Mama Rosa's in Central Bedfordshire

Not easy to get a table on Saturday evening and no wonder - I tasted the freshest mussels in my lifetime.

Lunch date with friends. Family run authentic italian restaurant. Food is all freshly prepared. Veg options.

My ratings here aren't any higher because I ordered a last minute take away. I can't really critique mama Rosa's properly until I eat there. I ordered a tomato based seafood pasta dish 20mins before they were due to close lunch service. I got there at closing time and felt quite bad about ordering so late. I don't know Leighton buzzard and didn't know they had a lovely little Italian restaurant there. The staff were amazing and accommodating. The food was very nice, and the portion was insane. I was eating it for most of the day. The atmosphere was non existent as I already mentioned they were closing. It looked lovely inside the restaurant. Very rustic looking, with that feel of Italy everywhere. I will eat in the restaurant in the future and offer a better review. I was so impressed with the little I experienced there that I can't wait to sample the full experience when I can.

Doesn’t look anything special from the outside, but what a gem! The food is truly fabulous. Great quality, fairly priced, good portions and lovely staff. I don’t write many reviews but eat in restaurants 2-3 times per week on business and this is a real stand out!

Had a party of 12 and all the huge portions came out together, everyone loved it all and the service was perfect.

The food was delicious and the staff are very friendly.

Good home Italian restaurant and very good value lunch menu

The best Italian food ever! The staff are lovely, really helpful.

Service was fantastic, very friendly service. As for the food what can I say, absolutely gorgeous and portions were bountiful, would definitely go back and would highly recommend.

Friendly Italian/British staff, serving big portions of good Italian cuisine. Reasonably priced and usually busy.

First visit to Mama Rosa as we start to explore Leighton Buzzard. Last visit was to Leighton Buzzard Brewery couple of weeks ago. Some 30 years after I last went there. Absolutely excellent restaurant. Mussels in chilli, cream and wine starter, spaghetti Marinara main and the best Zucchini side, going off menu. Established 2003 and busy on a Tuesday evening, all good signs. Defo going back at some point but also looking forward to trying some other restaurants in LB that have been recommended.

An average Italian restaurant, food could be better.

Arrived Saturday night, first time here. lovely and welcoming staff. Food was beautiful and plentiful. No rush to leave, will definitely return

Errrrrr another example the poor people of Leighton buzzard not ever trying food anywhere but Leighton buzzard. How this has 4.7 stars I don’t know. The food was reheated. Never ever had pasta that hot. Also it was like he just threw ingredients together, peas, whole mushrooms. It was not good at all. The meatballs were dry. Not cooked in sauce. Says homemade. Not sure they were, if they were they were frozen. The service was also a lot of waiting. The girls were nice but they were overworked. Nothing was fresh. Food was average, certainly not authentic Italian.

Been visiting this restaurant for over 20years...never dissappoints...good choice of menu...nothing overpriced....food always cooked and presented to a high standard..great portion sizes ..friendly staff and atmosphere...very clean restaurant including the toilets...we will always be going back....

All around brilliant the wife and kids enjoyed food, it was authenticly italian and the service was class they made us feel like royalty would definatley recomend to family and freinds enjoy!!!

I ordered takeaway and actually had to go back for more later that week. They gave me enough in one portion to cover my dinner and lunch the next day! And it still tasted amazing the next day. I would 100% go back and recommend a friend service was great in particular Charlotte! Very attentive to my celiac disease advising what I can and can’t have. If I could give 10 stars I would!!!!

Lovely Italian restaurant, lovely food and lovely and attentive and bubbly staff! 🍝

Authentic Italian food, good portions, fast service, can not fault them and this our go to restaurant for a meal out

Absolutely splendid food served dare I say it in portions almost too large. Attentive service with very helpful staff. Only criticism is that when the bill arrives, it is only broken down to headings - food, drinks etc which is somewhat annoying.

Amazing portions, definitely will return, the staff give it a personal feel which makes it very welcoming.

What's happened? Entering restaurant pointed to our table, asked for wine open bottle of wine plonked on table not poured? Food quick hot and tasty. Tap water given in bottle when asked for bottled? No service , no enthusiasm from staff, no interaction from staff, no atmosphere? Not feeling the Italian vibe as I recall?? Paper napkins??? Uncomfortable chairs...., feels like a fast food restaurant nowadays 😦

Fantastic food, very polite and engaging staff and a lovely atmosphere. Will certainly be back

Best Italian I have had for many years.

Delicious authentic food and super friendly staff. 🙌🏻😍

Lovely food and very generous with portions

Can't fault this restaurant. Excellent, attentive, service, a good range of vege options. Food was excellent and the portion size is perfect.

The food was amazing, great sized portions at a reasonable price! Would definitely recommend!

My last review a year ago was a 5, but this time was not as good. There was a mix up on our booking time which meant we had to wait 25 minutes to order dinner, however great starters (gamberoni) were as good as ever. I ordered medium steak with chips for main course. The steak was cooked perfectly but was very tough and the chips were missing, but delivered when I had almost finished. On the plus side, if you like a huge portion of mixed vegetables this is the place to come, but we barely made a mark on it. Servers were all really friendly, but service was a little disjointed.

We managed to get a booking as it is always busy, and usually fully booked, the food as usual was exceptional, delicious and well presented. The staff were polite and efficient

Had a great night. Food was fantastic. Staff were friendly and very accommodating. Were a large party with a couple of fussy eaters, but couldn't do enough to help. Was a recommended place as friends eat here regularly, but we will be going back for sure. Incredible food.

Food was excellent and massive portions aswell would defo go back

Great Italian food at a good price. Servers are attentive and energetic. Pavarotti portion is great for big eaters or left over lovers. Only detractor is only bottled beers, comes out a little pricey and not so nice as draft.

Went there for a party with a table of 20 , all the food was delivered together and hot we were well looked after, food was great. Good to see a good selection of GF options.

Delicious valentines meal, friendly efficient service, lovely music and decorations ❤ loads of choice of menu and always have to have tiramisu and lemoncello 😋 highly recommend and will definitely return

Excellent food, brilliant service, Love this restaurant ❤️

Been here a couple of times now. Really tasty food, great service, fab portion sizes and lovely atmosphere

Good traditional Italian cooking with ample portions.

We visited the Restaurant on the 19th January for a family Birthday our Granddaughters 18th Birthday. We made the choice based on past experiences of very food & Service. We had a party of 16 with a wide ranging age span making it a challenge for the restaurant to keep everyone happy. The Night was a great success every member of staff was highly professional and couldn’t do enough to make our Night special. The food was spectacular and the service amazing and the Night a very special memory for the whole of our family. To all the staff.. Thank you all for your efforts we will 100% be back you are a credit to the owners.

Lovely authentic home cooked meal

Great food, lovely staff. We've never had a bad experience in Mama Rosa's, we all love going there.

Met up with a friend I had not seen for 48 years (we live on different continents) and went there for lunch. The food was amazing, the staff courteous and helpful, but not overpowering, and left us chatting long after we finished eating. Reasonable prices and nice ambience may it a great experience.

Never disappoints! Delicious food, excellent service. Highly recommend.

Very delicious food, generous portions. Nice atmosphere, very affordable. Would recommend

Wonderful staff, delicious food and Manager went far and beyond to help with a car park situation. It was my 3rd time there and will return ! CONGRATULATIONS to all,

Wonderful staff, delicious food and Manager went far and beyond to help with a car park situation. It was my 3rd time there and will return ! CONGRATULATIONS to all,

Always busy so worth booking. Had another lovely meal here. Great service, so much choice. Fillet steak with Dolchette sauce was excellent. Meatball pasta beautiful. Limoncello dessert, lovely and a decent glass of wine. The crispy potatoes and fresh veg are also very tasty. Best restuarant in LB and surrounding area. Minor point...maybe Italian bread with the starters rather than that served would be more authentic.

Small restaurant with bundles of atmosphere, very Italian decor a very busy place, booking essential. Staff very pleasant and attentive serving amazing food, and plenty of it.

An amazing place to go. No words to recommend it highly enough.

I work away alot and haven’t said this in a long time the food is amazing brilliant restaurant definitely back tomorrow to try something else ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We haven’t dined there in a very long time, we met up with friends and all agreed to go there . We were seated off the main area which is a better experience as it quieter so at least you can hear each other . The service is excellent, they are incredibly friendly ,attentive and also efficient and make you feel your custom is important and appreciated. Food - All of starters and our mains were expertly prepared , they tasted absolutely amazing and due to the potion sizes there was no room for dessert which I’m sure would have been equally as enjoyable , will leave a little room for next time. I mentioned wasn’t drinking and was offered an alcohol free lager by the waiter which I thought was nice touch as I’ve been to other places where they either don’t serve them or simply ask if you want fruit juice . We recently dined at another so called Italian restaurant while we were away which I submitted a review for and will say they need to visit Mama Rosa’s to learn what it takes before you proclaim you are an Italian restaurant. We had a great evening out catching up with our friends and this restaurant was the perfect complement to this.

Lovely atmosphere, delicious food. Staff were friendly. Would highly recommend. Me and my wife are looking forward to the next visit.

Food is divine, cooked to perfection and presented very well. The service was simply amazing, all staff very friendly.

The food was beyond what I expected. I know good food and food in mamma Rosa is just unbelievable would highly recommend to anybody

Food here was really good,we were out for a family meal, the restaurant was very busy, but that didnt spoil the experience.. the waiters were friendly and attentive, my grandson didnt like what he had ordered so they changed it for him free ...

Food was fresh & superb, staff welcome & service outstanding, delightful ambience of the restaurant, huge choices on the menu, I have run out of superlatives to describe this gastronomic "star" in our town, where the owner is also the chef. As for the prices mentioned by other reviewers, I can only say that this level of quality comes at a price which, as far as I am concerned, is worth every penny! I doubt you will be disappointed & my 80th birthday concluded by meeting the chef/owner & thanking him for his hard work & efforts.. Mama Mia, Mama Rosa! Good luck & best wishes to you all.

A lovely evening with visiting family - we recommended Mamma Rosa’s and we’re not disappointed! A truly lovely meal in happy surroundings! Thankyou

Good smallish, medium priced Italian restaurant, food nicely cooked, vegetables a bit ordinary but flavoursome sauces. Service good too but did feel a bit rushed on occasion. Clearly popular. Would possibly recommend.

First time at Mama Rosa last night and we will be back. The service and food were exemplary, the food portions were incredible value. All in all a really lovely evening, thankyou to all at Mama Rosa!

Bardzo smaczne tradycyjne wliskie pitrawy, przytulny wystroj

Came here at lunch for something small and was impressed enough to book a table for the evening. And we were not disappointed. Both if us had a great meal. Staff were excellent both times. Would happily recommend this restaurant for all ages. As my other half said we would happily come back when we are in the area

Excellent restaurant, great staff, but most importantly fabulous food! Would highly recommend.

Not been for a while, food is still great we love the bruschetta pizza. But... we were staggered ny the prices, 19 pounds for a chicken main, that's a little excessive. For 3 adults (one driving) we parted with 108 pounds, for Garlic bread + pizza starter, 3 chicken mains, one 26 pound bottle of red and 2 large cokes. And the most ridiculous were the cokes 4.50 - unreal

Been many times now, always great food and friendly staff, would highly recommend

Amazing food and fantastic service. Been a few times now and quality never changes

Always good good always friendly, always generous portions

we do love Mama Rosa, the food is always good and so is the service but the latest price increase is very steep. Us as a family will now have to cut down on our visits, simply to expensive. £ 18 for a Pizza is not what we can pay. We are aware of how expensive everything is but we can only safe on things like a meal out.

This is exactly how an Italian restaurant should be. Warm, friendly, welcoming attentive staff. The food is tasty, plentiful and has those delicious Italian flavours shown off at their very best. 5 * across the board.

You won’t go hungry here! Portions are huge, but if you can’t eat it all, the staff will arrange a doggy bag so you can take it home. Lovely food, pleasant staff and a good ambience.

Absolutely lovely food, had to leave some of my main to save room for dessert, but luckily the staff were happy to box it up for us. The pizza was sublime and this will certainly become my go-to for takeaway pizza nights. The tiramisu was absolutely lovely, as was the espresso I had and it wasn’t too expensive either, very reasonably priced for the quality and quantity of the food. My only qualm and reason for 4 rather than 5 stars was the lack of attention after the food came to the table. Very difficult to flag someone down for another drink.

The best Italian restaurant! Very generous portions, great service and good value for money!

Great place to visit with family. A firm favourite for Family celebrations in our household. They're really helpful and kind. So many places (including the very pricey 'Fratelli' in Woburn and Ampthill) won't let you bring a celebration cake but Mama Rosa are lovely people and make a birthday celebration special. ❤️

Love this place, it's our go-to restaurant for authentic Italian food. Great service and the food is delish. Don't underestimate the "Pavarotti" option, you may need to be carried out! "It's only waaahfer thin..."

The Italian food here is definitely the best available in the area it's sometimes hard to book a table at short notice, a wide variety of options on the menu and you won't leave hungry, the portions are large to say the least.

We actually had a takeaway from Mama Rosa. The menu was slightly cutdown but not the quality or flavour. Really good. They have limited slots for this service so be quick.

Excellent Fillet steaks, perfectly cooked, good choice of Gluten free options. Had a great night thank you. Sauces were really good.

Decent food and excellent service dealing with a large group.

Pretty good. Staff were friendly. I would like to have seen salads as a main course however the salad on the 'sides' section was pretty big and you could ask them to add extras. I'd go back for sure

Possibly the best restaurant in LB. Delicious classic and rustic fare. The Bruschetta is a real garlicky stonker and must try dish. Portions are generous and the service is swift without being invasive. 10/10

Good Italian mama/nonna home style food, very generous portion size. Great value for money.

Great Italian food, generous portions and usually packed.

Visited with 2 friends after several years. A friendly welcome, great service and really good food in abundance. The gambaroni alla Vesuvio was absolutely superb, delicious as a starter. Really well prepared steaks as well.

Great meal to celebrate our 52nd Wedding Anniversary with friends. We really enjoyed every part but my mussels in cream were the best I have had for so long.

We ate here for the first time and absolutely loved it. The food was freshly made and delicious. All the staff were lovely. We will definitely be returning soon!

Very nice cosy place and friendly waiting staff. Food was excellent and portions were huge.

Great food, great service, will definitely be back.

Excellent food, great service, really great portions, never ever disappoint , only thing I would say is it can be a bit noisy but the quality of the food is second to none

Visited on a very busy Friday eve. We've been before and the portions are very generous - so went straight to main course. Sirloin Steak cooked perfectly medium rare served with a Dolcetti sauce was delicious, it came with veg and sautéed potatoes. The pizza's...

Probably the best Italian Restaurant for miles! - what a great restaurant - food is always fantastic and authentic - staff always helpful, friendly and keen to offer service - have to mention the food again a great selection and cooked to such perfection - I have to say this is probably one of our very favourite restaurants and we travel miles to visit. Super place

Food is absolutely amazing staff really friendly

I have been in here for lunch, and dinner. The food is very good, the staff are friendly, and big portion sizes!! Recommend Spaghetti Puttanesca, and the Lasagne. Forget about desert, you won't have room!!

Portion size is unreal! Whoever goes Pavarotti is a legend! Food is delicious, service is 10 ⭐️can’t wait to return.

It was my first time at the restaurant and its know my number 1 to go to First class

Was very excited to try here as the massive foodies we are, but the food was very bland i unfortunately didn’t eat any of my main which is not like me at all. I’m never one to leave reviews but this place was utterly disappointing....

Had the best lunch out today at Mama Rosa’s and I can’t wait to go back! Large table of 8 (with 8 babies) and every drink, pizza, pasta dish and pudding was delicious. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble for them. We had a fabulous time, thank you so much to the great team for the best food and service I’ve experienced in a very long time.

Incredible every. single. time.

It is always a pleasure to visit Mama Rosa as the food is always excellent with good size portions. The staff are very attentive and nothing is ever to much trouble

Fifty minutes waiting for pizza

Lovely food, small Italian restaurant, no microwaves, staff really nice, had a lovely meal with generous portions at a genuinely reasonable price. Thank you

Ate recently one Friday evening, great staff who are attentive but not overly friendly, staff knew when to come to your table! Everything came as ordered and very quick as well. Food was full of flavour. Well ran restaurant with very good portion sizes, yes a little on the more expensive side but it’s worth every penny! Will be returning.