Going to Anacostia? Try Mama’s Pizza Kitchen

Residents around Anacostia Playhouse and Anacostia Arts Center know where to head for quality takeout or a quick dine-in meal. Ask, and they’ll tell you – “I go to Mama’s”.

Mama makes everything fresh every day from the baked bread for sandwiches, lasagna (a neighborhood favorite), her red sauce, and, of course, the pizza crust, a thick, tasty bed for Mama’s generous fillings.

The most popular pies are the Combo meat pizza and the spinach feta. Ask for a slice ($2.50 – $3.00) and you get a huge two hander piece, hot from the oven.While we were there, folks were also lining up for chicken wings, pulled pork and BBQ ribs.

In a hurry? Some menu items are ready in five minutes. Or linger at small tables in the no-frills front section.

“Cooked with love” is written on the dining room wall. That cooking comes from a tiny kitchen overseen by Mama herself, Fatima Nayir, who was born in Turkey and brought her love for cooking first to New Orleans and now to Anacostia. Nayir’s husband takes orders, but in this pizzaria, Mama rules.