$$ - Italian - 11th Arrondissement (Bastille)
133 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine, 75011 Paris, France
BEFORE YOU GO
This restaurant does not offer reservations (they do for some of their others) and the lines can get very long. Try to come at or before opening time to at least put your name down - they recommend 20 minutes before. You’re right near Bastille and a bunch of bakeries (like Farine&O) which are open till 8:30pm or later to grab a quick snack to tide you over. For longer waits, you can walk a little further and sit by the Seine or visit the Jardin des Plantes.
BACKGROUND
A bit of context - I lived in Paris for 5.5 years (France for 11) from 2010-2015 and I consider myself a huge foodie. Therefore, it came as a big surprise in my return visits over the years to keep hearing about the Big Mamma Group and their different restaurants across Paris. I couldn’t believe that I’d never heard of these incredibly popular restaurants that had taken Paris by storm. As I did some digging, turns out that after a (now-closed) first try at an all-Italian food/staff restaurant in the South of France, the two French men had started their first Parisian restaurant East Mamma near Bastille in April 2015. I left my beloved Paris in June 2015 and now that I was back and staying in my favorite city alone for the first time, I was determined to live up to my foodie reputation and try a Mamma restaurant. Since April 2015, they had opened 5 more restaurants + a bar + a food market in Paris, a restaurant in Lille, and even two in London.
THE VISIT
I got to East Mamma on a Monday at 7:30pm - 45 minutes after they opened. I saw first-hand how necessary this was as even though it was a Monday night and a lot of French restaurants will open around 7:30pm, if even, the group of 3 in front of me were told that they could be seated at 9:15pm (in 1h45m!!) Luckily, as I have discovered happens frequently when you’re travelling alone, I was able to be immediately seated by the bar. I was tucked between two groups and couldn’t really see the restaurant but the bar looked very cozy and the staff were friendly.
The drinks menu had a lot of great options and I had a hard time choosing what I wanted. I decided on the Rosemary Me - Tanquerary London Dry Gin with rosemary, raspberry syrup, cranberry, and lime. It was fruity and delicious.
The Mammas are known for their authentic fresh Italian ingredients, cozy atmosphere, and love for good food. I love burrata and make it a point to get it whenever I see it on a menu. I got the Queen B Burrata as a starter with fresh burrata imported from Puglia (the “heel” of the boot of Southern Italy). It came with San Marzano tomatoes confit, Espelette peppers (from south-west France, not spicy), and basil pesto. They give you a hefty portion which is definitely large enough to be shared comfortably - I was very hungry and perfectly happy to eat it on my own.
The most famous and popular dish, aptly known as “La Fameuse Pâte à la Truffe”, is the truffle pasta. It is mafalde pasta (curly) with Aestivum summer truffle shavings, black truffle cream and mushrooms. As part of the fresh ingredients culture here, it comes out in a pan with a generous helping of truffle on top. It definitely lives up to the hype - a strong umami flavor and very filling. Truffle lovers will love this pasta but it’s not overwhelming but simple and delicious.
WINNERS
Burrata!!!!: As mentioned, burrata is a favorite of mine and I have had a lot in my time, not to mention I’m a bit of a cheese snob (I did grow up in France, after all). However, I can safely say that this was the best I’ve ever had. It was so fresh, light and cheesy and the accompaniments elevated it even more. Absolutely made my night! I would come back to Paris just for this burrata.
Truffle Pasta: Light yet filling, a must!
COULD BE BETTER
Busyness: This is a factor of their success but it can be very hard to get a table. Even on a Monday night, there was a very long wait and I was happy to have a bar seat. Big Mamma is doing the best they can do by opening more places - their food is just so good that many people want to go! They do not have reservations and their website offers an explanation as to why (scroll to Reservation - Learn more).
Space: As you can see from the pictures, there isn't a huge amount of space. Some of their other restaurants are less cramped, like Pink Mamma in the ninth arrondissement which has 3 floors. There is some more open seating in the back but expect a "cozy" seating.
FINAL VERDICT
I was pretty skeptical going in as there was so much hype for the Big Mamma restaurants that I wasn’t sure how much of it was accurate. However, it really was incredible. The creators are dedicated to providing an authentic Italian dining experience with imported ingredients and an all-Italian staff and this really shines through. If not for the very long waits, I would have tried all the restaurants while in Paris (I did go to their pizza-focused Pizzeria Popolare on this trip). I look forward to doing this on another trip and would definitely come back - I’m still dreaming about the burrata!!
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