Mama's Bakery and Lebanese Deli

This place has been blogged about a whole lot, and it ain't hard to see why. Even at 2pm people were still lining up to get food! I can't believe I took this long to finally make the commute down to this joint.


Parking is a bit of a problem. There's only street-side parking, and most spaces are taken by local residents. I had to park two blocks away, but that's no big deal. All the more time to let my mouth water and stomach growl in anticipation of a great meal! Hopefully you guys get luckier with the parking situation. The menu here is partly covered by that white drape?tarp?blinds? (my vocab sux) so be sure to poke your head in first to see the wide variety of items that they offer. It took me quite awhile to decide what to order...everything sounds so good! I ended up getting the Meat Combo Plate to sample a little of everything.

Service is fast and efficient. My food was ready in three minutes. Super! I was freakin' starving. I told the cashier I wanted my plate To-go, as I anticipated some generous portions. Generous might have been an understatement.... Look at that huge mound of meat!! Plus, the small pile of complementary pitas aren't even pictured. Wow what a bargain.

Oh and here's the dining area, if ya care:
It's quite a diverse crowd. I saw an old retired couple, some college students, office workers, and a young real estate agent who asked me if I was Kirk from mmm-yoso as I took pictures. Sorry lady, my blog ain't that great n famous. :D


Meat Combo Plate:

Beef & chicken shawarma, Beef kefta, hummus, rice, and fresh salad.

I thought I had good Lebanese back in L.A. (Sunin Lebanese Cafe), but I think Mama's is actually just a little bit better when it comes to the grilled meats. Every meat item was lean but still really juicy and flavorful. There's no way for me to pick a favorite since I like 'em all...but if I had to, I'd go with beef. Damn that meat was good.... On the other hand, though, the hummus was pretty uneventful, but nothing a drizzle of my precious Apollo Olive Oil and a squeeze of lemon couldn't fix. I suppose the only "downer" of this meal was the hummus, which was pretty bland. Everything else was awesome.


Ya'll should seriously give Mama's a try if you haven't already. Great food, great prices, nice crowd....what more could you ask for from a hole-in-the-wall? Plus, the location is superb...after all, Will's Eclipse Chocolat is just around the corner! Be sure to visit him for dessert!



Mama's Bakery & Lebanese Deli
4237 Alabama St.
San Diego, CA 92104