Mamuśka

Fun and friendly venue with great polish cafe food. Great for a quick bite or as a stomach-liner before a night out. Oh... and they serve vodka at breakfast time as well in case you feel the need for hair of a dog in the morning. A brilliant fixture in the area and all at bargain prices.

I've never actually tired Polish food before, and didn't really know what to expect. But what Mamuska delivered some wonderful comfort food. We had pierogi with the Qype event and the sour cream and bacon served with them was a lovely addition. Veyr tasty and surprisingly filling. 

We were also treated to William from Vestal Vodka talking us through varying flavours, filters and types of vodka. The best of describing them is that the first shot started in my tummy and the last one started in my throat. As they got more distilled the flavour hits you further up...

At £5 for a main we couldn't resist on topping up the dumplings with the placki ziemniaczane z sosem (potatoe pancakes) with golash...they were amazing. Real homemade honest food and at  very reasonable prices. 

Ian the friendly and outgoing owner is a delight to speak with. His passion for his business runs throughout the establishment and l thoroughly enjoyed the evening and the food! 

So your Polish mother would be upset if she knew you ate homemade food like this outside your own home..? Or so goes the strapline under this cafe-restaurant's logo as interpreted by the enthusiastic genial manager. But it's probably because Mamuska would know that you'd get cool modern surroundings, big widescreen TV and lots of nice alcohol there, even though like at her home, what you would get to consume is well, still mainly, potatoes. Or otherwise made from potatoes, as most of the Polish vodka is, and not grain. But William, who brings over his lovely family vodka Vestal to the UK, kindly let us taste them all whilst explaining that the taste is about using smaller potatoes, sweeter potatoes, even 'virgin' yellow potatoes, whatever they are, but which incomprehensibly did make the most desirable amber vodka.

Anyway, back to the restaurant. It's a bright warm modern cafe bar lighting up the tired cold drabness of Elephant shopping centre. A homage to the 'milk bar' rather than the real thing. And with delicious irony, here the Polish modern-retro style brings colour to the grey communist style architecture of this part of Southwark. I wish I could say that all the food was quite as delicious. Though the pierogi (potato dumplings) were a much more interesting way to have your carbs than most, and came with onions, cream and bacon sides, and the meat ones kept my tastebuds interested for at least the first five or six! The mains are certainly cheap (£5) and filling (5lb?) but the relatively small number of pieces of (admittedly tender) pork in the goulash (or its Polish equivalent name with no vowels) was swimming in rather floury white-ish gravy, poured over a stack of four cakes made from...

i was fortunate to be invited along to the Qype Poland launch party here and wow what a very nice night.
The vodka on the table was free flowing neat or with orange. There was also William from Vestal Vodka who introduced us to his family's vodka and i can safely recommend the amber vodka that had elderflower in it, I will be ordering some from his website.

This was my first taste of polish food and we sampled 2 types of pierogi (dumplings) one filled with minced pork and the other cheese and onion. It came with 3 topping, sour cream,bacon and onion. I was impressed they looked very stodgy but they werent just very tasty,

Looking at the menu its a very cheap eaterie £5 for all main meals that looked very filling and warming. I will be coming back here to sample some of their other food. The staff were very friendly and helpful.
There was some nice music playing lots of long tables with chairs.
I would definitely recommend this place and certainly for an inexpensive nighy

Went for the Polish qype event which was thoroughly enjoyable. Tried lots of different vodkas and pierogi (polish dumplings) which came with sides which I believe were bacon bits, soft cheese and some sort of pickle and bits of dried fruit. It is a very welcoming atmosphere run by an american sounding man, all the rest of the staff however are Polish. Within the restaurant there are some large tables. So you may have to share, but hey you might meet someone interesting if you start talking. I will definitely be back again to sample more Polish delights.

Wonderful canteen restaurant that offers good quality and filling Polish food at very reasonable prices (around £5 for a main course).

I have been to this restaurant about 20 times and am still impressed with the quality of the food here. There is also a large selection of different dishes so you never tire of the menu.

Portion sizes are large enough to fill you up and if not, they offer sides at a very reasonable £1 each.

They also have a good selection of drinks (including Vodka in three temperatures), the staff are always friendly and responsive and food arrives in a reasonably short time.

I cannot vouch for the authenticity of the food, but have taken Polish friends there and have been told that the menu is quite typical. The bar also exhibits art work by local Polish artists and Polish TV.

The atmosphere is pleasant and whilst not appropriate for a smart/posh dinner, is worth a visit for the good food and would also be perfect as a informal date venue.

Also good to visit for breakfast, these are very tasty.

This only Polish milk bar (equivalent to English greasy spoon) in London (if not in UK) is the only good reason for me to visit Elephant & Castle.

The initially raw decor revoked the memories of the Polish milk bars from the Communism time, especially – as the spoons on chains could suggest – the one from a cult comedy of the time “Mis” (“Teddy Bear”). However, since my first visit, the place evolved dramatically (possibly due to lack of understanding of the reference among the local clientele:)).

Currently the restaurant shows Polish artists living in the UK, broadcasts Polish TV, plays Polish charts and offers Polish émigré magazines. But despite the strong Polish accents, the place is visited by international crowd, longing for Polish national delicacies, which in „Mamuska” are not only delicious, but also very cheap.

A massive portion of potato pancakes in wild mushroom sauce or dumplings (with meat, sauerkraut & mushrooms, bacon and sauerkraut fillings) you will pay only £5! Additionally, for just £1 you can order compote, fresh salad or gherkins in brine that will for sure go well with another Polish speciality – vodka – served from freezer, fridge and from the counter.

It wouldn’t be a Polish bar if it didn’t have borsch with croquet (menu says it’s home made, but I have doubts about it), Russian salad, black pudding and cheese cake which are as good as at home, made by our Mamuskas.