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By Francesca Ritchie.
If you’ve dined out in Auckland, chances are that you’ve eaten at one of Mimi Gilmour’s restaurants. An icon within the food industry, Mimi has been creating beautifully inviting spaces and knowing exactly what we want to eat – before we even know it ourselves. Discussing the latest opening alongside business partner Leisha Jones, it's instantly apparent that whilst it comes down to business, this is one full of heart.
“I am constantly evaluating what works and what doesn’t in all of my businesses. The past few years in hospitality have been tough, but I always look for exciting opportunities during hard times.
With Burger Burger about to enter a new phase of growth, we wanted to reassess how all our sites were operating. The Newmarket site now felt too big for a Burger Burger, so after 10 successful years, it felt like time for a change.”
Mimi admits to having a special place in her heart for Newmarket. Growing up in the area and falling in love with the beautiful community of passionate New Zealand businesses in Osborne Lane. So rather than closing the doors entirely, she opted to reinvent the space, enter: Mama.
When asked to describe it in three words; Fun, generous and affordable - “This restaurant is all about going back to what I really love and where that all came from. Cooking, hosting and showing love through great hospitality, all came from my family, especially my Mama.
It’s also about where I am at in my life. I grew up watching my Mum work in some of the most iconic restaurants in Auckland. I’m now at that age and stage that my Mum was back then, now I want my kids to see me doing the same.” Mama is all about comfort and being looked after – we know that everybody loves their Mama’s cooking, but we also know that Mama needs a night out.
Inspired by Italian family tables, Mama is loud, fun, and full of joy – just the way it should be, serving pizza, pasta, and other deliciously nostalgic comfort food it caters to any occasion from casual weeknight dinners and takeaway, to lingering Sunday lunches, date nights and family celebrations. And the transformation inside adds to its welcoming charm, with larger round tables by the kitchen, cheekily donned “the naughty corner”, cozy spots for dates, and a private dining room for special occasions.
The menu not only features classic Italian comfort dishes but also their own playful interpretations of Italian dishes to keep things interesting, such as the burnt eggplant and anchovy dip – a surprising yet harmonious marriage of baba ganoush and bagna cauda; as well as some really fun pizza toppings that will be changed out frequently.
Quality produce is key, Mama’s executive chef Joe O’Connell has spent 10 years running Ozone Coffee kitchens and is an advocate for working directly with local suppliers, so you’ll find a lot of great local produce on the menu, think heritage pork cotoletta, Kelmarna Garden lettuce mix, and salami from a small producer called Martinez in the South Island. Joe also loves adding interest through ferments and fire, so expect some smoky elements on the menu, as well as some quirky stuff like fermented chilli sauce, which is available on request to spice up your pizza and pasta.
During the week, Mama will have a “luncheonette” counter, offering some quick grab-and-go options for weekday lunches such as Italian sandwiches and salads – a welcome lunch option for those not wanting to scrimp on flavour but are short on time. But what you’ll really want to get your hands on is the focaccia – “it’s super soft and made with a mix of flour and potatoes. It’s the perfect vessel to accompany some of the delicious small plates on our menu, like scooping up our luscious house made ricotta; dipping in the flavoured oil of our pickled mussels; and swiping up the last bits of red sauce off your spaghetti plate.”
You can also look forward to a almost entirely Italian wine list that will complement the dishes beautifully, and of course for those long summer lunches, Mama is offering a summer spritz menu, so you can transport yourself (even if only mentally) to the Amalfi Coast in no time. Which brings us to the restaurant design itself...
“Designing spaces that feel inviting and interesting is so important, and something I am very passionate about. I have loved working alongside Wonder Group – who have done the fit out for some of our Burger Burger locations – to create a chic and playful space with a lot of personality.”
But there is a nod to nostalgia amongst the newness, one of the prized possessions they have kept from Burger Burger Newmarket is a vintage vitrine that was hung above the bar – originally left behind by York Street Mechanics, the tenant before Burger Burger. “I always like to keep one thing from an old restaurant when I open another, so we have kept the vitrine from above the bar and it will now be at the door when guests arrive at Mama.”
They’ve also added skylights to brighten the space and added windows to open the restaurant out into Osborne Lane, enticing long alfresco lunches to spill out into the lane come summer.
Adding to the experience will be a carefully curated music list – there may even be a DJ booth tucked away somewhere, but you’ll have to stay late to see! Mama is anything but uptight, welcoming big groups and celebrations, and even a little dancing between the tables after dinner.
Change doesn’t come without its challenges, yet Mimi notes that it’s the strength of her team that have kept the process moving “Overall I have felt really grateful throughout this process to work with such a solid team who I can collaborate with and trust entirely. We’re all having a lot of fun and some healthy debates – it took us weeks of discussion to get our lasagne just right.
Opening this restaurant is the result of a challenging time, but in many ways, it feels like the easiest restaurant I’ve done in my career so far, and has reaffirmed why I love what I do.”
Straight from the soul to table, it is abundantly clear that Mama has come from a place of love “I hope people leave Mama feeling nourished in their heart and their stomach. We want people to keep coming back to Mama because they know they’ll be looked after, have fun, and the food will always be delicious.”
MAMA
Osborne Lane, Newmarket
This article featured in the Summer 2025 issue of NEWMARKET. magazine, to view the latest issue, click here.
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