As promised in my post from this past Saturday, I went and revisited Mama's the next day! I'm glad they open at 10am because parking has always been a bit of a challenge. I easily found parking right across the street.
This was going to be interesting since my last visit was over 8 years ago. I wasn't quite satisfied with that garlic chicken wrap….which has been my go-to since we started eating at Mama's way back in in the early 2000's. So, of course that's what I was going to order.
That moving banner was in full view as I walked into the small ordering area.
The Garlic Chicken Wrap is now $10.49, it was $7.25 8 years ago, and $4.99 when I did my first post on Mama's way back in 2005!
While I waited for my wrap; I'd ordered it to-go, the gentleman who took my ordered walked out from behind the counter and we had a nice chat. You know, I've never really had time to talk to the folks here; it's always seemed "all business", but maybe times have changed. Anyway, he told me that they were prepared to move for a while, but Covid and paperwork have delayed things. They are currently set to move….fingers crossed, by the end of January, early February to that newish building on the corner of ECB and Mississippi Street, next to the Lafayette Hotel.
Soon enough, my order was ready, it felt a lot more hefty than what I'd had on my last visit and I headed home.
This was indeed larger than what I'd had on my last visit. I went and cut it in half and there was a good amount of chicken this time and I could actually capture whisps of "parfum d'ail" (the fragrance of garlic). The wrap was still warm, there was indeed a good amount of garlic sauce, along with the very important pickles which help to counteract the dry chicken and balance out the pungency of the garlic sauce. The lettuce was used in a more restrained manner this time.
This was quite a filling lunch and much better than what I'd had the last time! Which made me quite happy since Mama's has been one of those places we had been going to since we moved to San Diego. In terms of price, this seemed quite reasonable at $10.49 in the year 2024!
Mama's Bakery & Deli
4237 Alabama St.
San Diego, CA 92104
Current Hours:
Mon – Fri 10am – 8pm
Sat – Sun 10am – 4pm
Moving to 2141 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92104 (supposedly soon).
I took a lap down ECB and took a photo of the building Mama's is moving into in case you're interested.
I had no idea that Mama’s is still open. I used to go there all the time and get the manaeesh ultimate and my kids loved the cheese manaeesh. Now I’m dying to have some lebanese food and I will have to down there soon. Hot off the saj!
Yes Mama’s is still going strong Dereck! And soon they’ll be in new digs! Hope you get your fix soon!
Uh oh. Fancy new building = higher prices?
I hope not Kenneth! But you may be right! Sigh….
Mama’s was one of the first recommendation I got from the San Diego Chowhound board when I first moved here in 2002, and it was in heavy rotation for years. But I fell out of habit and hadn’t been there in a long time.
Mama’s has been back in rotation for me this year, and I’m always satisfied with my falafel wrap. As you said, it’s a good value in 2024!
Oh man….those Chowhound days Divamac! Hope Mama’s does well in their new location…I’m thinking they will.
Looks like (years of) practice has actually improved that wrap you got, Kirk! I’m on a mission to find the best falafel in town, so should give Mama’s a try! And jeez — I forgot all about Chowhound and when it blew up. That was a LONG time ago!
Mama’s is still great. Has some of the best baba ganoush in town. The children’s plate is so much food it feeds me (big grown adult) for at least two meals but that Garlic Chicken Wrap is my goto. Hope they retain some of the charm of eating in the garden patio.
nice!
I’ve kinda given up on falafel in SD Peter…ever since Mister Falafel closed. So, let me know what you find!
I hope they do retain some of their charm EW! It’s kind of like their legacy!
It was Kat!