Mama's Vegetarian

Quality is very good. Prices are great. Need to have them in ny.

Just started spending lunchtime in the area because of a new job, and have been slowly exploring cheap lunch eats. Mama's is the best place I have come across, by far. Skip the two falafel carts at the intersection of 20th and Market. The cart on the north side of Market St. known to some as the "Falafel Nazi" is expensive, and though there are never more that 5-7 or so people in line, that translates into a 20 minute wait. The halal cart on the south side of Market makes a fairly good falafel sandwich at a very low price ($4, including a can of soda). If Mama's was not just down the street, that would be my source. Mama's costs a couple of bucks more than the halal cart ($7 gets you a sandwich, soda, and a cup to put olives, pickles, fried cauliflower, etc.) I have been to Mama's at least 5 times in the last month (which is a lot, since the store is closed on Yom Tov, and I was out of town in any event). The falafel is stupendously good at Mama's. (Go in and ask for a sample ball!) The fresh baked pita never splits open, and is delicious. The veggies in the sandwich are excellent (and for 75¢ extra you can get a slice of fried eggplant in your sandwich). There is some kind of softened cabbage in the sandwich which I have never had anywhere else, and is scrumptious. The pickle/olive bar is a delight. Don't miss the little green olives or the fried cauliflower. The pickles, I believe are a canned product imported from Israel, and you can skip. The marinated carrots are wonderful. The falafel sandwich is so good, I have yet to really explore the menu. The latkes look good, as do the burekas, so I will have to break my addiction and become more adventuresome. Soup is not coming back to the menu until autumn really kicks in, and I am looking forward to trying Mama's creations. The place is small, with just a handful of indoor table and a few outdoors. I always get my sandwich to go, and it is no worse for wear after a 5 minute walk back to the office. I cannot recommend Mama's highly enough.

Miss working down that way. Used to go at least 3x a week. Now it's only once a week when I'm going to Trader Joe's.

Its a great restaurant. The food is delicious and the price is perfect. I highly recommend it.

My office recently relocated to 19th and JFK, and being a vegetarian I sought out recommendations for lunch places that are veg-friendly. The first place I went to was Mama's, and I've been going multiple times a week since. For the uninitiated, this is not a sit-down restaurant, it's a fast food restaurant, so don't expect a whole lot of atmosphere (although it's a good place to people watch as the clientele are quite diverse). The food here is delicious, and all of the omnivores that I've introduced to Mama's have become repeat customers as well. Aside from Bitar's in South Philly, I can't think of another falafel joint in Philly that gets it so perfectly.

Hands down. And I've tried almost all of them. 'Nuff said.

My dad is from Haifa, Israel and he makes all these things from scratch, I definitely would say that this is def good competition for my dad in fact I would venture to say it is the BETTER than the home made made from scratch stuff he makes.. My family is making Sunday our "going into the city day" so we can have it weekly from now on.