By: Victoria Autocunas
April 9, 2026
The logo for Mama's Cafe Baci. (Source: Mama's Cafe Baci Website)
In Hackettstown, there are many different restaurants that college students use as an escape to get away from all the academics and just have a good time with their friends. One of those is Mama’s Cafe Baci.
I particularly chose this restaurant to review because as someone who has had Celiac Disease all their life and is gluten-free, this restaurant has many options for me. I have never had trouble going to most restaurants really, but this one specifically made it easy to enjoy a meal with my boyfriend or my family.
I will start off with what foods they have on the menu for all customers, and some of the gluten-free options as well. Then, I will go into my ranking of some of my favorite foods on the menu.
Menu at Mama’s
Mama’s Cafe Baci has many different menu’s: a regular menu, Vegan, dairy-free and a gluten-free menu. They have items that you would usually find on menus at Italian restaurants such as, penne vodka and stuffed shells. My favorite part of Mama’s is that when you go to the restaurant, they give you a free sample of the special for the day, with accommodations based on the customer’s dietary needs.
For example, when I went with my family and boyfriend before I moved in last semester, they showed us the special and I was given the rice version while my family was given the pasta version, as most of the specials are pasta dishes. They can all be made for allergen-free guests.
Here are some more dishes on the menu. They include homemade soups, pizzas, signature pastas, and more. They also have a dessert menu with treats like cheesecake and cinnamon rolls. For me, I can have most things because they can make it gluten free, so it is a great enjoyable experience for me.
The Champagne Palma and fried calamari from Mama's Cafe Baci. (Photo by Carlee Nigro)
Ranking Foods
I love the foods I have had there so far, including chicken fingers and the mozzarella sticks. However, the best thing I have had there is the stuffed shells, and the best dessert I have had is the gluten-free massive cinnamon roll. It was so big I had to share! The entre portions are also large, which makes great leftovers.
I really love going to this restaurant. I will be going there again soon in the summer to celebrate something special, and I look forward to all the options I haven’t tried before! (and some I will have again!)
Cyclone Rating
For Mamas Cafe Baci, I will give this restaurant a 5.5 rating. With their amazing selection of food, great service, and family feel, you can’t go wrong with this restaurant.
You can visit Mama’s Cafe Baci in Hackettstown at 260 Mountain Avenue, Hackettstown, New Jersey.