Mama Z’s

Formerly known as Yes Lah, and now as Mama Z’s, this is a delightful restaurant in Didsbury that offers a fusion of Malaysian and Filipino cuisines. The founders, Zosima (Mama Z) and Yen (Woks Cluckin), have been doing street food and pop-up events since 2017, and their dream of opening a permanent location was finally realised in May 2022.

The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, cakes, and coffee, as well as a curated selection of snacks, drinks, and groceries. The menu is curated to evoke nostalgia from both founders’ childhood dishes with their own twists, while also showcasing other East and Southeast Asian cuisines and locally-sourced products.

The restaurant’s interiors have been renovated with the help of YouTube tutorials, and the result is a modest, comfortable, and personalised space with a neighbourhood cafe feel. The tables have beautiful tablecloths from Malaysia, and the room has a Kickstarter’s wall of fame hung in the middle of a wall.

Mama Z’s offers workshops, cooking classes, and supper clubs in the evenings, which enrich both the brain and the belly. It’s a home away from home that welcomes customers with its warm and comforting hospitality. The restaurant is a place to revisit old memories while creating new ones with its delicious food and drink offerings.