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[[HIGHLIGHT]]If you're looking for a charming, cozy, romantic Italian restaurant with fresh high quality food, look no further![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I had dinner here on a Tuesday night and it felt like a weekend given how busy they were![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I highly recommend making reservations through Yelp. For my appetizer, I got the goat cheese stuffed shrimp which was so creamy and rich! I used every last drop of the sauce so I ended up dipping my bread in it - I could NOT let the sauce go to waste. For my entree, I got the chicken piccata with angel hair. This dish is a hit or miss for me since a lot of restaurants tend to make it too oily. Mama Carolla's version was perfect with plenty of fresh lemon instead of the chicken swimming in oil. I know that angel hair pasta is a pretty basic side, but it was definitely the best angel hair I've ever had!
I love going to mama carolla's!!! The food never misses and doesn't make me feel terrible afterwards (which is very important, especially with American based Italian food( However, the service is a hit or miss. I had a waitress that offered another table a free dessert for being an anchor on a news channel. I think that is okay in various situations, but with the tables being so close, it just made us feel very awkward overhearing the waitress provide a free dessert for that reason while providing very average service towards us. Not only that, while exiting, the hosts weren't the most friendly. Both aren't really big deals and I don't want to rate a restaurant terribly due to service, but just interesting to experience....
Went to celebrate a birthday, and the service, atmosphere and most importantly the food, was simply solid! Got on their waitlist as we approached and when we arrived, we got quickly seated. I've heard there's typically long lines, so maybe going mid week is the ideal time to go. We started off with fried ravioli and it was delicious, maybe a little more cheese would have been ideal, but it was still delicious. We got a ton of options and they all delivered. Angel hair with fettuccine Alfredo, Chicken Parmesan was a delicious option and the Chicken Rigatoni was slightly spicy and spot on! Overall, a solid five stars! Will definitely come again.
Another excellent Italian restaurant in the Broad Ripple area! This restaurant is nestled in the neighborhood and within easy walking distance. My Orlando neighbor, Janie D., who has a house in the area I was staying at, recommended I try this place. (Her past recommendation for Fernando's is now a regular stop for me when I'm in town and this will definitely be another "Go To" for me after my visit here!) [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is quaint and it feels like you walked into an authentic Italian family business.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The inside is nicely decorated, and the outside back patio has ample space, with a tent and tower patio heaters when the weather is cool, like it was this evening.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Excellent service always makes a 5-star restaurant and from the hostess stand to the servers, Mama Carolla's has it all! Our server was the incredible Chas who was entertaining and attentive even at the late hour we chose to dine. My friends ordered from the Steak portion of the menu (the Uncle Dino's 12oz New York Strip and the Cousin Mary's 8oz Filet), and both said their steaks were cooked exactly to their liking and were impressed with the entire meal. I ordered from the "Mama's Specialties" menu and selected the Rosemary Chicken Lasagna. IT WAS SO GOOD! This was the first time I tried chicken in a lasagna and I was blown away! It was layered with wild mushrooms, spinach, ricotta cheese, fresh mozzarella and flavored with spices. It was surrounded in a tomato butter sauce that was incredible. The portion was large and I had enough for lunch the next day. We ordered a nice Merlot that paired perfectly with the steaks and the lasagna. A 5-star delicious experience all the way around!
I have been meaning to try Mama Carolla's for a while now and let me set the stage. First off you need need a reservation. Not that you can't do walk ins but given how busy the place is, it's a long wait and definitely not worth your time. Second, the ambience needs a shout out - Mama Carolla's has won awards for its ambience and it's beautiful. Next the food, every single thing we ordered was so so so delicious. The artichoke fritters were so delicious and I couldn't stop at one. The pasta too good was definitely too good! It was a lot for me alone and I definitely recommend sharing unless you can fill up on just pasta. The dessert was Okayish and I don't see that taking over the fritters and the pasta. Service was very quick despite being so busy and we had a great time. A very festive atmosphere and it was definitely worth it!
Im ashamed that it took me this long to finally give this place a try. Always heard great things, and they absolutely lived up to the hype. Everything we had was excellent. The bread was all fresh-baked, the pasta was perfectly cooked, and the dessert was exactly what we needed to cap it all off. In addition to the top-notch quality, the portion sizes were also a pleasant surprise. Away from the food, the service was also terrific. Despite how busy they were, we were seated quickly, and the food came out to the table much faster than we expected. Keith was our waiter that night, and he was a total pro. Overall, I can't say enough good things about our experience. We'll definitely be back.
I haven't been here in years and not sure why! I love the cozy, homey feel that Mama Carolla's offer. The seating is kind of tight but it makes you all nice and cozy. It was cutely decorated for the holiday season. Including our waitress dressed head to toe in Elf gear. My 4 year old niece loved that! There are no reservations accepted on Friday/Saturday. I joined the waitlist via Yelp and checked in when I arrived. We waited about 30ish minutes on a Friday night. Parking is available in the rear for $5 or you can park in whatever free spots you can find nearby. The food was delicious! We had fried ravioli for an app. I had the chicken lasagna and it was delicious. The portions are large. The service is great.
Mama Corolla's really never misses The food is SO good every single time! Like the kind of place where everybody at the table is silent for the first few bites because it's that good lol. The pasta is amazing, the bread and sauce are chef's kiss, and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the vibes are cozy and cute without trying too hard.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It honestly feels like a hidden gem even though everybody knows about it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Perfect for date nights, girls dinners, birthdays, literally anything.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] One of my favorite restaurants in Indy for sure. I love the fried ravioli! And that chicken lasagna is to DIE for! You just go!
Mama Carolla's has such a charming, old-world atmosphere. It's a very cozy spot that is perfect for date night or family dinner. We started with the stuffed mushrooms, which I thought was okay. There was crab meat in it, but I didn't realize it had crab until my husband told me. For entrées, the Misto Mare was fresh and light with a mix of seafood that was satisfying. The chicken parm was exactly what you'd hope for - crispy, cheesy, and topped with lots of sauce. Everything came out hot and well-prepared. Service was friendly and attentive, but was also slow. This was expected as it was packed! We went on a Sunday evening and arrived around 5:15 with already a 45 minute wait if you wanted to eat inside. I think it would be hard to bring very small kids because of how packed it was inside. We enjoyed the intimate setting. The pacing of the meal allowed us to relax and enjoy the evening though. While everything was delicious, some of the flavors leaned more toward classic comfort than truly standout. Still, the experience as a whole made for a lovely evening.
The place is adorable. Food is amazing. People are wonderful. Went for a birthday dinner for a friend and as always, loved the atmosphere. This place is quaint and small. Tried four appetizers, yep, ordered four! We tried the Bruschetta, the Calamari, Melon Prosciutto and the fried Raviolis. I highly recommend the Melon Prosciutto. My least favorite was the fried Raviolis (which I wanted to love). Dinner, two had two different veal recipes, I had a pasta with a side of meatballs. Overall, the meal was amazing, just do not get the fried Raviolis, unfortunately. The veal meals were both the best by far, so think about that choice if you are looking at ideas to think out of the box. PROS: Parking- plentiful but you have to pay Wonderful atmosphere Outdoor seating is the way to go, wonderful, even when hot Drinks are great Prices are medium, so affordable for a wonderful night out CONS: Parking- plentiful but you have to pay Small atmosphere inside so it can be loud
Such a special Indy spot! The most charming Italian restaurant. I love to save it for warm weather because their garden is absolutely magical. Wouldn't guess it was right in the city, but the inside is also quaint and cozy so always a good time to go. Food is great! This is a wonderful date spot in Indianapolis. I had the chicken Parmesan and bruschetta to start and enjoyed both!
Review Insights
1 year ago
This has been my favorite place to eat for almost 20 years. It started out being my son and I's favorite date place, now it's my husband and I's. The service, food and drinks are spectacular every single time. I recommend Mama's to everyone. read more
Food is good, but the vibes are better! If you're looking for a great date night spot - this is it. Cozy and romantic, this old house turned restaurant has it all! Great food, great service, great cocktails. We went in during the last few days of Savor, so the wait was LONG, but well worth it. We happily waited. We started with the fried ravioli. It has a lot of crust, so if you don't love batter, this probably isn't for you. Then I had the chicken piccata. SO good! The lemon sauce wasn't too lemony and the portion was huge. Our server was talkative and actually took her time at our table, which I appreciated. This was my first time in, but I'll definitely be returning! read more
Mama has a beautiful little spot right off the Monon Trail south of Broad Ripple. The building is not very big so reservations are a good idea. Its popular and space is limited. Service is fantastic. You never get half way through your water without it being refilled. I think they have someone whose full time job is refilling water =) I went with the Chicken Rigatoni Rizzo Style which included a sliced up Italian Sausage in the mix too. Really good al dente pasta in a mildy spicy sauce. Yummy. Dessert was a little underwhelming. Ricotta cake was simply ok and not worth the $9 they were charging. But overall a great experience. Looking forward to going again and trying other entrees. read more
2 years ago
Food - I ordered the Italian Wedding Soup and the Roasted Rosemary Chicken. My boyfriend (now-fiancée) ordered the Italian Wedding Soup and the Veal Saltimbocca (Angel Hair). For dessert, we shared the Chris's Homemade Ricotta Cake with blackberries. Overall, I really enjoyed the food here. I loved my Italian Wedding Soup and Chicken. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the cake. It was very dense. It had a cornbread like texture to it. I wish we had ordered something else instead of the ricotta cake. Service - Great service! We had dinner here on a Saturday night @ 7 pm. It was very busy, but we didn't have to wait for a table. If you come here with a party larger than two, you might not be so lucky with getting seated quickly. Ambiance - So beautiful! I love the aesthetic of this restaurant. It's very romantic. The perfect date night read more
3 months ago
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7 months ago
Classic Italian! I love Mama's. If you want nice, rustic Italian food ... this is the place! Located in S. Broadripple off of 54th Street, Mama's is quaintly decorated with fabulous service! Went with a group of seven last week and they treated us like royalty and we are a lot! I also love a waiter that tells you their favorites! I think we all ordered one of them. Highly recommend. read more
8 months ago
4 months ago
Let's talk about perfection. This was the best lasagna I have ever had. The sauce is sweeter, the ricotta is fluffy and tangy, and the orange slice adds a perfect sweet acidity to the side if you use it as more than garnish. Our server was very friendly and attentive, making sure we would be happiest with what we ordered. And you cannot beat the ambiance. You essentially step into a Roman villa to have an intimate meal with your family. read more
4 months ago
10 months ago
9 months ago
9 months ago
AUTHENTIC Italian food. Every item we tried was fresh and brimming with flavor. We sat in the patio/garden area and were so charmed by the atmosphere! Will be coming back. read more
8 months ago
Cutie little spot nestled on the monon trail. We visited for our anniversary and sat upstairs, I would have loved to sit on the patio but it was about to rain. We got seated quickly, we had a reservation. They were friendly and mentioned our anniversary. Our waitress was really sweet, started with the fresh mozzarella which was yum and a cocktail. Bread and oil served was soft and the herbs in the oil were nice. I ordered the chicken Parmesan which was huge! I had leftovers, my fiancé ordered the carbonara which was he said was really flavorful. The ambiance was really cute and I would definitely go back. read more
4 months ago
Best bolognese I have ever had! The sauce was so creamy, reminding me of vodka sauce. It was the perfect portion. Bread and oil is served with your salad and soup before your entree. The Italian margarita was also yummy - it had amaretto in it. The restaurant is very nice on the inside and our server was great. I can see why you have to make a reservation to get in! read more
4 months ago
5 months ago
Delicious!! We went here to celebrate a birthday and had a great time. They don't take reservations on Saturdays so we got there at 6 and only had a 30 minute wait which was a lot quicker than we expected considering how busy they were. We were seated inside and it was a little crowded but very romantic and fine dining. I ordered the shrimp scampi with a glass of wine. Both were very delicious. My husband got the veal Parmesan and loved his meal as well. I got a crème brûlée dessert to go and it was perfect. I am looking forward to my next chance to come back and visit! read more
9 months ago
9 months ago
5 months ago
5 months ago
If you're looking for authentic Italian mama Carolla's is for you! (side note: they will not seat you until all of your party has arrived) We opted to sit outside and the day ended up being perfect for it. We started off with Hollys artichoke fritters that were filled with goat cheese. Amazing flavor! Highly recommend! Then we got the bruschetta and were served dinner salads or soup if we preferred. I opted for the side salad. We also were served bread at the table with our meal. We ordered as a table the Alfredo with shrimp (lemon zesty) , the chicken lasagna (came highly recommended as one of their top items on the menu) and the Misto mare (has a bit of a kick). Overall a fantastic dinner. If you can try to snag a spot by good morning mamas for free or park behind mama carollas for $5. read more
5 months ago
2 years ago
Service and atmosphere is always excellent at Mama Corolla's! We sat outside along the Monon trail and it was a very nice night. We shared a carafe of the house Chianti which was very nice along with a warm, fresh bread loaf. Server was very nice and prompt- always filling up our water glasses and had great recommendations. The only somewhat negative was that the Alfredo noodles on the side of the steak dinner came out cold. Otherwise, everything was very good and the favorite was the chicken Parmesan. One newer thing to be mindful of is that the lot behind is owned by another company and is now charging $5 to park. There are signs, but you can still park at Good Morning Mama's and on the street for free, just a little less convenient and confusing, but it's out of their hands! read more
1 year ago
11 months ago
10 months ago
5 months ago
It's been too many years since I've visited Mama Carolla's!!! So glad we tried their amazing Devour menu as it reminded me of how awesome this place is. Everything we ordered was delicious. I started with a blood orange spritzer from the bar while waiting for our table and loved the twist on an Aperol Spritz. We shared shrimp cocktail, brushetta and meatballs for appetizers and all were wonderful. The shrimp tasted fresh and the sauce spicy. We enjoyed the unique smoky mozzarella on the brushetta and the serving of meatballs was generous. The entrees ordered were the wild mushroom & truffle ravioli (heavenly!!!!), shrimp scampi, chicken piccata and rigatoni. Everyone loved their entrees and all were good portions. We ended with a decadent tiramisu. Overall a fantastic experience. read more
2 years ago
I really enjoyed Mama Carollas. Plenty of parking . There was seating on the inside and outside . I loved the nostalgia of the Resturant and atmosphere . Our waitress was super sweet and had great service . I had the veal and Italian wedding soup. They were also sweet and crafted my own cranberry base mocktail ! read more
There is a lovely charm at Mama Carolla's. Love the lighting, converted house to restaurant, little nooks, and areas to eat. I haven't been in ages, but I always have a good time, and honestly could just sit in the bar with some Chianti and be very content. What brought me today was the awesome deal they had for Devour. It was 2 ppl for $40 and you get antipasti, salad, entree. We chose the calamari to start. The breading was crispy, the octopus had a nice chew. The pesto aioli was addicting, would def order again. The salad was a little less appealing. There were some wilted pieces in my friend's salad. I think it would have been better if we would have had the dressing on the side? The star for me was was the Wild Mushrooms & Truffles Ravioli. The truffle cream sauce was decadent and was great to dip the bread in. It would have been great if they had more mushrooms on top. The service was just right. Waters were kept filled, touched in if we needed anything but gave space. I always forget to come here, but glad devour reminded me to come back. read more
More info about Mama Carolla's
1031 E 54th St
Indianapolis, IN 46220
SoBro
Directions
(317) 259-9412
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http://mamacarollas.com/
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Ask the Community - Mama Carolla's
Do they have a catering menu?
Yes, they cater fundraisers, birthdays, retirement parties, baptisms, graduations, communions, confirmations and more!
Is it possible to get a table for 8 in the outside garden area tonight?
Yes. But they don't take reservations. At least they didn't last time we ate there
Does the restaurant require everyone in a party to be present in order to be seated like Good Morning Mama's does?
Yes. Every one in the party must be present in order to be seated, especially for a reservation. It is highly recommended you make a reservation for dinner at Mama Carolla's.
What is the indoor seating like with COVID?
Luckily there are different sections of the restaurant. So you may be in one room with another table, but that's it. You can wear your mask into the restaurant, but you can take it off while seated. More than likely you may be in a room with another…
We are set to sit on the patio tomorrow. Obviously being cold are the patio heaters sufficient to stay warm and enjoy our meal?
Obviously there is a lot of personal preference in this answer, but I went in what we expect to be similar weather a couple weeks ago, and was comfortable! I even took off some of my outerwear (I believe I left my sweater on but removed my hat and…
Do they take reservations?
Not on the weekends. Also, your entire party needs to be present in order for you to be seated, regardless of whether or not you have a reservation (something to keep in mind if you're meeting up with someone).
Do they have gluten free menu options? It was not clear from the website.
Yes. Gluten free pasta can be substituted for $3.00.
I am looking for a place to host a rehearsal dinner for 35 people. Is this a good place for something like that?
Oh yes! It's perfect
Do they have Delivery or take out orders? Yet ambience is an added bonus of eating there.
Yes, on Total takeout. They did a nice job!
Does anyone know if they make their own canolis or if they get them from somewhere else?
They make everything in house.
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65 reviews that are not currently recommended
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Mama Carolla's - italian - Updated July 2026
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