Why Pink Mamma In Paris Is The Most Charming Restaurant

Pink Mamma in Paris is the epitome of restaurant success. What does that entail?

Good food is essential for a solid foundation, the vibe should be dynamic and the décor should be stylish. But nowadays, establishments are also paying attention to whether they are “Instagrammable”. As ridiculous as that sounds, being IG-worthy is a smart marketing strategy since the more photos that are snapped, the more eyes see your place in an organic way, and the more clientele you gain through free, word-of-mouth advertising.

Not gonna lie, I find out about most restaurants – especially ones in different cities – through Instagram and Pink Mamma in Paris was no different. From the minute it popped up in my food-dominated feed, I was on a mission.

Located in the south Pigalle neighbourhood, Pink Mamma may be the newest restaurant from the Big Mamma Group (East Mamma, Ober Mamma, Mamma Primi, Big Love Caffe, etc..) but it has proven to be one of the best Italian restaurants in Paris. From the tip top floor with a glass ceiling, bathing the turquoise walls and creeping ivy in natural light to the speakeasy-esque basement where you can sip on fanciful cocktails, Pink Mamma in Paris was as delightful IRL as it appeared on my phone.

Pink Mamma Paris

1/ PINK BUILDING

Pink Mamma in Paris occupies an entire, 4-floor building at the end of where two streets converge. You can’t miss this cheerful, rosy-hued gem from the Big Mamma Restaurant Group, draped with lush greenery hanging down the sides from the top floor. If you’re looking for where to eat in Paris that doubles as the ideal photo op, this is the spot.

2/ STAIRWELL

Every level of the Pink Mamma restaurant has its own character and the same goes for the stairwell that connects you to each floor. Every square inch of the winding staircase is covered in mismatched frames of vintage posters, advertisements, aged portraits, historical photos, and whimsical illustrations.

3/ TOP FLOOR of pink mamma in paris

If you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation at Pink Mamma in Paris, prime seating is located in the verdant garden lounge nestled at the very top of the restaurant. Martin Brudnizki Design Studio constructed the ceiling entirely of glass, flooding the turquoise room with natural light, boughs of ivy draping festively as diners enjoy their meals on emerald and caramel cushioned seats or floral banquettes and arm chairs

4/ BAR SEATS at Pink mamma

While we weren’t lucky enough to snag a coveted spot on the top floor of Pink Mamma in Paris, we were seated in the middle of all the action at the bar on the third floor. Below shelves of beautiful jars of preserved lemons and other delicacies, we found it difficult to focus on perusing the Pink Mamma menu, as drool-worthy as it was. We got front row seats to all the kitchen frenzy, witnessing the chefs prep endless dishes of burrata, elaborate desserts, and slice slivers of ham with expertise and practiced ease.

5/ INCONSISTENT PORTIONS

From our vantage point at the bar, we witnessed servers dishing out dessert but the portion sizes varied from plate-to-plate. It seemed to be the luck of the draw whether someone would receive a conservative slice of tiramisu or a sundae towering with whip cream. While I would’ve been deeply upset to be on the receiving end of a comparatively minuscule serving, the imprecise measuring was a charming sight.

6/ WHIMSICAL ILLUSTRATIONS

As a designer, I appreciate little details like the charming illustration style of quirky Milan-based illustrator, Olimpia Zagnoli. She created a series of charming illustrations that represent the brand from whimsical animations on the website to detailed patterns on the menu, and throughout the Big Mamma Group cookbook (complete with humorous recipe names). They definitely help Pink Mamma stand out as one of the best restaurants in Paris.

7/ HIPSTER COCKTAIL

The previous night, we had (over)indulged in the Paris nightlife so hair of the dog was essential to my wellbeing. After perusing the cocktail menu at Pink Mamma, I selected the Spicy Bloody Mary that I articulately referred to as “the spicy, vodka, tomato, drink thing.” It arrived at the table with the tomato-vodka mixture in a cute soda bottle with a clasp and a glass with ice, slice of cucumber and a spring of thyme.

8/ PERFECT PORCELAIN

The platters that our heaping portions of Italian food was served on at Pink Mamma in Paris were gorgeous and seemingly handprinted. A delicate vehicle, perfect for framing a silky burrata. The tile in the bathroom were a similar whimsical, freehand style depicting cute chickens, bunnies, birds, fish, and lambs. S’cute!

9/ the menu at pink mamma in Paris

Angsting over what to order at Pink Mamma? Apparently their meat dishes – like the T-Bone Fiorentina steak (€24) – are the ultimate in Paris food and the thing to get at The Big Mamma Group’s rosy-hued eatery, but we were rebels and ordered:
Burrata Verde and Autunno (€8 each) – indulgent mounds of cheese, I preferred the Verde with the flavourful spices and olive oil
Jambon di Parma (€13) – thinly sliced, melt-in-your-mouth ham
Rigatoni alla boscaiola (€14) – a stick-to-your-ribs, 5-hour braised veal pasta
Pate a la truffle (€18) – creamy mafalde noodles smothered in truffle, served in a brass pot.

10/ ITALIAN TO THE CORE

The employees at Pink Mamma in Paris were as authentic as the cuisine, meaning that instead of speaking French, they all spoke Italian! Not being fluent in either language, it didn’t make much difference me. They could’ve been speaking Ancient Latin for all that I understood.

11/ “PERTE” DISHES

They accidentally delivered an order or burrata and a platter of slivered ribbons of ham to us when it was actually supposed to go to the couple NEXT to us. In our haste and hunger, we dug in and didn’t realize the mistake until our burrata was delivered twice-fold. Mind you, we hadn’t ordered ham at all so they must’ve thought we were really dumb for eating it anyways. They ended up marking it on our bill as perte or “lost” (haha) and it was free which retroactively made it taste even better. Yea it was lost….in my belly!

Pink Mamma Paris:

Address: 20bis Rue de Douai, 75009 Paris, France
Phone: +33 9 83 55 94 52
Price Range: $$ – $$$$
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, Barbecue
Neighbourhood: Opera / Bourse
Reservations: No

TIPS:

– Pink Mamma doesn’t accept reservations, so arriving early is a must!
– They open for lunch and dinner, meaning they close around 2 or 3pm (depending on the day) then open again at 7pm for dinner service.
– Very good for large groups in terms of seating and massive Italian food portion sizes!

Now that you’ve added Pink Mamma to your list of restaurants in Paris, check out these faux pas to avoid committing so you don’t embarrass yourself in the City of Lights.

Keep your stalking game strong and follow me @teriaki if you aren’t already!