Mama Lou's Al Fresco

It was our first time dining here. We were in high spirits because of all the positive reviews we’ve read in the past. Luckily, we were the only guests when we arrived (before dinner service). We ordered their Roasted Pumpkin soup (P219). It was nice– hearty and warm, perfect for an appetizer. My only comment is that there were a few moments when it tasted more like a potato soup than a pumpkin soup. Oh, and it would’ve been aesthetically pleasing if it had just a tiny bit of garnish. The Burrata Caprese (P555) looked so simple and plain, but it was delicious. I loved that they did not rely on just vinaigrette dressing, but they also made an effort to include pesto to complement the burrata. There were a few bites that felt a little saltier than the others due to the sea salt that they used, but hey, who am I to complain just because my food is well-seasoned, right? We enjoyed it even though there weren’t many components in the dish. I liked that it was put-together and well-thought-out. We also tried one of their pizzas- Prosciutto Funghi (P410, 10”). Frankly, it was bland and quite underwhelming. Nothing special. The prosciutto, when eaten separately, is okay, but as a component of the pizza, it didn’t do much. I also didn’t like that they used processed mushrooms for this. Kasi hello, Italian restaurant na nga, why are we using canned mushrooms? It ruined the texture completely. Medyo malamig na rin nung sinerve sa amin, and the crust was a tad undercooked. Too soggy, in short. I reheated our leftover pizza at home, at I was able to achieve the crunch we were looking for in a thin-crust pizza. Sana ganito ito nung sinerve sa amin. Sayang. I ordered their Risotto Tartufo Funghi (P477). Again, I didn’t like the mushrooms because it was processed. It just ruins the meal, in my opinion. As a mushroom-lover, it’s too slimy for me. I am not much of a fan of the dish because the texture and consistency were more like a congee than a risotto. Also, it would’ve been great if there had been a hint of citrus in it– a dash of lemon juice or even lemon zest. The citrus would’ve balanced the saltiness and the creaminess of the entire dish. Just a dash could’ve lightened it up because it was quite thick and overwhelming. Portion-wise, I think their serving was generous. The server told us it was good for one, but I think it’s also good for two people. Their Linguine Spinachi with Capers and Salmon (P555) was the best among the rest. The salmon was cooked perfectly, and you could taste the fish in the sauce. I even jokingly said the dish tasted like fried tilapia, but in a good way. The portion size looked small, but we were able to share it as well. It was a nice dish, but again, I would’ve loved it even more had there been a pop of acidity in it. The capers weren’t too salty, and they added a layer of flavor to the dish– almost similar to how breadcrumbs add texture to mac and cheese. For drinks, we only tried the Mama Tea (P99). I am happy to report that while I am generally not a fan of iced tea, I liked this one very much. The sweetness was light and refreshing, and it does not get stuck in your throat. I appreciate that they did not have to put so many herbs at kung ano-ano pang arte, but it was decadent. It was better than most house-blend iced teas I’ve tried before that are more expensive. All in all, it was a nice dining experience. I’m looking forward to going back and trying out other options soon, kasi, while there were a lot of points of criticism, parang hindi rin naging cohesive enough yung choices namin sa food. I would like to try other pizzas and pastas in the future. Oh, and btw, we loved the free bread! Next time, I wish there were more pop of flavor and less meh-factor. You know, something that would make the dishes stand out more, rather than the food feeling like more of an afterthought.

As always, Mama Lou’s didn’t disappoint. It was our first time bringing our dogs out, and the place was very pet-friendly.

What We Liked: • Quattro Formaggi (Four-Cheese Pizza): I still think Amici’s version is better, but Mama Lou’s comes pretty close. The cheese blend is rich and tasty. • Roasted Pumpkin Soup: Creamy, flavorful, and seasoned just right — really comforting. • Risotto Di Mare (Seafood Risotto): Good texture and a decent amount of seafood. Satisfying overall. • Unlimited Free Bread: Always a nice bonus! • Service: Staff were efficient and handled the busy crowd well. • Parking: Plenty of spaces available, which made things a lot easier. What Could Be Better: • Fried Chicken: Too much coating — it was a bit overwhelming. Honestly, I’d rather go for Jollibee or KFC if I’m craving fried chicken. • The seats could be more comfortable. Conclusion: Overall, Mama Lou’s is a solid choice if you’re looking for comforting Italian food at a reasonable price. While a few dishes could be improved, most of what we tried hit the mark. The efficient service and convenient parking definitely add to the positive experience. I’d gladly come back, especially for the pizza and risotto.

First time at Mama Lou’s and wow — comfort food done right! Cozy, homey, and the kind of place you instantly feel you’ll come back to. Audi and Auden enjoyed the ambience too! 💖🍴

Nice restaurant away from the Tagaytay chaos and yet feels connect in the area. Love the al fresco set up and props to the owner they provided child play room where they can play and spend time with other kids. They know people who visit and come to tagaytay are mostly families— thats them acknowledging what is needed and at the same time pleasurable. Thank you Mama Lou’s! Love the salad the chicken we had here.

Best place to have your favorite italian dishes.

We celebrated my wife's birthday here and had a great time! Here’s what we ordered: 📍Truffle Fries – 3/5⭐ Good and crunchy, but not too memorable. 📍Mozzarella Sticks – 5/5⭐ A fantastic appetizer that both my wife and I enjoyed. The marinara sauce served with it was also really tasty. 📍Pizza Margherita – 5/5⭐ Thin-crust pizza paired with their “hot honey” (not really hot, haha) — still, really good! 📍Aglio Olio – 5/5⭐ Our favorite! Perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of salt and lots of garlic. 🤤 📍Carbonara – 4/5⭐ At first, it tasted a bit bland, but once paired with the salty guanciale, it became just right. 🤤 Overall, we really enjoyed our dinner here. We also appreciated the complimentary bread with olive dip — the bread was soooo good! I honestly thought it was unlimited at first, haha. They allowed two refills, which we happily took advantage of. We also thought the kids play area was available, however it was under renovation.😟 Thank you for the great meal!

The beer brewing area, which is visible from the dining, is very nice. Good food, excellent craft beer, and staff were very accommodating especially the team leader, Gerald, who assisted us.