Mama’s On The Hill is a beloved Italian restaurant located in St. Louis’ historic The Hill neighborhood. Known as the birthplace of toasted ravioli, this family-owned establishment offers a warm, inviting atmosphere and a menu filled with classic Italian-American dishes crafted from locally sourced ingredients.
Veteran red-sauce Italian dining in an old-school cafe setting with kitschy accents.
Stephen Daniels
The food is prepared well and there’s a nice variety on the menu. Friendly service and warm atmosphere. The roasted red pepper ravioli was fine, but I expected more flavor and I probably wouldn’t have known it had roasted red peppers in it if I had tried it without knowing what it was. I ordered some a la carte meatballs and they were amazing. There seems to be a lot of use of Provel cheese, a local product wideley used throughout St. Louis. It may blend in well with many of the dishes, but obviously with some it will be more forward such as the fried cheese sticks – these are straight Provel and NOT mozzarella so if you’re like me and don’t really like Provel then you might want to avoid the fried cheese sticks or try to tone down the Provel a bit by putting a lot of marinara sauce on them. I like the idea of using a local product, but mozzarella is so good I think subbing something else is a downgrade. I definitely look forward to coming back in the future though and trying more of the meat pastas and entrees.
… moreSabra Calonge
I’ve always wanted to try one of the local Italian restaurants in the iconic Hill neighborhood of St. Louis and this one definitely didn’t disappoint. It was so delicious and the pricing was good as well. I highly recommend this spot! We got the toasted ravioli which is a must in St. Louis and we also shared a portion of the fettuccine alfredo with chicken and the serving sizes are very large. We didn’t even finish our split portions so a very good value for money. You definitely don’t leave hungry.
… moreQuinard Edwards
We tried Mama’s on the Hill for the first time tonight and it was absolutely delicious. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and made with real care. You can tell this is the kind of place that takes pride in their food and their reputation.
The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and the service was friendly and attentive. It truly felt like a classic St. Louis Italian dining experience. Every bite reminded us why this place has such a great name in the city.
We will definitely be coming back to try more of the menu. Highly recommend Mama’s on the Hill if you’re looking for authentic, comforting Italian food in St. Louis!
… moreJennifer Davidek
Mama’s On the Hill was great, we would definitely come back if we lived closer. The burratta and bruschetta appetizer was fantastic! It is served on slices of bread with basil and balsamic. The toasted ravioli appetizer was okay. There was nothing wrong with it, just our personal preference. Husband got the spaghetti with meat sauce and meatballs. It was okay, again this is a texture preference for us. The star for both of us was the cheese ravioli with roasted red pepper cream sauce. We both agree it was one of the best dishes we have eaten. Very clean place.
… moreNo One
I had the Vitello Gabriella. It was delicious and a lot of food! It was $32 though which was a bit high but I suppose you get what you pay for. The service was good as well, my son wanted something closer to shrimp scampi, which isn’t on the menu. They gave him a kids butter noodle spaghetti, added shrimp, and used spendini sauce instead of plain butter. So accommodating and it didn’t go unnoticed!
… moreJohn T
DELICIOUS!! While visiting St. Louis, we were told to eat in The Hill part of town. I found this place with good reviews, so we tried it. SO glad we did! We got the toasted ravioli – it’s got a nice toasted crispness to it, and I loved the marinara sauce! We also got the Gabriela (thinly sliced and breaded veal on pasta) and the Roasted Red Pepper ravioli with red pepper cream sauce – both were amazing and recommended by our server. Our server, Krissy M, was friendly, helpful, and fun. The ambiance is cozy. I highly recommend this place – and who couldn’t love the restaurant’s name?!
… moreJohn J
I recently visited Mama’s On The Hill for the first time, and I must say it was a decidedly mixed experience. While there were certain aspects of the meal and service that were pleasant, several significant drawbacks overshadowed the evening. One of the primary issues we encountered was our table placement. We were seated very close to the front door, which proved to be quite uncomfortable. Every time the door opened to the waiting area, a blast of freezing air swept in and hit everyone at our table. It made for a chilly and less-than-ideal dining environment. For my main course, I ordered the Lasagna. While it was an “okay” dish with a decent blend of flavors and cheeses, it certainly wasn’t the best I have ever had. My biggest disappointment was the texture; the lasagna contained large chunks of tomatoes, which is something I have never experienced before and did not care for. There were several logistical hurdles that also impacted our visit. The Check Policy: We found it very confusing and disappointing that the restaurant refused to split checks for our party. In this modern day and age, it is hard to understand why a business cannot accommodate separate payments. It was highly inconvenient when the total arrived and we were forced to coordinate the payment ourselves. Parking: The parking situation is certainly not ideal. We eventually found a spot on the street about two blocks down the hill, so be prepared for a bit of a walk. Reservations: Based on how busy the lobby stayed, reservations are highly recommended. The Staff: On a positive note, our waiter was very nice and professional. While he didn’t necessarily go above and beyond, he was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and provided solid service throughout the night. Final Thoughts: Overall, I unfortunately would not return. There are numerous other Italian restaurants in the area that I would prefer to try instead. While I can see why locals might enjoy the tradition of this establishment, the lack of physical comfort and the chunky tomato texture in the lasagna simply weren’t for me.
… moreGregy Tuerah
Really had a great experience here! We are a group of 6 that just hop at St Lou for a day trip. Heard this from a lot of friends and definitely worth the hype.
We ordered the pastas and raviolis and all are superb. Will definitely come back.
… moreBryan Andersen
Visiting St. Louis, my wife and I wanted to eat lunch at a highly rated restaurant — and Mama’s fit the bill well. We were lucky to arrive at a good time between waves of people and were seated immediately even though we didn’t have reservations.
Having heard about their Toasted Ravioli specialty, we made that our choice for an appetizer. We got them as half cheese and half meat — liked the meat and loved the cheese! Then we split a Caprese Salad and a Lobster Ravioli entree; both were delicious! The salad was fresh and flavorful. The entree had nice amounts of seafood in the ravioli and mixed into the sauce.
Our server was friendly and helpful, even though he had several tables to deal with all at once. In addition, we liked the interior ambiance as well as the exterior look of the restaurant.
… moreBen Strait
So authentic, I truly had a hard time not thinking I was back in the northeast at a sweet Italian grandmother’s house. The service was so touching, they truly treat everyone like family! They were comfortably full, just a quick 30 minute wait which isn’t bad for a Saturday night and the staff do not rush at all! The food is the best you can find over here and I was stunned at how reasonable the prices are! Look up the story behind the house that’s now the restaurant…
Only slight preference, not on them bc it’s simply preference thing…the crust on the pizza seemed like a crispy tortilla not actual high gluten bread dough. The toppings were soooo authentic to what I grew up on in Philly, the Italian sausage put me right back in my Italian friend’s house but yeah, I simply was not a fan of the super crazy thin crispy crust. They sell a ton of them so that must be on me:-)
… more