparently, it's either 65 degrees or 95 degrees in this s**thole. We ask for a kid's menu. The waiter rattles off what he can make in a kid's portion. There's no kid's menu. My 8-year-old wants spaghetti and meatballs but no sauce. "We can't do that", he says, "the meatballs are in a meat sauce". I ask: "Can you make spaghetti?" Yes. "Can you put the meatballs on a separate plate?" Yes. Please bring her kids spaghetti and two meatballs on a separate plate. We begin to place our orders and the waiter asks how many credit cards we will use to pay. Three, we say. "We can't charge three different credit cards", he says, "because the computer won't let us". We ask him to please bring three bills and we will pay with three different cards. Is this his first day? My cousin orders her ravioli. "Are you sure you don't want the tuna special? It's really good!" No, she says. She wants ravioli. Enough with the tuna. We understand you're trying to unload it. Good luck with that. About 5 minutes after we place our order, two kids' meals of spaghetti and meatballs arrive. Once for my daughter and one for my son. Great. Except he didn't order a kid's meal. So her meal is served about 20 minutes before ours. We were not asked if we wanted her served first. Now she will sit and watch us eat. One of us orders pasta with garlic and oil. Later she asks for marinara sauce and is told "We can't do that...the acid from the tomatoes will mix badly with the garlic sauce on the pasta and give you an upset stomach." He brought the sauce but wasn't happy. The food was acceptable. Nothing special. My pasta with sausage was average. The pasta was probably not home-made. The sausage had very little flavor. The service was absolutely deplorable. I cannot suggest enough that you stay away from this hole-in-the-wall in a strip mall in Poway that acts like it's located in the Little Italy neighborhood of NYC. HORRIBLE.

    (1)

  • Lily N.

    LEGIT! Okay. I'm not Italian so maybe it's not, but daaannggg those meatballs and homemade sausages were DELICIOUS! Our waiter Alex was bubbling over with energy, and I love the funky fork 'n spoon chandeliers and the fact that some of the tables have folding chairs. It's way far from where we live, but I'd totally drive up there again for dinner. And yes, we got the tiramasu - each of us had our own... very piggy of us and next time, we'll split as they're big! And the cappuccino had super-thick awesome foam on top served in heavy-weight cups. Go. You'll love it.

    (5)

  • Angela P.

    This was my first visit and I was surprised this type of restaurant was in a strip mall, but the inside had the "full" restaurant feel. Nice ambiance and they can accommodate a party of two or larger if necessary. The three cheese tortellini was cooked perfect and I had it with olive oil and garlic. The garlic is potent so watch out!! There are no additional sides without a substantial cost, so be mindful of you order a pre entree salad it will cost about $8 extra. The prices were more steep than I expected and the food was good, but not "wow." The desserts looked amazing so I had the fruit tiramisu and it didn't disappoint!

    (3)

  • Rich B.

    Can't say enough about Mamma Teresa's. Went one night for the first time, and returned the next night with more of the family. Excellent food, accommodating, attentive service. Greeted like an old friend both times, and by the end of our second meal there, I felt like one. Very reasonable prices, great variety. I'd come here every week if I lived close. Can't wait for our next visit to Poway and Mamma Teresa's.

    (5)

  • Jill M.

    We didn't even sit down to order due to an incredibly rude and frustrated host who walked away from us when we asked to be seated at a specific table (we have a baby and didn't want to be seated in mid-aisle). We were eager to try Mama Teresa's but most likely won't return.

    (1)

  • Jayne M.

    Picked up dinner to go last night about 30 min before closing time. Alex the owner was full of smiles and this guy takes so much pride in his business. The food was amazing as usual. We tried the gnocchi with the meat sauce this time which was sooooooo good! The lasagna and the spicy penne pasta with added meatballs. For dessert we tried the Tiramisu and it was the best I've ever had. The wife ( the cook ) has won several awards and actually went to school in Italy. The food is amazing.

    (5)

  • Sam C.

    This is a small mom and pop type Italian restaurant. I've only had their spaghetti meatballs so far. Their meatballs are so juicy, tender, and flavorful. The spaghetti was ordinary, but not bad. Paired with the meatballs, it was very good comfort food.

    (4)

  • Smitha A.

    I am so so so sad to write this review. I really wanted this to be good. Everyone else has given it such good reviews, maybe we went on an off night? We went there for my husband's birthday and they did not have very good beer sleections. He ended up with a Bud Light. And then they forgot to take my drink order and I had to flag them down. We did start with the proscuitto caprese which had us hoping the rest of the food would be as good. Unfotunately for us, it wasn't. I had the Veal Piccata and my step dad had the Veal Marsala. Both were BLAND. No flavor at all. How is that possible? My mom got the beef osso bucco and she said it was decent. My husband's lasagna was also decent. Maybe you should not serve veal if you can't cook it right? And the pasta on the side? Just plain, with oil and TONS of RAW garlic. You could smell me for days! Why raw garlic? again, wrong flavors! I most likely will not go back. I wanted to like it so much!

    (2)

  • Terri L.

    This place provides delicious food and friendly service in cozy environment. Sausage and meatball were packed with Italian herbs and spices. Seafood pasta was very flavorful and fresh. Best Italian I've had in North County so far.

    (4)

  • Cherie T.

    At first I was hesitant about this place because many yelpers gave low ratings and those who gave high ratings had like a few written reviews. Anyway, I finally decided to try it because I live nearby. The restaurant is cozy and accompanied with friendly staffs (maybe even owner). I didn't have much expectation on this restaurant but to my surprised the food is not that bad. I ordered the spicy penne with shrimps. I thought the portion was a little small for the price; it was rather expensive for an Italian restaurant like this. I can pay the same amount for a much more tastier even gourmet Italian pasta. the penne that I got looked like it was precooked and just got reheated in the microwave because many of the penne were still hard (it wasn't the al dente hard, it was like the left out on the counter for hours or a day - hard) and were stuck together. I am almost certain that it was definitely not freshly cooked out from a boiling water when ordered. I mean even if it's pre-cooked, at least dump it back into the hot water and boil it again to loosen up the pasta and make it piping hot, you know? they offered complimentary bread and I liked them a lot. it was warm and soft. I like to dip the breads in the remaining pasta sauce I had. Food is alright, just the price that is a little too high. I think I can venture out to other Italian restaurants before visiting Mamma Teresa again.

    (3)

  • T F.

    I have to say, it was okay. I really wanted to like it - but it just feel short. A better option then most Italian places in San Diego - but... still just okay. I would go back with my daughter and try a different menu item.

    (3)

  • Tony F.

    First time visit. Had splendid meal, all food very authentic and fresh, the fish was oh so fresh and cook perfectly. Friendly service and exceptional tiramisue. Can't wait to go again. They got it right.

    (5)

  • Kathy Y.

    Hands down best Italian restaurant ever!!! Excellent service and the food was awesome. Meatballs are the best !!!

    (5)

  • Willy W.

    On our way back from Julian to San diego, my friends and I decided to stop by Poway and eat Italian food. We came across Mamma Teresa on yelp and wanted to give it a try. First the service was quite invading and a bit unrespectful. Dont call your customers by names such as "homie" "buddy" "bro". Secondly, the food really didnt taste much. The spaghetti mushroom & sausage was weird; there was almost no sausage, and the spaghetti tasted like it was frozen spaghetti from cosco and just reheated. I got gnocchi & salmon which turned out so-so. Thirdly the prices are pretty expensive for the small sizes of the plates. Overall i dont think that it deserves 4.5 stars on yelp. I can even cook better Italian at home.

    (1)

  • Carol L.

    Very authentic, delicious Italian. Have eaten dinner here twice, lunch once. Each time has been a real treat! I think they make their own noodles, fresh. First time, I had the Veal Saltimboca - SO MUCH flavor! Last night, one of the specials was salmon picatta and it was awesome. The salmon was cooked perfectly and it is served with a side of spaghetti that is coated in olive oil, garlic, parmesan. I had to force myself to stop half way through in order to save room for dessert. I have had the berries tiramisu (YUM) and also the limoncella cake - light and perfect. The owners are extremely friendly and so are the servers and the people who clear the tables. The only reason I don't give five stars is that it's a little pricey (for me) so I cannot go there very often. Otherwise, I'd be there at least once a month.

    (4)

  • Lou C.

    Meant to write this review a month ago, but fell behind. I have no idea why the huge disparity in the ratings. First, I didn't have high hopes as I approached the restaurant. It's in a strip mall setting. Second, the restaurant was nearly empty and the host was sitting behind the register not looking very inspired. I asked for a table so I could spread out a bit. I was by myself but brought some work with me....he couldn't just in case the place got busy. OK, so obviously, I was just not expecting much. I asked what the waiter would recommend as my "go to" was linguine with clams and I may as well find out what the "specialty" was. He said a veal dish with some type of tomato sauce. Simple enough. It was spectacular. The flavors just knocked me out, and the textures were amazing. I wanted to buy the "chef" dessert as a token of my appreciation. He brought the "chef" who was none other than Teresa. She wept as I told her how good the meal was, but declined the dessert. She was just happy that I was happy. How crazy is that? Simply put, if you go for the food, this is the place to be. I hope they don't change a thing....not the tables, not the people and especially not the menu. Made the entire evening memorable.

    (5)

  • Kevin C.

    Alex is great! He sat me, served me, and we talked a lot! I really enjoyed the whole experience of eating there. Culture in San Diego is hard to come by. Parma caprese was very good! Bread with oil/vinegar was very good! The penne and meatballs was standard. The penne was cooked perfect and the meatballs were fairly good. I have had a lot of great Italian so this wasn't the best I have ever had, but it was very good and I will be going back!!

    (4)

  • Farhad N.

    Just before the owner got to us I was going to rate this place a one... My friend ordered food that was amazing and I ordered what the owner recommended... Lobster ravioli. It tasted like chalk with lobster bisque poured over it. When I told the waiter I could not way my fish because it tasted bad his reply was " well that's what you ordered so what's what you need to eat" and walks away. He told me to take it home if I don't like it since he saw I didn't touch it. I asked to talk to the owner and he said it would be an hour wait. Then as the owner walked by I told him the situation and he changed it immediately. Careful who you hire... They could make or break you. I'm disappointed fellow yelpers didn't warn me about the service. Then I took an additional 45 min for my food to find out.

    (2)

  • Art T.

    Rude customer service we had to leave The short guy was moody and very rude We asked to sit on another table but he refused on a extreme bad way

    (1)

  • Angelina R.

    Incredible food & great atmosphere. One of my absolute favorite places to get Italian if I can't sit in my Nana's kitchen at home. The pasta is always perfectly al dente & full of rich flavor. The staff is inviting and Alex and his mother are wonderful. Must try! And don't leave without tiramisu. THE BEST!

    (5)

  • Kevin W.

    You know you have hit the Italian food jackpot when you walk in, and not only is the server from Italy and speaking Italian, but the Chef is also Italian (and happens to be the owner). We knew we were in good hands. I will get right to the food....Incredible! And surprisingly affordable! We were dining on a Sunday during mid day so we were eating off of the lunch menu, which includes a salad and bread. Our meals were delicious, fresh, and flavorful. I ordered the sausage special for $8.99 which after eating it seemed like a steal! We were all trying each others dishes and praising the chef. It gets better... The dessert tray was set on the table and our server described each dish and how it is all made in house. We ordered three different kinds and WOW. I would give 5 stars for the dessert alone. So add great food, dessert, and on top of thAt a very funny charismatic Italian server and you get an amazing dining experience. We will absolutely be dining here again and again.

    (5)

  • Shirzad F.

    I'm really disappointed in my fellow yelpers for over-hyping an undeserving business. I had no issues with staff, they were nice enough, but the food was just awful! Anything we ordered tasted exactly like nothing and it was missing the same ingredient that makes italian food so good, love. I really don't understand why it has 4.5 stars

    (1)

  • Sheri N.

    Went there for the first time for dinner. Ordered food not even on the menu - they gladly made it and it was WONDERFUL - homemade, authentic, fresh - everything Italian should be. Took some Tiramisu home - phenominal. Staff was friendly & enthusiastic - service was great. We will be coming back definitely and telling all our friends. This is a Poway MUST!

    (5)

  • Raniel M.

    My wife looked up an Italian restaurant on yelp in Poway. This was highly recommended and we tried it as soon as it open at 4pm . We were greeted by Alex (small alex according to him). He had a few specials that he mentioned and tried 3 of his recommendations. It was the best Italian food we've had in a long time. Homemade sausage was excellent, Beef Stew was magnificent, spaghetti in olive oil and garlic and sicilian style calamari was awesome. Red Wine was smooth as expected and the Peroni beer was also good. Dessert was to die for, Limoncello Cake LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!!!! Thanks Alex :-)

    (5)

  • Jessie C.

    The atmosphere was really a little Italy! The service was OUTSTANDING. The bread is absolutely amazing everything was fresh. The pasta was on point & that dessert was really the cherry on top! Recommending this place to everyone! The reason why it's only getting four stars is because I was not a big fan of the pink lemonade but still Id go again and again !!!!

    (4)

  • Leigh Ann S.

    Wonderful authentic Italian food, no Olive Garden type food! We had the calamari as a appetizer, it was delicious, serve in a white wine and fresh tomato sauce, just wish the bread served with it was a crusty Italian bread. The mushroom ravioli was delicious and the fresh tuna piccata was amazing. No room for dessert, but it looked amazing!

    (5)

  • Nancy B.

    This is a hidden gem in Poway. Everything from start to finish was perfect & amazing. We had the most amazing server Enzo who gave great recommendations that were on point and delicious. The owner was adorable & charming. Wine, salad, meatballs, pasta & amazing deserts, just do it don't say no to the desert. Everything was a nugget of joy. Treat Yo Self and eat here!!

    (5)

  • Arina P.

    Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!!!!!!! So delicious! Omygooodness! We couldn't get enough!!!!!!! The eggplant parm was the best I have ever had. The soup was homemade and absolutely delicious!!!! ....YOU MUST TRY EACH AND EVERYONE OF THEIR DESSERTS BECAUSE IT DOESNT GET MUCH BETTER THEN THIS! Trust me, you won't be disappointed!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Kate A.

    It was truly a joy to dine here. If you want delicious Italian food served by an incredibly friendly (and authentically Italian) team - this is your spot. Yelp brought us here while we were on a weekend getaway to San Diego, and boy were we thankful! I'm fairly certain we had the owner of the restaurant waiting on us, and he was a delight. Warm, funny, engaging - and VERY attentive. We enjoyed the homemade, soft, warm bread and then dined on calamari, Pappardelle Montanare and fruit tiramisu. All of it was perfect, and priced fairly. We look forward to returning. If you're in the area, don't miss out on Mama Teresa.

    (5)

  • Rose Z.

    The best Italian cuisine in San Diego! I wish to eat here everyday! Truly Italian! Food, culture, super friendly!

    (5)

  • John C.

    Came down from Riverside with the family for a San Diego weekend. And by family, I mean my wife, 6 year old daughter and my in laws. In total, it was 5 adults, 3 kids (ages 4,5 and 6) along with a toddler. We had a great Saturday at the beach in La Jolla. We checked into rooms at the Rancho Bernardo Inn. And then we looked at Yelp for restaurants that were "kid friendly" and "good for groups." Mamma Teresa came up. So we called ahead for a table. We felt good because at 6pm they said they could have a table for us at 6:30 on a busy Saturday night when every highly rated Yelp place didn't have tables available. We arrived on time, but they needed a little more time, which was fine. The place was packed. It looked like the owner was stressed. He greeted us in a really inhospitable way, like he wished we didn't show up. Like I said, he was clearly stressed about juggling people and orders and whatever else. It's not easy to run a busy restaurant. My family liked the food. We had lobster ravioli, penne Arrabiata, chicken parmigiana, spinach linguine with pink sauce (custom order), osso bucco. Everyone enjoyed the food. The kids had pasta with pink sauce, which they liked. Our waiter checked in on us a lot, and was friendly. When he came by, it was always a quick hit kind if check in. By the time the word "water" came out of my mouth he was already gone. This happened four times. When I tried to flag him, he didn't hear me. I actually gave up, and my wife had to flag him on my behalf. While the food was good, this place didn't come together for me.

    (3)

  • Brendan P.

    Who doesn't love delicious italian food? This place has fantastic entrees and even better desserts. It is a hole in the wall restaurant in Poway and readers choice winner 2013 for authentic cuisine. The thing I love most about Mamma Teresa besides the food, is the customer service. Every time my girlfriend and I go to this restaurant we are always taken care of as if we were the only two in the restaurant. On average the food is comparable in price to other restaurants in the area ($15 per entree average). The Meatballs are highly recommended.

    (5)

  • D Y.

    Excellent every time we have eaten here. This is more of an old school restaurant with the more traditional Italian fare. What they do, they do very well. I've never had a bad meal here. The owner is very friendly and he makes it a pleasure to dine here.

    (4)

  • Maddy K.

    Amazing food. Great service. This place is the best italian in San Diego. The owners are so hospitable and they care for their guests with personal attention that makes you feel so welcome. Tiramisu. is. Amazing.

    (5)

  • D A.

    Horrible horrible service. Never going back!!! The food was just okay. I think they fail to appreciate that going out to dinner is supposed to be a pleasant experience.

    (1)

  • Kimmy C.

    Hubbie and I came for an early dinner to check out a local eatery. Loved that it was family owned and humble but cute decor. Place filled up quickly as it neared dinner hour. Fabulous host named Alex (I think he was the owner; 20 years in NY and 3 years in San Diego) who was kind and attentive. We started with the calamari. Most Italian eateries serve chewy calamari. We were surprised to find no fried calamari but a fresh alternative with a delicious tomato based sauce. Coupled with their house rosemary+olive oil bread.. we scarfed (literally) the appetizer down. Prior reviews talked about the bread.. it is as good as it was described. Soft pillows of rosemary goodness.. warm and just divine!! We loved the bread and the two of us ate two baskets full!! Hubbie got the lasagna (he gauges Italian places by their lasagna), and he loved it. Lots of cheese, sausage and fresh noodles. I thought it was a little on the salty side but it was still delicious. I ordered a dish made of fresh egg noodles, cream sauce, bacon (what's not to love with something containing bacon) and mushrooms. Alex warned it was heavy.. but I thought it was just right. Not too overbearing on the cream sauce.. just the right amount of bacon and mushrooms. The noodles were a little harder than I would have preferred but it was so darn tasty.. I couldn't stop eating it. Hubbie and I both wiped our plates clean. It was just the right amount of food.. not too much.. not too little.. just so that we had room for dessert. We had the house special fruit tiramisu.. it was DIVINE!!! Fresh berries, marscapone cheese (yuuuuum) and just light and delicious. It was a great palate cleanser to the pasta dishes. Had a nice cup of cappuccino to couple and it was a great meal. I'd give 4 stars for the food, service and ambiance.. an additional star for being a truly family run business. Prices were on the higher end (~$15-20 a dish) but I would say it's fair for the quality of food. Seemed very popular around dinner time and we had a fabulous experience. Alex couldn't have been kinder and more welcoming. I felt like I was at his home and we were new guests that he gave 5 star treatment to. Definitely recommended. Will return. Loved this cute little find and 5 stars for a fabulous dining experience!

    (5)

  • Eliz Y.

    We just moved to Poway and have found it our mission to try out as many places to eat as we can so we can have our go to favorites. This is by far not only our favorite Italian restaurant but our favorite restaurant so far. We have even introduced new friends to it and they all love it. It is a hidden gem because from the outside, it is so unassuming. As soon as you walk through the doors, you are transported to Italy. The waiters are superb and the food is very authentic. I cannot get enough of the eggplant parmigiana. Save room for dessert, they are all fresh and delicious. Do yourself a favor and don't miss this one. Locals have caught on and you need reservations at night.

    (5)

  • Eric M.

    Pros: The owner was friendly and attentive, the food edible. Cons: The owner was too dang attentive. It was uncomfortable. He stood there watching us after we told him we were not ready to order. Another con is the quality of the food for the price. While the food was edible, for the price I played I should have received a amazing dish of authentic Italian. Instead I received mediocre Italian, just a step up from frozen, for an outrageous price. I'd try another Italian restaurant before I came back here.

    (3)

  • Doreen E.

    I sincerely hesitated for a long time in writing this review. But after talking to other Yelpers last night, I felt obligated to write this review. We went here on a Friday night to carb load my young son for a fencing competition. I mainly decided we should eat here based on the overwhelming number of positive Yelp! reviews. I feel like my peeps did me wrong. No true Italian would call the food they serve here Italian, and I've been to Italy. The menu says the pasta is made in house. Again, an impossibility. I wouldn't be surprised to find Barilla boxes in their trash or recycling bin. As for the sauce, I'm sure I make better sauce from scratch at home. Cannot tell whether it's from scratch or not. But it is not worth the $15 per pasta dish they are charging. The house made sausage was scary. I did not like the texture. I did not like the flavors. Definitely tasted like mystery meat. They gave very little bread and were hesitant to refill the bread because they told us they did not want us to fill up on the bread before the entrees came. The bread had to come from a distributor. It was not made from scratch. I don't understand the appeal. Granted, the owner is warm and friendly and so are the servers, but it's not enough to make up for the poor, poor food. And the owner kept asking us if everything was good. What were we supposed to say? No, but you'd have to change entirely the way you're doing things for me to eat here again. Here's what I don't get. Restaurant is located in a strip mall in the middle of Poway. Not anywhere near to the freeway. Rent can't be that bad. Not compared to one of the best Italian places in Southern California (Bencotto), the prices and the food is far inferior. Bencotto only now charges $15 for its pasta. It was $13 a year ago. Mamma Teresa charges the same price for their food. No way.

    (1)

  • Rhonda C.

    We were in Poway to spend the night before golfing at Maderas golf course. So I "yelped" best restaurants in Poway. WOW!!!! What a wonderful Italian treasure. If you love or even like Italian food this is a place you must visit. Amazing flavors, Alex the owner and person who helped us was so kind and informative. The Caprese Parma was a great starter. I think you can't go wrong with whatever you order as an entree. And for dessert the Tiramisu was amazing. This is my first Yelp review and i am proud to recommend this establishment to anyone.

    (5)

  • Fred w.

    I go to this restaurant many times a month. The owner and his wife are genuinely good people and small business owners giving you an authentic Italian dining experience that is rare in Southern California. The food is exceptional, the service is "spotty" but more than tolerable (the have great turnover in their wait staff, and this has been the case since they opened 3 years ago). Although you won't be disappointed in anything you order, I highly recommend the Parma caprese, any of their home-made raviolis, and mamma's home made sausage (whether or not it's on the menu it is always available). I highly recommend this restaurant.

    (5)

  • Mike B.

    This place has literally ruined Italian food for me. They have the best, caprese and tiramisu I have ever tasted. Nothing else can compare or come close. It may look typical from the street, but don't judge this place by its cover. You will not be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Eric L.

    Mamma Teresa looks like one of those shops you're scared to go into because they advertise great, authentic ethnic (Italian is an ethnicity right?) food and you're wary because how can any restaurant that looks like this actually be authentic? Well Let me put your hesitation to rest. I have no idea. This place has decent "italian" food. Is it authentic? I don't know. I've only been to the western side of Italy and it did not remind me of anything that I had there. Is this a bad thing? No! Not at all. Is it good? You be the judge. Food: I got the Linguine alla Vongole. Linguine with clams. The server did warn me that it's a tomato based sauce with clams, which I appreciated because I was expecting a white wine/garlic sauce. What I was served was a fairly large portion of linguine with tomato sauce and I want to say about a dozen clams and a lot of other clam meat. The cleam meat (I believe) is from canned clams which I didn't mind. The clams in the shells seemed fresh too. Overall the dish was just okay. Service: One thing I don't like but I can also respect is a salesman that tries to up sell. I respect because it's his/her job. I don't like it if they try to pressure you and don't let up. Our server (maybe the owner or just manager) was the former. He convinced another friend to go from the Linguine with clam sauce to the mixed seafood pasta. His selling point was that for $2 more, you get a lot more seafood. When his dish came out and mine came out, I had a little bit of food envy. The servers all were courteous and attentive. My favorite thing was when our main server asked if we all wanted grated cheese. I said yes and he suggested I not do this. Not like a jerk saying "No i know food and you don't want it" but rather, "It's been my experience that the cheese doesn't go well with clams so I'd suggest you skip it this time" and he was right. I'm glad I listened to him. He also double checked with me before he left to make sure I truly didn't want the cheese. No pressure! So with good service but just okay food, have to give this an "A-OK" rating. By no means is 3 stars on yelp (basing it on a true yelp gradient) a bad thing. it's just not a stellar thing. Would i come back to this place? I honestly would say probably yes if I were craving italian food and I was at home. Otherwise, I'd rather drive down to Genesse for some Lorna's kitchen. TL:DR - Okay food with good service.

    (3)

  • Hashy M.

    Lemon cake is superb. Service is amazing, fresh italian food. Dessert is must try. We went for lunch, they have nice dishes which you can order without pasta too. We had a great time.

    (5)

  • Cafeluna S.

    This is a cute little place in Poway in a strip mall . Their meatballs were very good. A little salty on the sauce. Didn't care for the chicken parm it was dry. Friendly and kind staff. Dessert we had was outstanding. Trifle type with berries. Yumm

    (3)

  • Jim R.

    Can't believe it took me so long to find this little gem. Being a born & raised NY Italian, I'm constantly on a quest to find great Italian food. Mamma Teresa's definitely shines in that department. Our server Carlo was fabulous - very attentive and fun. We'll be regulars here for sure!

    (5)

  • Blaine G.

    Extremely friendly and professional staff and delicious food - best Italian I've had in San Diego. My daughter summed it up by saying, "It's stupid how good this food is here."

    (5)

  • Brennan K.

    The Quick Version: Food: Flavorful, delicious, authentic. Moderately priced for portion size (I'm a big eater and I was happily satisfied but not bursting at the seams). Atmosphere: Cozy, smaller tables, not ideal for groups. Great for a night out with a few close friends/a date. Service: Quick, personable; Alex alone was enough to bring me back. A regular could easily feel like a true "regular" here. The Long Version: Some couple friends and the wife and I went out to eat here based on Yelp reviews, and looking for some good italian food in the area. Very pleased with the experience, and the initial 5 star review is based on my first experience here. Food: Fantastic. I had the sausage and my wife had the meatballs. Flavorful, great texture. My friend had the chicken parm, and his plate was clean by the end of the meal. Moderately priced for portion size (I'm a big eater and I was happily satisfied but not bursting at the seams). Atmosphere: Small, quaint space. Cozy, and would probably be tough for larger crowds. Despite the small space, the high ceilings prevented it from getting too noisy and stuff in the place, so my group was comfortable the whole meal. Service: Alex and staff were attentive, personable, and the service was great. Servers weren't coming up to you asking you what you need/if you need anything, etc every two minutes. They filled water glasses as needed, removed plates promptly. Timing of the food was great too. Not a place you'd want to walk into and order expecting to be out in 10 minutes. This is authentic food, and it takes time.

    (5)

  • Bennett M.

    Recommend you stick with the pasta, found other entrees sub par and the house wine very over priced.

    (3)

  • Mike A.

    We have eaten there many times and the food was excellent. Last night was no exception. The food is prepared when ordered so it takes a little longer to get your order, but it is worth the wait. Plan on a leisurely lunch or dinner much like the restaurants in Italy. Alex and Teresa are great hosts. I highly recommend lunch or dinner at Mamma Teresa's.

    (5)

  • Kerri K.

    Hidden gem in Poway. Wow! Excellent food, excellent service. My son and I went in for lunch. Really small place, there was only one waiter and a cook both Italian for sure. So nice and accommodating, spoke with their cute Italian accents, serviced us with such warmth and genuine care. The food was absolutely amazing. Can't wait to go back and try more items on the menu.

    (5)

  • Courtney M.

    I found this place in a strip mall and did a quick Yelp search. The ratings were good enough we decided to try it out. The service was incredible. The food was amazing! My husband ordered the cheese ravioli and added some meatballs to it. I sampled some and wished I had ordered that!! Those meatballs were incredible. And the marinara was perfect. I had fettuccine and the texture of the pasta was unbelievable! We had the lemon cake for dessert. It was so light, airy and delicious. There were several other desserts that looked amazing. We have definitely found a place we will return to often.

    (4)

  • Melissa D.

    Argh. This probably makes me sound like a curmudgeon but here goes: I went here once and I wouldn't go back again for two reasons. One, the food is not that great for the price. I had the fettucine carbonera and it was just about the blandest pasta dish I've ever had. The second reason is the biggest. The owner. Totally nice guy but way too overbearing. Every other minute, he was at our table asking us for the umpteenth time if this was the best food we'd ever had. Then, if you don't finish every bite of food on your plate, he talks at you for five minutes asking why you didn't like it, or why you haven't finished it, or why you have to finish it because that's the Italian way. Go down the road to Domenics. It's so much better Italian food for the exact same price.

    (3)

  • A B.

    The owner acts as the host extraordinaire. The information he shares with you is quick and overwhelming. You get to learn about the restaurant history, when and how the meatballs are made. No, he does not give the recipe. The food is fresh. I ordered the antipasto salad. Delicious! It was enough to share. We didn't have room for dessert. Several families we know go here all the time. Will you like it? We did.

    (4)

  • Dorothy Ann C.

    Like eating Sunday Dinner at your Grandmothers every day.

    (5)

  • Ken W.

    This place is a hidden gem. Tucked behind the Five Guys in Poway, Mamma Teresa takes you away, if just for a moment, to casual eatery in Italy. From the Italian music, the decor, the wait staff and the food, they do a fantastic job at creating a nice experience for you. Just about everything is homemade, and you can tell by the taste and quality. We started off with the Calamari, which isn't fried, rather steamed in a tomato based sauce. This was our favorite, it was simply delicious. The non fried version had great texture unlike the fried versions. The sauce was just incredible. For lunch, we had two of their lunch specials, one eggplant parmigiana and one Italian sauce with pasta. Both were pretty good, but I couldn't stop thinking about the calamari. The pasta was cooked al dente, I mean it couldn't be any more right on the money from just being done. For dessert they brought out the dessert tray, and who can say no to that when it's staring right at you. It was hard to choose, but we we decided on the fruit tiramisu, which was perfect for splitting. In the end our waiter (and possibly the owner) shook our hands and thanked us for coming. It was a great final example of the care they put into making it a wonderful experience.

    (4)

  • Fay K.

    I have been walking by this place several times and it always smelled good and was always busy. Today I finally decided to try it and boy am I glad I did! The waiter was wonderful and the food was excellent. I had the meat ravioli Emilia and my sister had chicken marsala. Both were so yummy. Also the cannolis were wonderful, not too sweet which is what I've found when eating them at other places. Alesandro the owner was so charming and I enjoyed speaking with him as well as the cook. I will be coming back and telling all my friends and family to go here!

    (5)

  • S R.

    First of all, the 5 star reviews for this place are either fake, or the reviewers have never been to a better restaurant than McDonalds. Harsh? Maybe, but it's lame to have your friends and family post this many fake 5 star reviews. It completely takes away the value of Yelp to help us find great restaurants, and to help talented restaurant owners and workers get rewarded for their achievements. Their real achievements. Now for the food: no better than average. The prices: very high considering the so-so food. The atmosphere: nothing special. But if the food was good then the atmosphere wouldn't be a problem. The service: very nice. Like everyone says, Alex is friendly and attentive. But I suspect that this might be an act to distract customers from the mediocre quality of the food. I travel a lot for work, and sometimes end up eating in bad restaurants, but I almost never take the time to complain about them. But again, it's really uncool to post as many phony 5 star reviews as Mama Theresa's has. That's the real shame here.

    (2)

  • Jason M.

    We were planning to eat at 5 Guys next door and stumbled on to Mama Teresa's. I love strip mall Italian restaurants and this is one of the better ones. Food is fresh and very tasty-Maybe a little pricy considering the paper napkins and campground style flatware (this is a big peeve of mine). My wife feels that the quality of food and service could support fancier surroundings-table cloth, cloth napkins, silverware, etc. but I was happy with the food and the overall experience and wouldn't want to pay more for fancy.. BTW-Dessert are homemade and amazing. Worth a try and definitely better than standing in line and throwing money away at Sammy's Woodfire.

    (4)

  • Claudia M.

    The food is okay, maybe its what I ordered but it was nothing really special. Its cute and has a cafe feel to it.

    (3)

  • Edith S.

    Food was delicious yet a little over priced. Great customer service. The flavors of their dishes weren't as rich as expected.

    (3)

  • Shanda B.

    Italiano Authentico! I live in Poway and often forget about this awesome restaurant. It's not that it's forgettable, it's just that I try to leave Poway as much as I can. I have never given a Poway restaurant 5-stars except for now! Mamma Teresa is trip to Italy without leaving the good'ol US of A. The pasta, the sauces, the sausage and meatball, and the desserts...all homemade! Secret Tip: They have terra-cotta wine chillers - ask for one if you want to keep your wine cold. Good to know tip: They have one outdoor table for 4. They will setup more if it's requested, however you cannot have alcohol if you dine outside. P.S. Alex is the best host/waiter...super fun and flirty - in an Italian way.

    (5)

  • Rochelle H.

    My BFF and I were looking for a great Italian restaurant. We went to Mamma Teresa's on the recommendation of a friend of ours. We were impressed! There wasn't one of the many dishes we tried that disappointed. I grew up in NYC in an Italian neighborhood and this is the food I grew up on. I saw some negative reviews and you'll find people that find fault and those folks are entitled to their opinion. I'm on my way there for dinner in a few minutes.

    (5)

  • wendy c.

    The hubby and I decided to go down memory lane of our honeymoon in Italy, we searched for a really good Italian restaurant. Coming to hear was the best decision of the day! First of all, service is EXCELLENT!!! Alex was a wonderful person that not only welcomed us with a great Italian accent (since he's from Italy) and he told us that customers are to be treated as friends...not just as customers. Needless to say, we felt we were dining at a friend's house and had home cooked food! Then there was the food. Oh my goodness! So yummy!!! We started off with the calamari (recommended by Alex). It was cooked a tomatoe and white wine sauce. I loved the fact that it wasn't fried. So much flavor! If I could, I would have licked the bowl!!! I got the lobster ravioli, which wasn't too creamy & full of flavor and meat filling! Other Italian-American places I have gone to seem to give small portions, but this was definitely worth the price! The hubby got the beef ossobuscco. Highly recommend the beef! Not only is the portion able to feed two people, I ended up eating half of my dish and started eating about 1/3 of his. That is how good this dish was. They give three big pieces of meat and although one of them was a bit tough, we enjoyed the dish overall! We will be going back for dessert in the future! We want to try that tiramisu!!! We were just too full!!!

    (5)

  • Jasmine F.

    Delicious food & exceptional service! I'm rarely impressed by the service at restaurants, however the service here was amazing; exactly how it should be.

    (5)

  • Robert M.

    This place was fantastic! The service and food were second to none. I look forward to being a regular customer there.

    (5)

  • Ted G.

    Folks are charming. Bread was mediocre. We ordered a Caesars Salad, husband wanted anchovies after being asked by waiter. Charged $2.00 extra for anchovies! I thought that was part of a Caesars Salad! I ordered the ravioli special and that's all i received. No presentation and certainly not enough to constitute a meal for $20. Husband ordered veal parmesan and was very ample - large portion. Was not impressed after paying $60 for dinner. Felt nit picked with the extra charge for anchovies. Have had better Italian food.

    (2)

  • Lisa H.

    Food was great but I kept hearing from the staff that all the food is fresh and made from scratch. Okay, okay, I get it. Let the food speak for itself. It was pretty tasty but there is something off with this restaurant. I think the prices are way too high. The food is fabulous but I think dishes need to be a few bucks less. Average prices are closer to $20 a plate. I wanted to get the fish but for almost $30 I had to pass. Its not like they have high rent. They are located in a strip mall and the restaurant is small. For $20 a plate I can eat at a downtown restaurant with ocean views. This could be a five star restaurant if they lowered their prices. I'd come here more often. However, for the very rare occasion, this is a great place to get excellent comfort Italian food.

    (3)

  • Christine Z.

    Great food and the service is awesome! The pasta is homemade by Mamma Teresa herself! She is from Naples and when we eat her pasta and gnocchi its just like eating in Naples (we spent a week there last summer). Owner and the wait staff are always friendly and on top of timing - refilling waters, bringing bread, etc etc. I usually get pasta but their specials are usually really good too. I had one of Mamma Teresa's specials that was an Italian beef stew over pasta and it was delish! The only thing that is not at five stars for us is the wine list, especially the wines by the glass. Their list in glasses and bottles is limited. I'd love to see more out of the ordinary good Italian options for both red and white. We compensate by usually bringing our own bottle.

    (4)

  • Lauren B.

    Nice atmosphere, despite the location. The food is good, but the kind service is what I appreciated most. We will be back, and we will be sure to bring the friends and family too!

    (4)

  • Joel G.

    First and last visit. Our server was surprised that we didn't finish our appetizers aside from the Caprese and was quite pushy that we finish our entrees. He was actually irritated that we weren't woofing it down. The cream sauce tasted like plain cream...without the sauce! He then had the gall to tell us to eat more. Wow. No dessert please, just the check. Guilt had us take home the leftovers which went directly into the bin. Two stars partly out of guilt because it's a local mom and pop joint...one star if if were a chain.

    (2)

  • Lee V.

    My BFF and I finally hit a gold mine! I grew up in an Italian neighborhood and have been longing for food like this without having to fly back home. Mama Teresa's is wonderful. Yes, it may seem pricey although it's casual dining, but everything is home made. The owners are from Bologna, which is why the food isn't your typical So Cal, Tuscan, commercial Italian food. It's way, way better! Mama Teresa and Alex are warm and friendly. They treat you like family. They are proud of the delicious food they make, and they should be! That is why they tell you about everything being home made with loving care. We had an appetizer (Caprese) and a meal (yummy Italian sausage and pasta) then topped it off with dessert (cannoli and tiramisu) and the Happyccino (That's what I call it: It comes with a smiley face on the foam topping). It was all fabulous. We are going back this weekend. I can't wait! Try it. Even if you don't live near Poway it's worth the drive.

    (5)

  • Cori L.

    I can't believe we haven't been here sooner! Being married to an Italian we are very critical. The service was quick, personal and outstanding!!! The meatballs were authentic, pasta al dente, osso bucco fell off the bone, sauce was incredible, prosciutto and mozzarella were amazing. We are so happy to have found our go-to Italian place. Thank you!!

    (5)

  • Emmeline D.

    "Chi non è meco, è contro a meco". Sigh... here goes my review. Since a majority of reviewers gave Mamma Teresa five stars, I thought it would be the perfect place to celebrate my son's bday - yep he's hit the double digits (the big 1-0). My boy loves everything pasta that only a bowl of mac-n-cheese can truly put a smile on his face! We arrived at the restaurant around 7 PM and it was packed - a positive sign of great food yes? (Woohoo - mom scores! - so I thought!) We were seated immediately by an older gentleman and were given the menu and water. Anywhooo... I don't want to get into every detail of our experience coz ya know... it's just not my steez: They provided us with a basket of warm, fresh bread (which I think it may have rosemary in it) and it was just delightful - especially when dipped in the oil and vinegar. We ordered the Ravioli Mushroom Porcini with the butter sauce on the side (I always tweak my order) and the other dishes ordered were Fettuccine Alfredo, Lasagna alla Bolognese, and Linguine Pescatore. Everything was made fresh to order, it seems. Honestly, I think we would have loved/enjoyed the dishes more if they were not saturated in heavy sauce or oil and had less raw garlic in them. My son ate his lasagna with a spoon and scooped out a lot of the sauce so he can get to the meat/pasta. The linguine was barely touched (actually only the two large shrimps were eaten) because it was doused with minced garlic (it looked like garlic fries, but in fancy pasta form). As you can tell - we are not a garlic loving family. Yes, garlic is delicious on food, but only if it's added to taste, not to ward off a family of Vampires. The service was pretty good considering the restaurant was a full house last night. We were not assigned a waiter and the five attendants (which included mamma and her husband, I think) visited every table often to make sure everyone is doing great. The ambiance definitely felt like home... or visiting a friend's house to get your Italian grub on. Oh yah, I can't forget to mention that boom box on top of the cabinet/buffet... I kept thinking what a liability it was (it could fall on someone - yes I tend to scope out every place and look for hazards). The food, to me, were overpriced. The location and the restaurant decor is nothing fanzee schmanzee (as I mentioned it looked like someone's home with lots of table). But I'm all for supporting mom & pop stores/restaurants. And because I want this location to thrive, I think we may come back again someday to try their desserts (and beg for more bread). He he he. I'm sure I'll have to take my son here for some mac-n-cheese coz I will lose a football bet with him (with football season coming up)! Oh hey! Did I mention the bread? Yep, that bread was the highlight of our experience - mmmm... it just melted in our mouths. We should have tried some of their desserts, but the celebrant wanted to go home to open his presents.

    (2)

  • Yvonne E.

    Last night they missed the mark. Ordered Caesar salad lettuce was not crisp too much dressing. We ordered Veal Marsala received Veal Pamagana which was on the dry side, I brought this to the servers attention, I didn't want toske a big issue so let it go. The sauce on penna pasta heavier than usual. They take pride in their lighter flavorful tomato sauce and I was expecting It. It is wonderful Perhaps the later hour (after 8:00pm) made the difference. Will I go back? Yes everyone has an off night

    (3)

  • Donna E.

    The Mamma Teresa gives the best Italian food as compared to other restaurants around the town. It was discovered by my friend and came into my knowledge last Saturday. I was pretty excited and as I love Italian that is why the curiosity was increasing and I wanted to experience it as soon as possible. So, we(me and my friend) planned to go there for dinner on Monday. Reservations were made and we stepped into it on time. Let me share the experience of my dinner. The service was great,quick and very friendly. The taste of the food was perfect. I was very impressed with the atmosphere and we had a great time there. So, I have write the review as our experience was too awesome. If you want to enjoy best Italian food with the friendly service, I would recommend this to you.

    (5)

  • Steve B.

    We heard it was good and stopped in for early dinner. They are closed 2-4 after lunch. The owner was our waiter and was very personable and Italian all the way. The decorations did remind us of a couple of places in Italy we saw. I had the veal Parmesan and Mrs. had the seafood fettuccine. Both were delicious and we enjoyed a nice red wine with. The waiter kept our water and bread (fresh baked and amazing!) replenished as needed. After saving some for take home (very little) we indulged with a cream puff dessert lightly drizzled with chocolate syrup and also a tiramisu which were all freshly homemade and the BEST I've ever tasted! I'll go back just for the dessert too! We loved it and met another regular couple that felt it was a little piece of Naples (former navy stationed there) right here in Poway! We are converts from being long time Domenic's fans which has slid all the way to the bottom of the barrel (or should I say can.)

    (4)

  • Michelle R.

    Oh goodness, come here to get your mind blown by amazing homemade Italian Food. We came here after a rigorous hike at Mt. Woodson to refuel. We sat outside since half of our party went next door to Five Guys, but our waiter was gracious enough to let us all sit together. We were taken on a tour of the lunch specials but not before our taste buds were allowed to partake in the softest warmest bread I've ever had the pleasure of eating. Seriously though it was great. We also had a small salad with oil and vinegar. All of which came out immediately, which was awesome since we were super hungry. On to the main courses... I had the tortellini with meatballs. Being the meatball connoisseur that I am, I pride myself on being able to tell a good meatball with a simple ocular inspection...well it passed the first initial test. Of course, it also tasted as magnificent as it looked and the tortellini was perfectly cooked and proportioned. My friend had the spaghetti carbonara, but I couldn't tell you much about it...other than on a scale of 1 to orgasmic, he needed a smoke break at the end of our meal. We had decided against dessert, but as soon as our waiter strolled by with the dessert cart we decided we needed to split the tiramisu. Again, a beautiful exquisite piece of homemade dessert to polish off our meal was just what we needed. In all, if I lived closer to poway I would get a job here to simply be paid in food. What a happy plump lady I would be indeed!!!

    (5)

  • Judy S.

    Why Poway? Well, the rent is cheap and why not? Any Italian would drive to this little gem when they find out that the dishes are the real deal. Teresa Buccolo, is the chef directly from Italy, no other people in the kitchen. This is straight from Reggio Emilia, north of Bologna Italy. The pasta is light, the sauce is prefectly cooked. Started with an appetizers of Calamari Teresa, white wine and garlic saute, NOT fried, perfect sauce, order extra garlic bread to soak up the sauce. The special for the evening which I ordered was fresh tuna, capers which are twice the size as the ones in the little jar from the grocery store, plus they have more favor. Topped with olives, a light tomatoes base with cherry tomatoes and wine. The lentil soup was very light, filled with favor, olive oil and herbs. Don't tell my Mom, but it was better than hers and we are Italian! The wine, straight from Sicily; Stemmari Pinor Noir. Have you been to Italy? Nothing like our wine, doesn't have that "bite", not a 14* alcholic precentage as the USA. Italy's wine is about 12 and it taste like fine grape juice, goes down so sweet and gentle. The desert is Dolce Mamma Mascarpone cheese, which is a very light cream cheese, light than our US cheese cake with light little cake; "lady fingers" a dab of lemon to set off the tuna and pasta, no contest of taste. Okay, this is the longest review I have ever written, I still have the taste in my month. Yes, Poway is a drive, but isn't worth having an amazing dinner and talk about it while driving all the way home. Oh My Goodness, it will be worth our drive forsure! Oh, the server and the owner were extremely dear, and sincere about the love of their food. Fantastic customer service, excellent food and wonderful conversation. PS. this is the real deal, if you are in a hurry, wake up, Ma took all day to cook that sauce, it doesn happen in fifteen minutes, so get over it. Have a glass of wine, get off the cell phone and talk to your neighbor. ENJOY!

    (5)

  • M B.

    Decent place for lunch, staff are very friendly. Food is a decent quality and reasonable price.

    (4)

  • Alex H.

    Got food poison there. This is not restaurant, this is cafe. The menu has limited choices, i had tried 3 dishes plus tiramisu, totally failed. No trust on yelp reviews anymore.

    (1)

  • Frankie T.

    Highly recommended. Whenever someone comes to town and wants good Italian, we bring them here. The owners are great and they go out of their way to authentically make your experience good.

    (5)

  • Therealladyof L.

    The complimentary bread was warm and sooooooooooo soft. Careful not to have too much else you might not be able to enjoy your main meal. I had the seafood linguine in squid ink. It was good. The berries in mascapone had just the right amount of sweet and sour. It's too bad that we discovered this place only the last week before we leave Poway. But we will be back when we visit.

    (5)

  • Mark S.

    Saw this place next to Five Guys and decided to try it. Amazing food and great service. The server was friendly and attentive. I enjoyed the fact that the staff speaks Italian to each other. I had the Penne Arrabbiata and it was fabulous. My friend had the lasagna and loved it. The bread was warm and the bruschetta was tasty. The food came out very warm and fresh. I thought the prices were reasonable and there was a good crowd there. I cannot wait to go again!

    (5)

  • Robert Z.

    Wow Tried out Mamma Teresa Authentic Italian this evening. What can I say. It was the best Authentic Italian food I've ever had. The Risotto was the best ever and worth twice the price. The service was unmatched anywhere. It was pure pleasure to try just a few of the many meals my wife and I plan to have here in the future. A must stop destination for the true Italiana food lover. You'll be glad you did. Bob, Jan, And Edna.

    (5)

  • Brett W.

    Excellent and very personal service. Alex is them owner and he takes the time to greet everybody and treat them like family. The same care and attention is put into every dish. I was trained by an Italian chef as a teenager and this food is the real deal. Not the American version, but real Italian countryside food. You will be delighted!

    (5)

  • Toby B.

    Terrible and way overpriced. The food is down right disgusting and is so over priced they should face criminal charges for robbery. First thing I did not like about this place is as we walked in we stood around for a long while before the staff even said a word. I have no problem waiting a few minutes but at least let me know you will be right with me or say something, anything. First thing I notice is they have this laminated copy of a piece of paper posted above every table. It is a reward for best restaurant from a few years ago. Having a laminated paper copy with no frame and a copy of it displayed over every single table is ridiculous and is a shameful way to display a reward. We order a Bruschetta to start which tasted very odd. Not a single person at our table liked it. Afterward, we ordered four pasta dishes and proceed to wait for our food. The food arrived and simply put, the portions are small. So tiny in fact, I finished my food in about 6 bites. Italian pasta portions are not supposed to be small. The food was terrible. It literally tasted like they took some frozen food that was just heated in a microwaved and served it. So bad that my mother in law didn't even eat her food. Biggest rip off for $18 a dish I have ever seen. I have no idea where are the 5 and 4 star ratings come from with this place. Another issue I have with this place as well as many places is the servers constantly call you "boss." I am not your boss, nor would I want to be. Stop calling everyone your boss.

    (1)

  • Bee W.

    BOMB!!! So good!!! Thats all there is to say!!!

    (5)

  • Desmond F.

    Walked in on a whim for a spontaneous lunch. Service was excellent. Nice, and friendly. We split a lunch special and they gave us salad for both of us no questions asked. The tortellini was good. The sauce was just the right amount of tangy and chunkiness. Will be coming back for whenever we're in the mood for a casual Italian dining experience!

    (4)

  • Erin C.

    Excellent and authentic! The staff makes the experience. Try the dessert- you won't regret it I have had the fettuccini Alfredo- a great dish where the sauce is authentic and lighter than other restaurants. My husband loves the homemade lasagna that come out piping hot! One of my favorite things is the bruschetta appetizer but alas with my pine nut allergy they make me a special pesto without the pine nuts- I didn't even know that was possible!! The cream puff pastry dessert is to die for. We usually split it and fight each other for the last bite. Due to the huge increase in popularity, if you are going during prime weekend dinner time call for a reservation or else you will wait quite a long time. This is literally the perfect date night restaurant in poway

    (5)

  • Ger D.

    Good price for perfect portion and service. Everything we had was really good-- DO NOT MISS the fruit tiramisu !!! So good I almost had tears @_@ Came during lunch and had the chef to ourselves!

    (5)

  • Teo G.

    Very good service and good advices from the waiters. Nice selection of Italian specialities. I ordered the beef osso buco, big portion , the meat is well cocked , very tender. Deception from the bone marrow. But I have to say that the bread is fantastic as if it's not an Italian bread.

    (4)

  • Trina R.

    Absolutely phenomenal! The owner is so friendly and welcoming as you come in. We sat immediately with our reservation. As soon as we sat the owner started recommending menu items, guessing what we might like, etc. Super funny, sweet guy. We ordered an appetizer - came out immediately as if it was straight out of Italy - amazing! Then our dinner followed in perfect timing. Again, quality was outstanding and extremely authentic. We had our appetizer and entrée served and eaten with 45 minutes of sitting down. We are definitely coming back :-)

    (5)

  • Ashley Z.

    Highly recommended. Their fish of the day is great. Simple pasta with olive nag garlic sauce is so yummy!

    (5)

  • Ellen R.

    Oh, my gosh - AWESOME! Alex is charming and wonderful and Theresa makes wonderful Italian dishes. We had a lovely, impromptu meal here and will definitely be going back for more! Mange, people, mange!

    (5)

  • Masil M.

    Came here for lunch and had a great experience. The owner Alex is a gem. He was charming and an attentive server. The lunch special comes with an excellent green salad of baby greens and a simple oil and vinegar dressing. They serve a soft, warm bread that they are happy to refill. I had the sausage pasta. The sausage is house made. They make 500 links every Monday. It's a mixture of veal, pork, and beef with spices and fennel. And it is delicious. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The serving was ample for a lunch special. I had no problems getting drink refills and the cappuccino they made was so good. It's always a pleasure to have coffee done right! They even put a little smiley face in my foam, adorbz. The price was low, the wine list looked nice. I will mos def return!

    (5)

  • Joel G.

    pros...this is one of the most authentic italian restaurants in San Diego. from what i can remember from my trip to italy way back when, this is the type of food they served. it was super tasty, simple and each dish is made with care. the other part is that you can get stuff off the menu. if they have the ingredients, then they will customize the dish to your liking, while still keeping it very italian. the customer service here is excellent. out main guy Alessandro was awesome. he kept an eye on our table and we never had to wait too long for anything. the drinks were refilled, grated cheese and pepper by hand, and served us or appetizers from the plate. it was quite a dinning experience, just like the ones in italy, all those years ago. the actual food is great, and delicious. the food comes out fresh and tasty. from the simple dishes to the more complex ones, you can taste the effort and love put in them. we had calamari, but it was not fried. it was delicious and most of all soft and tender. i had the home made sausage, it was just the right amount of spice and crunch in the casing. my buddy had the osso buco, which was also very tasty. i can almost say that you won't go wrong with anything on the menu. the best part was the desserts. i just love the simple but tasty dessert called affogata, which is gelato or ice cream, drowned in coffee or espresso. and alessandro makes it just how i like it, more ice cream than coffee. cons...not much, nearly everything is great. just come on by and have a taste of the food that mamma is cooking. i'm sure you will find it delicious.

    (5)

  • Rex D.

    First time I've used Yelp, and I'm doing so now because of my experience at Mamma Teresa's. The food is "just like Mom used to make"; very authentic and tasty! The host, Alessandro (Alex), was extremely kind & accomodating. He checked on us frequently, but not to the point where it was annoying. He was being very sincere about it. Never had to ask for a refill or more freshly baked bread. It just appeared right on cue. He is from Bologna Italy which led my suspicions to believe in the establishment's authenticity. When I inquired about Mama Teresa, he stated that she was from Napoli & was on premises preparing all the food! On a whim, I asked to personally thank her. He obliged and called her from the kitchen. A lady appeared, wearing a kitchen apron & her head was donned with a tied hair kerchief; face mottled with patches of white flour! These people were bona fide Italian immigrants who knew about preparing authentic Italian food! Both Alex & Mamma Teresa granted us a warm hug and a European peck on both cheeks as a final farewell. They treated us like family and filled our bellies with good food. More pricey than I'd wished, so they get a "four-star-treatment." I was thoroughly satisfied nonetheless, so treat yourself and dine here!

    (4)

  • Tessy M.

    We are a real Italian famiglia and this is the most authentic Italian food in town! Mangia Bene!

    (5)

  • Brian L.

    I've been here a few times when I have a craving for authentic style italian food and it really hits the spot. I don't think you can do better in the North County inland area for Italian. Service is excellent each time I go and I find the Italian owners are always warm and inviting. Food quality is very good. I had linguine vongole (added some shrimp) which is very tasty and finished with the wonderful and unique fruit tiramisu that is delicious. I will repeat.

    (4)

  • My T.

    My very good friend is currently in town from Northern California for work and was placed in Poway. I have never been to any restaurants in Poway and went to Yelp for help. Mamma Teresa's reviews were impressive so I had to see what the hype was about. First, the rosemary infused house bread was moist, packed with flavor and a great starter paired with table olive oil and balsamic vinegar. i went for the gnocchi with meat sauce and my friend ordered the pappardelle montanare. he loved his dish and i inhaled my entree. the gnocchi was of perfect consistency, the sauce my extremely flavorful, and there was just enough cheese to make me smile throughout my meal. the owner stopped by every table to make sure everyone was having a great time and even shook our hands as we left. The service here was impeccable and I'd gladly drive 30 minutes from my house to frequent Mamma Teresa.

    (5)

  • Diana N.

    I only had an Espresso and it was great ,the fact that the owner said have an espresso on me and come back and try our food later was awesome. Very friendly and makes you feel welcomed. Other people also stopped by and complimented the food while I drank my espresso in 89 degree weather. I could smell whatever was cooking and it definitely smelled good. Will be going back tomorrow for food so I will review again.

    (5)

  • jessica a.

    Love this food! Salad bread fresh!!!! Sea food pasta excellent.. Plus friendly service!!

    (5)

  • J T.

    In this world of Americanized faux Italian restaurants, Mamma Teresa is a breath of fresh air and a reminder of what true Italian cuisine stands for. I had the home made sausage with marinara sauce. The sausage was lean, and the sauce is not at all sour. Wifey had eggplant parmesan that was an absolute delight, and daughter had fettuchini Alfredo with chicken. the chicken was very tender, and the Alfredo sauce was full flavored without the typical puddle of grease we normally encounter at lesser restaurants. Absolutely have to get the steamed calamari in light marinara sauce. Even the bread was A+! Service was awesome with owner Alex's magnetic personality. we truly enjoyed our time here, and will not be able to go to any other Italian restaurant within North America after our experience here.

    (5)

  • Barbara H.

    Tiramisu is the freshest and best I have ever had!! Finished off an excellent Eggplant Parmesan perfectly. Can't wait to go back and try the homemade ravioli.

    (5)

  • Ted T.

    Phenomenally rich. The sage-butter porcini ravioli is a revelation. Took my dad for his birthday and everyone had to try everything!

    (5)

  • Cynthia M.

    One of thee best dining experiences I've had! From their food to their staff, my first time here was awesome! Alex, our waiter, was so friendly and made us feel like he's known us for years. The food was so authentic and delicious! And you HAVE TO save room for dessert cause they're fruit tiramisu is AMAZING!!!! It's the best dessert I've ever had! I highly recommend it!!! Just typing this review is making me drool.. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Kristi C.

    Teresa is in the kitchen and she is amazing. I love the lasagna and the caprese salad with prosciutto. It's a warm and friendly staff that feels like family.

    (5)

  • Vicky T.

    I love linguine and clams.........................the sauce was good but, please can you be a little more generous with the clams? Just ate at Jane in Santa Barbara -20.00 and almost 3 dozen fresh clams...........................MT be a little more generous with the clams!

    (3)

  • Sherry P.

    Great food. Arrabiata and lemoncielo cake were wonderful. Unassuming strip mall place. Food is impressive as was the service

    (5)

  • Mike G.

    Found this place because I wanted to try Italian food, although I dont really like it much, but had the craving so we went to Mama Teresa and glad we did. Only place I go when I get the craving for italian. Very nice owners.

    (4)

  • Joe M.

    Food was horrible. Overcooked flavorless pasta dish like you would expect at a Denny's. Crazy bad value. ~17 bucks for runny linguini w chk. Also, I think the chk wasn't fresh. It tasted like the precooked chk strips Costco sells. Service was horrible too. We were ignored the entire time. I went thirsty as I was never offered a refill on my drink even when dinner came. I had to ask another waiter to try to flag down ours. Plates were thrown down in front of you and then didn't see anyone else until I flagged down someone to once again get our waiter for the bill. On top of all that this place added a couple of bucks to the crappy tip I left to fluff it up. I called my CC company to make it right. Watch your CC statement if you do go here, but I hope you read this and don't!

    (1)

  • Terry B.

    Best Italian food EVER! So authentic and delicious! We keep coming back again and again. Everything is delicious!

    (5)

  • KC W.

    Excellent food! We all wiped our plates clean. I asked for the "melt in your mouth" mushroom ravioli, my brother had the "juicy and tender" chicken piccata, and my husband had the tortellini in the most delicious creamy sauce. I'm pregnant and eating out has been very difficult (due to nauseas an normal prego stuff) BUT this place was so delicious I didn't have a problem at all. My husband (an Italian food lover) said that this was the most authentic, delicious Italian food he's ever had. Everything tastes fresh and home made.

    (5)

  • Cecilia S.

    The place was one of the best italian restaurants I've ever been too! Foods are very authentic which are all made from scratch. Servers were very friendly and accomodating. I will definitely recommend this place to all my friends and relatives

    (5)

  • Amy M.

    Very very delicious Italian. The owner is very passionate about the food and happiness of his guests. He goes out of his way and above and beyond to make sure you enjoy the dinner. They make everything fresh and in house. The bread is very soft and absolutely amazing. We always get the bruschetta. It's crisp, fresh and very flavorful. All the staff is very friendly and service is always great.

    (5)

  • Daniel D.

    I've been to Italy twice. And this place is as good as anything you'll find there. Totally legit. Fresh and from scratch. And lots of love. A hidden gem. Must try!

    (5)

  • Carilynn M.

    My mom, brother and I went to Mamma Teresa after I had been told about it from a friend at work. IT WAS AMAZING! I have no other words to describe the food but AMAZING. Its a little on the pricey side but when you stop and think about how everything is homemade and how much effort and love goes in to it, you don't even care and the prices start to seem VERY reasonable. i definitely can't wait to go back!!!

    (5)

  • Jolinda M.

    Anybody who didn't give this place five stars should stick with Olive Garden. If you don't like garlic, don't eat Italian. If you can't do authentic high quality olive oil, stick to Dominics. NOTHING sits around in this restaurant so it's on your taste buds, girl who didn't like the Lemon Picatta...we found it wonderful~! Can't wait to be there again, an appetizer, two glasses of Italian Pino ($6.50!!) two excellent entrees and two very fine deserts, with a well deserved excellent tip still came in under $100. We found it to be the ONLY really awesome food in this entire area...but PLEASE don't come back those who didn't love it because the well kept secret is starting to leak out and it's a small place with authentic charm and very wonderful people preparing the food and service you with joy.

    (5)

  • Lisa C.

    I read a review in the RB paper about Mama Teresa's and decided we needed to give it a whirl. We tried the butternut squash soup, calamari in a delish red sauce and the homemade Italian sausage with angel hair pasta. The soup was flavorful and had no cream which is novel. We loved that the calamari was not fried, and that the Italian sausage was pure sausage and a palate delight. The angel hair was cooked to perfection a nicely complimented the sausage. Mama Teresa and Alec were both friendly and accommodating. We raved about the sausage and they gave us a complimentary meatball that was so good I might come back for traditional spaghetti and meatballs which are something I never eat out. The only thing I didn't care for was the bread which was soft and warm but I prefer it hard. :) I gave Mama Teresa's only 3 stars because of the atmosphere or lack of, it doesn't have to be fancy but I think an Italian restaurant should have some ambiance.

    (3)

  • Mary M.

    I can't believe how amazing this place is! All the reviews are absolutely correct. The bread is delicious, ingredients so fresh. And I couldn't rave more about the customer service, hands down best experience I have ever had at a restaurant. You really do feel like you're having a dinner with their family. Don't let decor fool you- it's just wonderful and authentic Italian food

    (5)

  • Laura U.

    I am a VERY picky eater when it comes to Italian food. I am especially critical of homemade bread. I was *NOT* disappointed in the least! The owner, Alex, was charming & attentive -- very personable, enthusiastic & accommodating. Teresa, the chef, brought our food out to us -- greeted us warmly like family, chatted a bit and laughed with us. Felt like home!! The basket of homemade rosemary bread was the first test. I was so incredibly pleased with the flavor, the warmth and the melt-in-your-mouth bread that we finished the bread even before the meal started. We began our evening with the Calamari -- it was served in a beautifully seasoned tomato sauce. Yum! My husband had spaghetti & meatballs and I had fusilli with garlic, mushrooms & spinach in a light cream sauce. ABSOLUTELY DIVINE. The pasta was perfectly cooked just right. Sipping a wonderful glass of wine and simply enjoyed the entire experience. I was positively charmed with the ambiance, the staff and the warm home-cooked meal --- we will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Donald C.

    as an italin from brooklyn, n.y. i had to try this restuarant. went with a few realatives that had read the reviews on yelp.and were impresed wth it. i said lets try it. i was impressed by the look of the place real old school italian. the food was great. my cousin ordered the veal pamagain. i eggplant parm. a few months later i decided to try there pizza, after reading how mama had spent tree days a week in italy for a year, just learning to make the dough. wow!! so i went down to the resaurant to order a pizza. but was disapointed when i was told i had to oder it a day before. never have i ever heard that before. so i left. i haven't been back since. can any on shed some light on this. i'd hate to give one of my fellow italians a bad review. so for now on the pizza i give it two stars.

    (2)

  • Kia M.

    Went here for my birthday on Saturday and was expecting spectacular food because of all the positive yelp reviews. Unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment. The service was good, minus the guy coming out of nowhere and sprinkling cheese all over my plate without me asking (i prefer without). I just did not like the taste of my entree. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing?

    (2)

  • Sara N.

    Customer service was AWESOME!!! Everyone was sooo nice! My boyfriend and I were craving italian so we decided on Mamma Teresa. The bread was soooo delicious... home made right from the oven but eat it quickly but as soon as it cools down, the bread gets a bit hard... We both got items from the special menu and a salad to share. The salad was HUGE with plenty of different veggies... it was delicious and a very generous portion. For my main dish I got lobster ravioli which was ok.... which the stuffing was filled with more chunky pieces of lobster but it was ok.... and it had pink sauce which I love.... but overall the dish was just ok... My boyfriend got the salmon special which also was just ok.... there was a lemon sauce on it which turned into a jello-ish substance like it's been sitting out for a while.... hmmmmm... We loved the service, we loved the bread, we loved the huge salad and we loved that they offered a free dessert for our next visit... maybe we'll give the dinner dishes another chance.... we'll see...

    (3)

  • Joe M.

    meatballs and sausage melt in your mouth. pasta perfectly aldente. meat sauce delicious. marinara very nice and light but flavorful. tbe best italian food restaurant I've been too in AZ and San Diego area since I Ieft the east cost 14 years ago. I'll be back! !

    (5)

  • Kierstin S.

    This was our first visit here after hearing great reviews from friends. They did not disappoint! The eggplant parm was amazing. My son loved his ravioli. The cannoli and carrot cake were both really good too. We felt like we were in an Italian home.

    (5)

  • Tammy R.

    Great little family restaurant. Located in a strip mall but don't let that deter you. Food can take awhile after ordering because they make everything to order. I would recommend the Antipasto appetizer which was amazing. Mamma herself came and took our dessert order and we tried an fantastic berry dish that she copied from her grandmother. She said that as a child she had this dish every Sunday afternoon after church. If you want authentic Italian food and help support local small business, this is a place to visit!

    (5)

  • Kate G.

    I really love this restaurant. I noticed that I only gave them 4 stars when I first tried them, and after having eaten here a few more times, I am absolutely smitten.. and had to change it to 5 stars! They are so sweet here. I have never had a bad experience. One of the times I ate here, I knocked over a vinegar bottle.. I felt so bad! But they were so nice about it and did everything to make me feel at home, even though I knocked it over and it shattered everywhere.. I am so clumsy, it's somewhat debilitating.. The gnocchi here is by far the best I have ever had in my life. Once you eat it, you will never want to eat anything else again. Seriously. IT IS SO YUMMY. Another thing that makes me fall in love with this place over and over again is their complimentary bread. MY GOD it is GOOD! I honestly have never had this good of bread in my entire life, and as a carb addict, I have had sooo much bread. We came here today for my birthday celebration, and I am so glad that we did. They are so sweet here and the food is just incredible. I think I found my new main squeeze as far as restaurants go.

    (5)

  • katherine m.

    average Italian. still have not found anything better than pasitono's in Cardiff

    (3)

  • Thomas M.

    I love this place! The people are warm and funny and the food is delicious! I come here every week! They know my usual, (penne with meatballs, medium spice, and a Sprite) and they call me by name. Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • David H.

    Nice authentic Italian food and superb service. They make you feel right at home. Nice family owned restaurant. Yes it is a bit pricey, but I've never received such good service. Very attentive to all your needs and the food was all very delicious!

    (4)

  • Megan M.

    Was my first time here and it did not disappoint my husband or I. We will definitely be back. Alex our server was great, the food was amazing, and everything came out in a timely fashion. Definitely come here if you can.

    (5)

  • Randy C.

    Had a very good experience. This is real legit Italian food. There is a new menu that is not yet printed so the waiter gave us the list and we ordered mostly off of this. A nice porcini mushroom ravioli and a beef pasta dumpling dish in a beef broth bowl. Yummy and not your typical American Italian fair. Nice decor. Outside is what is... neighborhood kids hanging out, the crap cheap pizza place. Service was a little off, they were shorthanded and swamped. But not a big deal. The server explained things were taking a bit longer. We enjoyed the wine while we waited. House wines were good. We started off with a bruschetta... it was quite good. Though the free bread and olive oil + balsamic vinegar may have been enough. This is going on my list of places in Poway to eat at. Comparing this to Domenics, I feel Domenic is more almost touristy and Americanized. Good. But I like Mamma Teresa better. And if you are the type that likes Little Ceasers... this is probably not the place for you. This and the Japanese place next door are good places to go in Poway. You can just tell this is a place run by people that care. Deserts are amazing. They have some beers and wines as well as Peligrino.

    (4)

  • E F.

    If you love authentic Italian food you must eat at Mamma Teresa's. The chef and her husband are the owners and everyone in the kitchen is Italian. In fact all of the help is Italian. I had the mushroom ravioli that was out of this world delicious, I ate all but one, which is a record for me. My husband had the Osobucco and couldn't finish it so it came home with us. For dessert we had their Tiramisu even though all of the other desserts looked just as tempting. It too was divine! I reviewed a restaurant in Little Italy that we loved and I must tell you Mamma Teresa's is just as wonderful. Be sure to give them a try, you won't be disappointed. There's tons of parking too. It's a real jewel!

    (5)

  • Chris S.

    The wife and I were looking for a place to eat and she heard about Mamma Teresa's. We stopped by at 830 but saw they were only open until 9 and we didn't want to be "those people". We walked away and headed next door to Little Caesars but they caught us and said it was no problem that it's close to their closing. The 100% authentic food was great and fresh (not store bought which I've experienced at other small establishments). As the wife and I just moved to Poway, we were looking to establish our "regulars" and Mamma Teresa's made the cut! 100% recommend

    (5)

  • Gena B.

    DELISH!!! And the owner is SO nice and super attentive!! HIGHLY recommend!! And, prices are good. Food is great. We've been there twice, a total of 5 of us and really enjoyed it. Easy lunch time meal - in and out so you aren't late back to work. Will DEFINITELY be going back!!!

    (5)

  • Jess L.

    I absolutely love this place! One of the best Italian restaurant that San Diego has to offer an a must try. I've been here for both lunch and dinner with a group of 5 or more and each time the food has been delicious and the service was great as well. Their desserts were soooo good! I would definitely recommend try this place!

    (5)

  • Tori L.

    Food was amazing. Loved the service and especially the Lasagna plate. Will definitely come in again to try more of their delicious food.

    (5)

  • Angelina I.

    Love the place if you want the true European experience come on in cant wait to come back !!!

    (5)

  • S M.

    This was our first time here at Mamma Theresa The food is awesome!!! The wine selection is fabulous and affordable. I had the Lasagna, the noodles melt in your mouth and tasted so GOOD. The mixed berry dessert was delicious! The ambiance is okay, the the restaurant is in a strip mall. The service is VERY good and friendly. We are definitely going back to try other menu items:)

    (4)

  • Katherine M.

    Went here with my family today for my birthday today and let me tell you this is Italian food. Everything we had was fresh and very flavorful. I had the special, Salmon Penne with vodka pink sauce. I usually don't eat that much but I ate every bite. Alex, the owner, was very energetic and friendly. He stopped by our table often and was very attentive. I would Definitely would be back!

    (5)

  • Lindsey F.

    Best Italian we've EVER had. Espresso was real deal. They import natural ingredients so that everything is incredibly fresh and delicious. Homemade bread and friendly chefs. Loved our experience here!

    (5)

  • Kenny P.

    Great food, excellent service. The whole crew from owners to bus boys were very friendly and smiling. Their famous berry desert dishes are a must! It's a little bit pricey for where it is (in a strip mall). The decor was great inside, but I felt like I was paying lake front prices in a non lakefront location.

    (4)

  • S P.

    Dined here almost monthly this fall; the food and service never fails to please us. Alex, the owner, is always warm and welcoming despite how busy the restaurant is now. One thing I really like, is the option to have rice instead of pasta due to a Gluten sensitivity. I cannot eat at many Italian restaurants due to this sensitivity so the rice is a really nice option. As I have other food allergies, the restaurant has always cooked my special order perfectly. The food is fresh tasting and very worth the price. Update 10/2/14: Pomerado News did a nice article about Mamma Teresa's at pomeradonews.com/2014/10… Love hearing that Teresa adds no sugar or salt to her red sauce! The food here is the real deal!!

    (5)

  • Kathy G.

    OMG......finally found a true Italian restaurant! The food is amazing.....fresh everything! The owner's, Alex & Theresa, treated us like family from Italy. We will definitely become regulars.

    (5)

  • fabiola p.

    Pros: The ambiance definitely reminded me of Italy. In Italy, most of the places I went to were small, dark and intimate with music softly playing in the background. That's pretty much what you get at Mamma Teresa. The customer service was excellent. We had a very witty waiter that checked in often. All the other staff were very friendly and welcoming. As for the food,I approve! I selected the cheese ravioli dish and then the tiramisu for dessert. I was not disappointed and needless to say, I would definitely go back!

    (4)

  • J K.

    After reading all those goof reviews, we went there to check out the place! When I arrived at this strip mall, I noticed that the ambiance is very low key - more like a hole in the wall. Very basic inside - but more importantly, how will the food taste! We order 2 pasta dishes. What I noticed right away was the high prices. For a place like Poway, I wouldn't have expected coastal prices! The service was actually good. I was a bit worried about the speed. Our food was delivered in less than 5 minutes after ordering. My seafood pasta was not bad, however, the portion was so small that I had to eat half of my wife's pasta. She had Alfredo and didn't eat hers because it tasted like out of can. In addition, for such prices I would have expected homemade pasta! Anyway, or bill was $60 for pasta and salad for 2 people (no alcohol)! If you really want to have some good Italian food with a great atmosphere and home made pasta go to Rosina's which is couple of miles West from there and you will get some Italian food that you will remember. I really wonder if any of those "Italian" chef's actually have been to Italy to taste some real Italian food....

    (2)

  • Lorayne E.

    It felt like we just arrived in Italy, with the exception of the music. Our host Alex, bursting with personality, was very welcoming and made us feel right at home. The food was amazingly fresh! I ordered the Porcini Ravioli and my husband ordered a pizza. It was served with, straight out of the oven, rosemary bread. Hands down the best Italian in Poway! Why hadn't I come here before! We came here because of the recommendations we saw here on Yelp and weren't disappointed.

    (5)

  • A L.

    I am so excited to bring attention to this small Italian restaurant in the heart of Poway. If you were driving by, you'd miss it completely. What a shame that is! It's one of those places where you have to hear about before you walk in and dine there. Thankfully, someone told me to come here and oh my gosh, if I could give them a big hug, I would. My first impression, it being in a strip mall and the decor being on the simple side, was that the food would just be adequate and never meet any of my expectations as a true Italian venue. Happily, I can admit I was so wrong. The owner and chef, Mamma Teresa herself, was in the kitchen preparing our food while the rest of the staff is family and very proud to be serving such quality food. I learned there are 2 restaurants and if you are lucky enough to visit the second restaurant make sure to bring your passport. It is run by her brother in her hometown in Italy. I can only comment on the menu provided at the time I went there. It was changing the next day, but I assume it's all of the same quality. The table received a basket of homemade garlic bread that went very quickly. The calamari was tender and lightly breaded with a delicious sauce that you could tell was homemade unlike so many other places. I ordered a daily special, which was the Eggplant Chicken Parmesan with homemade pasta. They need to put that on the regular menu! I brought the leftovers home and my Italian friend thought it was one of the best he'd had in America. Yes, it's THAT good! All of the desserts are homemade and exquisite. Save some room! A few things to keep in mind: The decor is simple and pricing does not match decor. The food quality does. Introduce yourself to the staff. They are so friendly and love what they are doing. You don't see yourself going to Poway for dinner any time soon? MAKE THE TIME!

    (5)

  • Anthony E.

    Ditch Olive Garden and just come here instead! Staff was very friendly and accommodating. My kids loved their pasta but the Wife wished she had chosen a different plate. As for me, my dish was satisfying to say the least. What impressed me the most was the atmosphere and the sense of an Italian restaurant should be like.

    (4)

  • Linda K.

    A good friend recommended this restaurant, and based on that I suggested it for a birthday celebration dinner for a group of 5 girlfriends. It was wonderful- delicious food (shared the calamari appetizer- not fried, but sauteed with tomatoes, and then had the delicious rich lobster ravioli), and the service was personal and attentive. We all loved it- the salmon picatta was delicious, the soup of the day... and Teresa came out at the end of our meal to sing happy birthday (with her husband Alex, our server). I was back within a week for a large group gathering- and had another wonderful experience. We are so lucky to have this restaurant in Poway!

    (5)

  • Tony T.

    Sorry, not that impressed. 1st we sat in the back table, which is fine except the door to the kitchen was just down the hall and the smell of dishwasher detergent was vey strong. The menu was a mess. Maybe I'm picky, but use proper gramer please and don't staple additional pages to the inside of the menu. Looks cheap. Food was ok. A little bland for me. Owner/waiter does not listen well. More than once he'd ask me something and would be walking away as I answered. Almost like he was surprised I was responding. Also pretty pricey. $85 for dinner for a family of 2 with 3 small kids and no alcohol is steep. Don't think we go back.

    (2)

  • Sid C.

    This incredible food deserves a much more luxurious and spacious environment! Aside from that, I am in love with this joint, its owner and its staff. They are always happy, efficient, and charming! We dine here *a lot* and never have any complaints. Its such a nice change of pace to patronize a business that truly cares about and dotes on their customers, thank you Mamma Teresa & Co!

    (5)

  • Kat G.

    This place rocks! The owners make you feel right at home and our food was D'LISH !! I had the eggplant and a side of homemade sausage both were mouthwatering GOOD! My daughter had the porcini mushroom ravioli in sage butter and they were Yummy! We will definitely be visiting this place the next time were in Poway!! Do try I think you'll love it !

    (5)

  • Denise B.

    Small hole in the wall place that has wonderful authentic Italian food with friendly staff who worked hard to make is feel like part of the family (We were greeted by Teresa herself at the end of the meal!). This is not very close to us, but so worth the drive. We will be back! It is hard to find a place that all 3 kids agree with us is yummy!

    (5)

  • Nicole D.

    Yelp hasn't steered me wrong yet, so we took a chance on New Years Day to try some local Italian food and wow, I am impressed! We pulled up and from outward appearances it was hard to tell if it was an order at the counter place or a restaurant, but you go in and the place is a lot bigger than you'd expect. They had a special New Years menu for the evening which, though limited, everything looked delicious. I got the mushroom ravioli porcini and my fiancé got the meat and cheese ravioli. We were set up with a variety of breads including really delicious garlic knots to dip in olive oil and balsamic. Our meals came very quickly, but upon first bite you can tell a lot of love went into these handmade ravioli. Mine had a sage butter sauce that my fiancé wanted to drink (haha) and that was so delicious it was unreal. His meat and cheese ravioli was real comfort food and had good amounts of well made ingredients inside. We shared ours evenly so we could sample two dishes from this place and I'm glad we did, I couldn't decide which I liked better! My only criticism of the meal was that each entree was around the $16 range and came with no sides other than the bread (no salad) and was a relatively small portion. We were still hungry after eating our meal and we weren't exactly starving when we came. So, very pricey for portions BUT I would still come back because the quality is something you will not get anywhere else in the area. If you want mediocre filler, go to Olive Garden, but here you will pay more to get full but it's really insanely good. The owner/our server talked with us a bit and kindly gave us a complimentary dessert, a delicious custard chocolate cream puff sort of thing drizzled with chocolate. It was one of those desserts you look at and think it would be too sweet but you bite it and its a perfect balance and a perfect way to finish the meal. Thank you! The chef/co-owner came out to bid us goodbye as we left. The staff here is super sweet and really made the experience. We will most definitely be returning to sample the regular menu. I can't wait!

    (4)

  • Scotty B.

    I'm in Poway all the time...why didn't I know about this place sooner??? Very fresh food and great service. Bucca is out. Mamma is in!

    (5)

  • Brad C.

    Excellent food and high quality service.

    (4)

  • Dolores M.

    My husband and I have eaten at Mama Teresa's several times and have always enjoyed our meals. The food is fresh, simply prepared and flavorful -- like food we enjoy when we visit Tuscany. Mama Teresa's not a fancy restaurant -- it's small, located in a strip mall, no atmosphere to speak of -- except it does feel like so many small places you find in Italy. Alex the owner feels like a friend. Mama Teresa's is such a nice change from all the chain restaurants located in Poway. I wish Alex and Teresa much success and a long stay in Poway.

    (4)

  • Ellen M.

    I went to dinner with my Mother, just happened upon the restaurant. The service was absolutely wonderful! So friendly, so welcoming, made you feel like you were walking into their home. We ordered the caprese appetizer to start. It was pretty good as was the warm bread given before the meal. I was beginning to think we may have stumbled upon a hidden gem. We ordered the evenings specials. My Mom had the rolled veal stuffed with prosciutto and mushrooms and I ordered the mushroom ravioli. I wish I could say the meal was the best I had or even something I would not mind ordering again. Unfortunately, my ravioli was bland. I had to add salt, which I NEVER do at a restaurant. My mom's veal was OK, nothing to write home about. The wine list was OK, medium to low end selections. Our cappuccino at the end of the meal was wonderful. The waiter did a great job serving the beverage and made the presentation look beautiful with the foaming milk art! I would go back to this restaurant just for the wonderful service, however for the price of our meal ($100 with tip), I need to see more quality. Everything at this restaurant is on the cheap. Silverware was bargain basement, no table clothes, no candles, boom box stereo on the shelf, décor purchased at Marshall's, low end wines and low end food quality. If I'm going to pay this amount for Italian in the Poway or RB area, I'll go to Dominic's or Cafe Luna.

    (2)

  • Jeff R.

    My fiancee and I were in the mood for Italian cuisine, but are in a quest to discover those "mom & pop" gem of a restaurants a shot in our new residence of San Diego. Found Mamma Teresas on Yelp, of course, and the reviews convinced us to give a drive to Poway to try it out on New Year's day. To our surprise, they were open! At 5PM, we were the first diners of the evening. We were very warmly greeted to a very quaint and un-assuming decor. Nothing really fancy, having that "lunch diner" feel. The menu was very, very limited. However, I think it was a holiday special menu. I was really Jonesing for spaghetti, but it wasn't on the menu! The next best pasta was ravioli. My fiancee got the mushroom porcini ravioli, and I got the beef & cheese ravioli. Entrees were $14 and $16 respectively, so.. kind of pricy. The portions were about 8-10 1.5-2 inch ravioli in sauce. Not a large portion for the price. That was a bit of a disappointment. The beef & cheese ravioli was tasty. Very fine grained beef filling with a tender, good-toothed pasta. However, the porcini mushroom porcini's sauce was amazing, served with sage butter. I mean, it was AMAZING! I only wish the portions were a bit larger, or the entrees came with a small salad or some sort of side dish. The waiter/owner was very attentive and exceptionally friendly without being invasive on our dining privacy. To our surprise, he brought a dessert for us to share on the house! It was our first visit, so I think this was a perk! The puff pastry/marscapone with chocolate sauce. Very very good!!! On our departure, the woman in the kitchen and owner bid us farewell. A+ on friendliness! Felt very welcomed. We will certainly return to sample the regular menu. Have read some good things about the pizzas and that has me intrigued. Good experience on the first try, enough to sample again!

    (4)

  • MJ F.

    Lunch Today was just as awesome! Homemade sausage, pasta, sauce, fresh Parmesan and Salad with fresh Hot Italian bread for a mere $8.95. Where can you take you best friend or Lover for under $20 before tip?

    (5)

  • Amber R.

    I have been to Mamma Teresa twice now and both times have been terrific. You really get a sense of how much the owners, chef, and waiters really care about what they are putting out. Its not a fancy place but the food is treated with much thoughtfulness. The first time I went, the waiter explained that the veggies were grown by the chef herself. That's not something you expect from a little place tucked next to a Little Caeser's. The servers are all so nice, so Italian! We ended up lingering much longer than we normally do, just enjoying everything. As a side note, everyone here was super friendly to my 7 year old daughter, she was "Princess" to one and all. Teresa even came out to share a bit of cake and wonderful cream with my little girl! One of the standouts about this place, the desserts. Very, very good homemade desserts. Try every one you can get your hands on. You wont regret it.

    (4)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Lunch, Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Quiet
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

Mamma Teresa

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