Mama's On Washington Square has been a North Beach institution for almost 50 years. Open only for breakfast and lunch, it has a never-ending line of people out front waiting to get in. We arrived on a weekday morning to find a dozen people out front, a dozen people in line when we sat down to eat, and a dozen people outside when we left. Don't be deterred, the food here is absolutely worth the wait.
Mama's is probably best known for their eggs Benedict, particularly the Dungeness crab version, which many people were having that morning. Since we were planning on a seafood dinner that night we decided on regular breakfast fare, saving those crab Benedicts for another visit.
One breakfast consisted of a generous ham steak, eggs, and home fried potatoes with sourdough toast. The ham was hot and smokey, the eggs perfectly cooked, and the potatoes golden and crispy outside, soft and tender inside. The sourdough toast with jam was crunchy and satisfying. The second plate was an apple yogurt French toast dipped in egg whites and served with fresh berries. For a healthy version of French toast this was rich tasting and amazingly delicious. With hot coffee it was the perfect start for the day.
Mama's is not the kind of place for a quick bite to eat; don't visit if you are in a hurry. But if you have the time for a delicious, filling breakfast, this is the place to go in the North Beach area.
