Excellent food. My wife loved her gluten free pizza and my pizza was loaded with toppings. No skimping here. The service was stellar and the owner came out and spent time talking with us. The complimentary appetizers (which were also delicious) were a classy touch. Great place for a family meal! read more

Who knew an Italian restaurant with the largest vegan menu I have seen anywhere! Walking in we were asked if we wanted a vegan and or traditional menu; my non-vegan friend also wanted to look at the vegan menu. And of course a robust traditional menu as well .It took a while for me to decide, but I went with the vegan pizza for lunch. My colleague had one of the lunch specials lobster ravioli and the drink special blueberry sangria. I went with unsweetened iced tea. Without the drink, the tab was 45. The service was excellent and nice ambience. If you're in Hackettstown area and hungry, go for it! read more

I'm so impressed with this place in a small town. Did not expect to find vegan friendly options but they have a full menu. They have pescatarian & vegetarian menu as well! Unlimited bread which is delicious! Their sauces are really good too! Just a little disappointed with the size of the dessert. read more

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Just updating my review to say that Mama's Cafe Baci is still as amazing as my last visit. The food is so delicious, I would eat here every day if I could. Tom and all of the staff are absolutely wonderful and make you feel so at home when you're there. Everyone is so passionate about this business and you can't help but feel happy once you've entered. We got to enjoy live music with our most recent visit and it only added to the great ambiance. Thank you for always making my dining experience so great! read more

Used their catering service and it was amazing. Everyone raved about the food. Lots of great choices on the menu. The folks in the catering department were very helpful. read more

Summary: Mama's definitely lives up to its hype! Great food, prices are worth it. Dairy and gluten free menus available! Parking lot is small but there is a parking attendant who directs to additional parking when restaurant is very busy. This was my first time at Mama's but I've had their fabulous food at prior events. I recently had to go dairy free and was so happy that Mama's offers a FULL dairy free menu! You definitely don't see that often, especially not at an Italian restaurant! I ordered their shrimp, prosciutto, and spinach Stromboli. They use Daiya dairy free mozzarella cheese. Of course, dairy free cheese is not the same but this Stromboli was damn close to the real thing! It was delicious! I can't wait to come back and try other items on their dairy free menu. When I visited, there was a bridal shower happening in a private room. Great to know they have the space for events. During covid times, staff were seen wearing masks and hand sanitizer was provided. There was a mix up of orders with a customer before me (was really busy that day) and the staff were very apologetic and speedy in correcting the mistake. Highly recommend Mama's! I'm sure their regular menu is as delicious as their dairy free one! read more

Mama's Cafe Baci - Shrimp, prosciutto, and spinach Stromboli - Italian Near Me - Hackettstown, New Jersey

When we lived in Hackettstown in the early 2000s this was our favorite place to go to, as the numerous menu options and the taste of all their food made it the best Italian around!!! 20+ years later the same still holds true!!! We went there last evening while visiting our family! 16 of us were there. They were very busy and our 2nd table had about a 10 minute wait after we were seated. Once they were though, service was wonderful! Hands down their Rosa sauce is by far our favorite, making any order with Rosa sauce outstanding! Plus you can purchase containers of it to take home! I liked, not loved their chicken franchese. It was a bit more gravy texture vs white wine/ lemon broth type sauce. Again good, just not way I make it. Other chicken dishes wonderful. Over still remains one of our all time favorite restaurants! read more

Awesome homey Italian food. Recommend the meatballs and seafood Misto. Service is great and the owner Tom is a great guy!

Great food, great homemade sauces and you can purchase to take home. Friendly owner and staff.

Have ordered catering and general take out. For catering, I planned 99% of everything with Sheri over email which I greatly appreciated. She was quick, responsive and super easy to work with! They provide sternos, chafing dishes, utensils etc. Highly recommend their chicken parm and Vesuvio pasta. read more

We had a family dinner at Mama's on a Sunday night. We had heard various people talking about how much they have enjoyed dinners there. I would agree that it's a good spot. Northern NJ has plenty of really good Italian restaurants - I would say this is one of the good old-school Italian choices. Service was good and our waitress was training. She also had a strong Italian accent that added to the feel of the place. The overall ambiance was ok, nothing fancy. Chicken Parm and pasta dishes were all great. read more

Greats food! Have vegetarian and vegan options which are to die for! Service and waiters are awesome and food comes in time! The ambiance and atmosphere is amazing as well. They also play live music to keep you going! Overall great place! read more

I've tried this place a few times and every time it falls short. First time I had a seafood pasta. every bite was gritty and crunchy from unclean sea food (never fun). I got a chicken Francesse the second time, the chicken was so dry and hard underneath the breading, didn't end up eating much and didn't bring it home. Third and final time I got something simple. Just some pasta and meat sauce. Super sweet sauce, again couldn't really get it down and left it at the table. Wanted to like this place and it seems to be super popular, but not for me. There also seems to be a disconnect in the kitchen on execution and cooking technique. Staff and service is great tho! Maybe I'll try again in a few months to see if it improves. read more

I googled the best gluten free restaurants and this popped up. It was the first date night since having a baby, so we had very high expectations. When we arrived, it looked like a typical pizza place. Everyone was kind and welcoming when we walked in. We asked to sit outside on the patio, as it was a beautiful evening. Drinks were ordered and we asked for some fried calamari. It came out hot and had a great flavor. Honestly, I couldn't tell that ours was gluten free. While waiting for our meals, they brought out a sample of the risotto, which honestly, I would have loved for an entire meal. It. was. delicious. We both ordered gluten free duets- an option to try two meals. I got the lobster ravioli with a chicken toscana meal and my husband got the same with a seafood pescatore platter. We were both very disappointed, unfortunately. The lobster ravioli fell apart in clumps with a weird texture for its shell. And the chicken was overly salted. The seafood dish wasn't anything special. I really wanted to like the food more with the great service and fun atmosphere. I may come back to give it another shot, but definitely not my favorite. read more

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I'm not the biggest fan of Italian food but I am definitely a fan of Mama's Cafe Baci. Their extensive vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menus, along with traditional Italian fare, made them stand out when I was looking for a dinner spot in the area. From the vegetarian menu, I had many more options than I'm used to at most Italian restaurants. Everything sounded delicious, but I settled two appetizers so that I could try more than one dish. The "appetizer" portions are huge and could easily be an entree (good thing I came hungry). The eggplant pisa was a perfectly crisped eggplant, covered in peppers, mushrooms, and spinach, topped with a creamy but tangy sauce. It was filling but light. The pear purses were pasta shells filled with cheese and pear, in a sweet sauce and cranberries. It was a nice combination of sweet and savory, but almost felt like a dessert dish so I am glad I ate it second. Mama's Cafe Baci is the place to go if you have any type of dietary restrictions. I know I'll be back to try more off the vegetarian menu. read more

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What a fantastic experience! My family and I took a Saturday drive to a pick your own farm. We drove from Fort Lee and I have to say we will be returning. We had a warm welcome the moment we walked in until the second we left. The best part... The food was amazing! read more

From Valentine's Day dinner to everyday meals, the staff treats you like family and the food taste like heaven. Genuinely the best Italian place around! The Ambiance of the whole place is so warm and welcoming. The staff treats you with so much kindness and they really care about you and making sure you enjoy your meal! read more

Mama's Cafe Baci - Penne Vodka and Chicken Franchise on Valentine's Day - Italian Near Me - Hackettstown, New Jersey

Customer service here is 10000 stars. Food is great and even when the kitchen is backed up and food gets messed up or skipped the service never slips. I wish I could shout the woman out by name cute brunette lady with glasses you are THE MVP and a true HUSTLER. read more

Review as to pick up only! My daughter recommended this restaurant due to the gluten-vegetarian options for her family, so we placed an order for pick-up after viewing the online menu on their website, which also lists keto options for me. We arrived on a rainy foggy Friday to a packed parking lot and bustling restaurant, glad that we telephoned the order in. It was just about ready, and was all packaged up to go. We ordered regular and gluten free pizzas, eggplant parm sandwich, a chicken dish for each of the adults, and a side of meatballs that came with a bread baguette. The eggplant was delicious, just enough but not a large sandwich, and the meatballs were moist and delicious. However, the prices are out of control and more expensive than what I have seen for the gluten free items. read more

We have been to this restaurant a number of times. One of my favorite parts of this restaurant is the delicious bread that is served before the meal. Each time I have been very happy with the portion size and taste of the meal. Furthermore the servers are always accommodating and friendly. This is a great restaurant that I would highly recommend. Pros: good service, large portions, great taste Cons: price, loud music can make it hard to talk read more

Another great dinner with exceptional customer service. The family feel still remains. Extra touches from start to finish.

Takeout flop. I was looking forward to some good Italian food based on all the reviews and pictures. The cost and poor taste of the chicken were disappointing. With all the orders, rooms, and catering options, I think this place is not capable of making made-to-order food. I will assume my experience might have been different if we had a meal at the restaurant. All the staff was friendly, and the restaurant was busy on a Saturday afternoon at around 5. My order was close to $90, which is a little more than purchasing the same food from a local pizzeria. I would expect that difference to be reflected in the flavor and overall satisfaction. Here is the breakdown of my order: Appetizer - Pear & Gorgonzola Purses - This was AMAZING. Fried Zucchini - These were prepared well and tasted great. Garlic knots - a bit hard and dry $26 - White Champagne Chicken rigatoni - The rigatoni and sauce were excellent. The one and 1/4 piece of chicken in my dish was hard and lacked any flavor. We ate two bites and threw out the rest. $24 - Chicken Marsala - Pasta and sauce were excellent. The chicken was again rubbery and lacked flavor. It tasted re-heated, but my kids could chew it, unlike the other chicken. read more

Mama's Cafe Baci - Italian Near Me - Hackettstown, New Jersey

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Wow!! My family and I had a fantastic experience at Mama's Cafe Baci this past weekend. The food was superb! We have a family member with celiac so I am always in search of a restaurant with great gluten free options. This place is like a GF wonderland! We were so unbelievably impressed! There are endless choices and they also have menus that cater to vegetarian and vegan diets as well. I cannot believe this local gem has been here all along and I only just found it. In addition to the fabulous food, the ambiance is yet another reason to love this place. They have live entertainment that just adds to the overall dining experience. The owner and staff made us all feel welcome. Mama's Cafe is a warm, inviting restaurant and just an absolute joy! We will DEFINITELY be back soon! read more

First time visit last night and glad we stopped in. Plenty of parking, secure off the street lot. We were quickly seated and got started with complementary bread rolls and a sample of pasta. The staff was excellent - everyone was friendly and helpful. We selected the "duet" which was a nice way to try two different dishes. The food was very good and plenty left-over to take home. No room for dessert but we did take home a cinnamon bun (great with coffee this morning). Many interesting selections, vegan and gluten free. Yes - we plan to return! read more

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My clients picked this spot to get lunch and I got excited when I seen the many vegan options. I called in my order with a very nice man. I ordered pizza for my clients and vegan spaghetti and meatballs for myself. When I arrived I parked in their private parking lot. I walked to the counter and told the nice man my name and everything was ready. I paid and left. When I was able to eat I dug in and the first thing I was disappointed about was there was only 4 small vegan meatballs. I tasted the meal and it was just ok. I had to add salt and some hot pepper to taste a little more to my liking. The service was good but I guess I need to pick something else next time. read more

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Friendly service, cozy ambiance, and good food with generous portions. Also, a whole vegan menu which was great for my vegan friend and for me, since I am dairy-free. read more

Italian is not usually my go-to cuisine so was low-key not excited to dine here when it was decided with some friends.. boy was I pleasantly surprised! The service was unmatched and the food (and portion size) was incredible! Both of the girls I was with had strict dietary restrictions and the managers/servers were so patient with them. They even brought us all samples of pasta to try before our main meals. Can not say enough good things about this place. Would definitely return! read more

Mama's Cafe Baci - duet platti - 1/2 eggplant Amato penne & 1/2 salmon feta salad - Italian Near Me - Hackettstown, New Jersey

Enjoyed a nice casual lunch here. This place is great at providing for any type of dietary needs - gluten free, keto, vegan, etc. We stuck with the regular lunch menu. We started with the $5 drink specials - I had wine & my mom had a mimosa - nice pours & my mom loved her drink! We were provided some tasty bread with an excellent dipping oil. For lunch we both got a personal pizza & it was fantastic! The toppings we chose were plentiful & the pizza had a great crust & I loved the cheese! Service was excellent! Definitely coming back! read more

We had my sister's rehearsal dinner here and everything was absolutely delicious!! My sister is gluten free due to an allergies and this place is the best gluten-free restaurant we've been to. She didn't have to choose between a salad or cardboard bread. My biggest sadness is I live a hour away because I will be thinking about the Champagne Palma penne for a long time! Sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, artichokes and creamy white champagne sauce never tasted so good! Highly recommend going here if you're in the mood for amazing pasta! The wait staff were actually nice and working hard to make sure we had a good experience. read more

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I've been to Mama's several times before and really enjoyed it, but I hadn't been in a while and this last visit was terrible. The first indication something changed was the nasty bathroom odor as soon as you walk in... That should have my warning! But we decided to stay based on previous visits. I ordered a salad with chicken(?)...the mixed greens in the salad were extremely tough but the chicken was the worst. It came out all stringy... looked like 3D printed chicken... I was looking at it like what the heck is this and the waitress immediately came over. She said it looks that way because it was tenderized. I've never seen tenderized chicken turn into long strings ... she offered "untenderized" chicken but at that point I wasn't eating any questionable chicken there. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating, but you just can't make up for bad food! My husband had a lunch special which tasted fine but sent him to the bathroom within 20 minutes which is always concerning. Food was expensive and poor quality. We'll be skipping this one from now on. Such a shame... used to be good! read more

Lots of menus to choose from (vegan, gluten free, etc.). Everything they prepare is delicious! My favorite entree is the pear gargonzola purses. Very rich, so skip a meal to make room for these little pasta pockets of hidden delights. I added shrimp to my dish. The little loaf of bread they brought to the table was wrapped in foil to keep it warm. It had a soft crust and yummy yeast flavor. Go hungry, or plan to bring food home! read more

Stopped in just before new years. The place was busy and I soon found out why. FYI - I did carry out The orders we're flying out the door and into the dining room. The eggplant parm was just the right amount of crisp to sauce. Done to perfection. The pasta was done al dente which is always to my liking. Can't wait to go back and try this place dine in. read more

Always so so good! Such a big menu that it's hard to make a decision. I've never had a meal I didn't like there. The service was spot on.

Dear Readers, This place has absolutely ruined all other Italian restaurant experiences for me. You know why? Never have I experienced such organized, and beautiful chaos, efficiency, kindness, and calm in one environment in all my life. My cousins and I were having a long-overdue cousin dinner night. They left the comfort of their counties to schlep up here and see me. We wanted good food, a friendly atmosphere, that would lend itself to one of our many heart-to-hearts. We got exactly what we came for and then some. We didn't make a reservation, but thankfully it wasn't quite the huge mistake that such a thing might be at another place. They said we might wait an hour, which I was happy to do because the family across from us was not only adorable, we had a fantastic conversation. My lovelies, and I, got lucky, however, a high-top opened up, it was quickly cleaned and offered to us, and we scooped up the opportunity. In the 4 minutes, we waited, the owner, Tomasso (such a lovely man), came towards us, asking us if we were familiar with the place. 2/3 of us were, so he welcomed us back on our return, while the other 1/3 he welcomed her during her first visit. He quickly gave us a run-down of the menu, which was helpful, and exactly what we needed. He explained the DUET PIATTI, two plates in one fit for one person (with a good appetite). You can mix and match the options available, and at the risk of not being able to eat all of the rich meals to try, I went with Moresca Salad and the Chicken Toscana. To say I was happy with my choice would be an understatement. A perfect mixture of sweet, savory, cheesy, and all the other beautiful things I enjoy in life on a plate. Before that though, we were offered the opportunity to get into the spirit, so of course, I got a peppermint drink and had my bread as I regaled my loves of all that they had missed over the months we had been separated. They also went with the duet piatta, one went with the special for the evening, Chicken Di Sorronno/ Pear & Gorgonzola Purse, and for the life of me, I cannot remember what the other went with, I remember her only concern being that the meal was "too rich," which to me, isn't a REAL problem. We were happy with our meals and drinks, completely enamored with our server Carina, and then the owner came to sit near us. When I tell you he's such a lovely man, a real family guy, and adored by his staff. You can taste the love in the food. He taught us about what Christmas looks like in Italy, about his beautiful wife and her affinity for Mickey D's fries, and the superb servers who have their own incredible origin stories and wrapped it all up with an offering of a drink in which I chose Sambuca with 3 coffee beans to signify love, wealth, and happiness, some magic I think we could all use in this day and age. It was an incredible dining experience, and yes, I am indeed RUINED for any other Italian eatery (except one of my close friend's homes), maybe ALL other eateries, because what you get there is MAGIC. After a stint in the Midwest, can you tell JUST how much I missed home? I am only too happy to have returned. This is all that I had been looking forward to. read more

Honestly, prior to coming here we had driven through a blizzard and I was so worried that this place wouldn't live up to expectations. As a walk in, we got sat immediately and the owner was so excited to know we were gluten free and walked us through their gluten free menu very excitedly. Once we got sat, we were walked through the menu once more and were told about how this place is one of the (if not the) best gluten free restaurants in New Jersey. Through and through this place is AMAZING and honestly it was so worth driving through a blizzard for it. read more

We always order pizza weekly but we stopped for my son's Graduation for dinner! The food was amazing. I had the Chicken Toscana Duet with Tortellini in Rosa sauce and it was a nice portion and absolutely delicious. They came over and gave us Sample pastas to try! Great service! read more

A huge thank you to the staff and cooks, especially Sheri, Amanda and Beatrice. Food and service were simply awesome for my parents surprise 80th birthday party. read more

Mama's Cafe Baci - Surprise combined 80th birthday party for my parents. - Italian Near Me - Hackettstown, New Jersey

Thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Service was spot on. Friendly staff. A great dining experience. read more

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Delicious pizza, very fresh salad, and excellent counter service as we picked up our order on an extremely busy Saturday night. Thanks so much! read more

Just moved into the area from Bergen County and I work in Hudson. Mama's was my first delivery order at my new residence. I consider myself spoiled as far as food goes and there are lots of options from where I lived and worked. Bottom line, this place is great. Deep dish meat pie was fantastic. The regular pie was well seasoned with a nice medium crust. Calamari was above average. The homemade mozzarella sticks were ridiculously good. Oh yes. The dry buffalo wings. So good and an ample amount. Can't wait to try some of their meals next time. Delivery was fairly quick for a playoff Sunday evening. Great job momma. read more