Mama Randazzos is a great Pizza joint in Altoona. The Pizza is delicious, and has a taste of fresh quality ingredients. The wings are also amazing! When it comes to Pizza I think Mama's wins top choice in Altoona for quality as well as price!
(4)
Andres L.
I've had their pizza which was great but then I decided to try their entrees/sandwiches after their renovation and was disappointed. The Sicilian is nice and thick and full of flavor. In house, I ordered a salad, chicken sandwich and a regular pizza. Those were meh.
(3)
Rani P.
Lord this is good food. GREAT food. My best friend and I have been going here for years- walking before we could drive there. I can't say much about the pizza- but the subs are exceptional. My personal favorite is the Chicken Cheese Steak. Everything is so fresh and has incredible flavors. One of my favorite foods is bruschetta. I order it wherever I am- Boston, Altoona, everywhere... But, hands down- out of all of the different varieties- "Mama's Brucietta" is by far the best. I love when Altoona provides me with some of the best food my palette has ever tasted. Who said you need to be world-rounded to experience great food. Just go to Central PA!
(4)
Nick W.
They serve just about anything you want here. The Steak Salad is my favorite thing here. My grandmother said the angle hair pasta with clam sauce is the best she's ever had. They also have really good (HUGE) Strombolis
(5)
John K.
Awesome food and service. Had gnocchi and meatball that was excellent. Owner was there talking with everyone to make sure things were good. Very homey place with a friendly atmosphere.
(5)
Darren S.
For a local Italian pizza place you don't get much better than Mama's. Have yet to have anything that was disappointing. Pizza slices are huge, sauce is sweet, Stromboli is great, egg parm, steak salads, lasagna..... Can't go wrong. Weekends are a rough time to get in as they get crowded quick. But if you haven't eaten here I highly recommend it!
(4)
Jeff B.
As before I ate the pizza. Big slices and tastes fabulous. I brought my 2 year old son Who turns 3 tomorrow and they actually went out and bought him candles for a brownie and sang him.happy birthday and they usually dont do that. They made his night. Made him so happy! Very kind people. Def coming back regularly.
(5)
Ace C.
This is a comfortable, casual family restaurant frequented by local Penn State students and professors. The service is good with young, eager waiters. It's affordable, fast, and the food is fantastic. The pizza is the best in town, and the cheese fries may be the best ever!
(5)
Tom H.
When I looked at the reviews I thought this was a real restaurant, so when I walked in I was surprised to see a converted fast food joint. There was no beer or wine list, I asked what beers they had and they said that they are connected to a "6-Pack" and they have lots. When I asked if I could go over and look she just asked me again what I wanted and she would get it, I settled for a Yuengling, everyone has Yuengling. The reviews said that the bruschetta was good so we gave it a try. The tomatoes may have been fresh once, but not today. There was fresh garlic, to much fresh garlic. The flavor was off, I think they added some oregano. The mozzarella cheese really kind of was the death knell for it, and there was a ton of it on top. They did not give us appetizer plates, we had to share the serving plate to keep the mess off of the table. My wife had the ham and turkey sub and she really liked it. The lettuce was fresh and the meat was cold. She would order that again. I ordered the gnocchi with sausage. The gnocchi was very soggy and water logged, the sausage was good. The high part was the sauce. I ate quite a bit of the sauce. I think this was the same sauce they use on their pizza's. If that is the case I really wish I had ordered a pizza! Overall the food was pretty average, presentation was dinerish, the floors dirty. We woudl not god back.
(2)
Joseph P.
My wife and I love this place. Ate there four times in five days. Their Sicilian pizza is thick, and filling. Had their gnocchi and chicken cutlets. Also delicious. Their house dressing is tops! Also tried regular pizza and a baked Italian sub. All amazing. Can't go wrong. If you catch them at the right time, they also have terrific home made cheese ravioli. You won't regret this stop!
(5)
Laurie C.
Great food. Kinda slow, but worth it !
(5)
Eddie S.
This is another hometown staple that I love. One thing that I didn't realize until I moved away is that Altoona actually has some pretty darn good pizza joints. 90% of the places in the Baltimore area are average to lousy. Mama Randazzo's has very good pizza and salads. That's about all I've ever had there. To the New Yorker that complained about the cheese on his salad. That is an Altoona and Western PA thing. Cheese and/or French fries are about as common on salads as tomatoes and onions back home; hence the girth of many residents. We love it! haha
(4)
Carol F.
Another thumbs up for "Mama's Brucietta" .. so yummy. I agree that they could cut back on the amount of cheese, but either way it's good. I can't believe no one else has mentioned Mams'a meatballs .. or her chicken cutlets .. or the lasagna ..or the homemade Italian wedding soup. All of them are my favorites, along with the already mentioned buffalo chicken salad, calzone, and chicken cheese steak. I remember we went there once after Saturday evening church and the a/c was too cool for my daughters. Sal went and grabbed a couple of Mama's sweaters to wrap around them. Now *that* is service that you only get at a family owned (and run!) establishment.
(4)
Joey H.
As delivery, I'm enjoying my chicken parmesan. Even though I was eating this meal in the back of a pharmacy store, I took my plastic fork and plastic knife and devoured the chicken...in a clean way since there were people all around me. I enjoyed the dish. Even later when I ate more, because I couldn't finish the meal first time around. Great job!
(4)
Donald S.
Mama's Meat-a-balls.....
(5)
Alex R.
IF YOU GO THERE, MAKE SURE YOU ORDER THE BRUSCHETTA. SPELLED BRUCIETTA THERE. ORDER THREE ORDERS OF IT. YOU WILL NEVER GET ENOUGH. I lived right down the street from this place my second year of college. Their restaurant and adjoining six pack shop could have stayed in business just from our house (there were 7 people in the house, in all fairness.) They have a fine example of the Buffalo Chicken Salad, a cheap art maybe but still an ever rewarding one. The woman that owns it either grows most of her vegetables or gets them from the Amish, and where ever they are getting their breads must be a very well kept secret. I'm trying to think if I've ever been disappointed by a meal here, and I haven't. Also, the eggplant parm, the eggplant is sliced like razor thin, two pieces are stuffed with ricotta cheese, then they bread it and fry it. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
(4)
Chris M.
As a business traveller, I was in town and looking for someplace to eat. I cam across Mama Randazzo's through Yelp and decided to try it out. I arrived and ordered a calazone. A medium calazone. When it came out, I think it was more than a foot long! And for $9.99 + toppings, the price was right. I ended up eating about 1/2 of it and have the remainder for lunch tomorrow. There is a lot of food for a good price. I think the quality of the food is pretty good, giving a net very good value. I'd recommend stopping by this place. It's a great place near campus. It very much reminds me of the old pizza/calazone place in Golden, CO from when I was in college. Great memories!
(4)
Brett E.
Amazing food and great family feel. Come by every time I'm in Altoona to see Mama and Paul to have some of their amazing meatballs, pizza, sandwiches, etc. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu, and when it comes to the holidays, nothing is better than Mama's cannoli!
(5)
Kurt Y.
Love their pizza and hot wings. Great place to take the family without breaking the bank.
(5)
Louis R.
I tried the advice of other yelpers and got the bruschetta and the buffalo chicken salad. It might have been delicious, but I couldn't seem to dig underneath the ungodly amounts of shredded cheese on both plates to actually taste anything else. Want cheese? Go here. Want any other food... maybe it's in there somewhere?
(2)
Zach L.
Chicken parm sub was good but a little dry. My wife had the meatball sub. Huge meatballs with lots of cheese on good bread. Garlicky too. Had bruschetta as well and it was pretty good. Can definitely see why this place is so popular. Call ahead service at 5pm was a 20 minute wait...not bad.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Mike T.
Mama Randazzos is a great Pizza joint in Altoona. The Pizza is delicious, and has a taste of fresh quality ingredients. The wings are also amazing! When it comes to Pizza I think Mama's wins top choice in Altoona for quality as well as price!
(4)Andres L.
I've had their pizza which was great but then I decided to try their entrees/sandwiches after their renovation and was disappointed. The Sicilian is nice and thick and full of flavor. In house, I ordered a salad, chicken sandwich and a regular pizza. Those were meh.
(3)Rani P.
Lord this is good food. GREAT food. My best friend and I have been going here for years- walking before we could drive there. I can't say much about the pizza- but the subs are exceptional. My personal favorite is the Chicken Cheese Steak. Everything is so fresh and has incredible flavors. One of my favorite foods is bruschetta. I order it wherever I am- Boston, Altoona, everywhere... But, hands down- out of all of the different varieties- "Mama's Brucietta" is by far the best. I love when Altoona provides me with some of the best food my palette has ever tasted. Who said you need to be world-rounded to experience great food. Just go to Central PA!
(4)Nick W.
They serve just about anything you want here. The Steak Salad is my favorite thing here. My grandmother said the angle hair pasta with clam sauce is the best she's ever had. They also have really good (HUGE) Strombolis
(5)John K.
Awesome food and service. Had gnocchi and meatball that was excellent. Owner was there talking with everyone to make sure things were good. Very homey place with a friendly atmosphere.
(5)Darren S.
For a local Italian pizza place you don't get much better than Mama's. Have yet to have anything that was disappointing. Pizza slices are huge, sauce is sweet, Stromboli is great, egg parm, steak salads, lasagna..... Can't go wrong. Weekends are a rough time to get in as they get crowded quick. But if you haven't eaten here I highly recommend it!
(4)Jeff B.
As before I ate the pizza. Big slices and tastes fabulous. I brought my 2 year old son Who turns 3 tomorrow and they actually went out and bought him candles for a brownie and sang him.happy birthday and they usually dont do that. They made his night. Made him so happy! Very kind people. Def coming back regularly.
(5)Ace C.
This is a comfortable, casual family restaurant frequented by local Penn State students and professors. The service is good with young, eager waiters. It's affordable, fast, and the food is fantastic. The pizza is the best in town, and the cheese fries may be the best ever!
(5)Tom H.
When I looked at the reviews I thought this was a real restaurant, so when I walked in I was surprised to see a converted fast food joint. There was no beer or wine list, I asked what beers they had and they said that they are connected to a "6-Pack" and they have lots. When I asked if I could go over and look she just asked me again what I wanted and she would get it, I settled for a Yuengling, everyone has Yuengling. The reviews said that the bruschetta was good so we gave it a try. The tomatoes may have been fresh once, but not today. There was fresh garlic, to much fresh garlic. The flavor was off, I think they added some oregano. The mozzarella cheese really kind of was the death knell for it, and there was a ton of it on top. They did not give us appetizer plates, we had to share the serving plate to keep the mess off of the table. My wife had the ham and turkey sub and she really liked it. The lettuce was fresh and the meat was cold. She would order that again. I ordered the gnocchi with sausage. The gnocchi was very soggy and water logged, the sausage was good. The high part was the sauce. I ate quite a bit of the sauce. I think this was the same sauce they use on their pizza's. If that is the case I really wish I had ordered a pizza! Overall the food was pretty average, presentation was dinerish, the floors dirty. We woudl not god back.
(2)Joseph P.
My wife and I love this place. Ate there four times in five days. Their Sicilian pizza is thick, and filling. Had their gnocchi and chicken cutlets. Also delicious. Their house dressing is tops! Also tried regular pizza and a baked Italian sub. All amazing. Can't go wrong. If you catch them at the right time, they also have terrific home made cheese ravioli. You won't regret this stop!
(5)Laurie C.
Great food. Kinda slow, but worth it !
(5)Eddie S.
This is another hometown staple that I love. One thing that I didn't realize until I moved away is that Altoona actually has some pretty darn good pizza joints. 90% of the places in the Baltimore area are average to lousy. Mama Randazzo's has very good pizza and salads. That's about all I've ever had there. To the New Yorker that complained about the cheese on his salad. That is an Altoona and Western PA thing. Cheese and/or French fries are about as common on salads as tomatoes and onions back home; hence the girth of many residents. We love it! haha
(4)Carol F.
Another thumbs up for "Mama's Brucietta" .. so yummy. I agree that they could cut back on the amount of cheese, but either way it's good. I can't believe no one else has mentioned Mams'a meatballs .. or her chicken cutlets .. or the lasagna ..or the homemade Italian wedding soup. All of them are my favorites, along with the already mentioned buffalo chicken salad, calzone, and chicken cheese steak. I remember we went there once after Saturday evening church and the a/c was too cool for my daughters. Sal went and grabbed a couple of Mama's sweaters to wrap around them. Now *that* is service that you only get at a family owned (and run!) establishment.
(4)Joey H.
As delivery, I'm enjoying my chicken parmesan. Even though I was eating this meal in the back of a pharmacy store, I took my plastic fork and plastic knife and devoured the chicken...in a clean way since there were people all around me. I enjoyed the dish. Even later when I ate more, because I couldn't finish the meal first time around. Great job!
(4)Donald S.
Mama's Meat-a-balls.....
(5)Alex R.
IF YOU GO THERE, MAKE SURE YOU ORDER THE BRUSCHETTA. SPELLED BRUCIETTA THERE. ORDER THREE ORDERS OF IT. YOU WILL NEVER GET ENOUGH. I lived right down the street from this place my second year of college. Their restaurant and adjoining six pack shop could have stayed in business just from our house (there were 7 people in the house, in all fairness.) They have a fine example of the Buffalo Chicken Salad, a cheap art maybe but still an ever rewarding one. The woman that owns it either grows most of her vegetables or gets them from the Amish, and where ever they are getting their breads must be a very well kept secret. I'm trying to think if I've ever been disappointed by a meal here, and I haven't. Also, the eggplant parm, the eggplant is sliced like razor thin, two pieces are stuffed with ricotta cheese, then they bread it and fry it. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.
(4)Chris M.
As a business traveller, I was in town and looking for someplace to eat. I cam across Mama Randazzo's through Yelp and decided to try it out. I arrived and ordered a calazone. A medium calazone. When it came out, I think it was more than a foot long! And for $9.99 + toppings, the price was right. I ended up eating about 1/2 of it and have the remainder for lunch tomorrow. There is a lot of food for a good price. I think the quality of the food is pretty good, giving a net very good value. I'd recommend stopping by this place. It's a great place near campus. It very much reminds me of the old pizza/calazone place in Golden, CO from when I was in college. Great memories!
(4)Brett E.
Amazing food and great family feel. Come by every time I'm in Altoona to see Mama and Paul to have some of their amazing meatballs, pizza, sandwiches, etc. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu, and when it comes to the holidays, nothing is better than Mama's cannoli!
(5)Kurt Y.
Love their pizza and hot wings. Great place to take the family without breaking the bank.
(5)Louis R.
I tried the advice of other yelpers and got the bruschetta and the buffalo chicken salad. It might have been delicious, but I couldn't seem to dig underneath the ungodly amounts of shredded cheese on both plates to actually taste anything else. Want cheese? Go here. Want any other food... maybe it's in there somewhere?
(2)Zach L.
Chicken parm sub was good but a little dry. My wife had the meatball sub. Huge meatballs with lots of cheese on good bread. Garlicky too. Had bruschetta as well and it was pretty good. Can definitely see why this place is so popular. Call ahead service at 5pm was a 20 minute wait...not bad.
(4)