Mama Bear's - A Conscious Cafe in Old Town
It’s the end of the month again which means J and I head to Delta Township to get her hair cut. While she’s doing that, I drive around town, run errands, and of course, scout out new places to eat. In City Pulse’s Top of the Town Awards, I noticed a cafe in Old Town that racked up a few awards. I couldn’t find much other than a Myspace page on the place, but it sounded good to me.
Mama Bear’s Cafe is on Turner Street in Old Town half a block off of Grand River Avenue. I drove by the building four times trying to find it. It’s a big grey building with a black awning. There is a logo on the awning, but it’s hard to see from the street. I did finally find it and after I picked J up, headed back to Old Town for lunch.
We parked on the street a few doors down from the cafe and walked back. The cafe is pretty small, but very cute. The order counter is near the front. The dining room are heavy wood tables which are scattered throughout the space. Next to the counter on either side is a pastry case with all sorts of goodies including some that are vegan.
We stopped in closer to 1:30 which would have been after the lunch rush. The lady working told us they had a pretty busy lunch and they were out of a few things. There was no turkey left and they didn’t have everything to make the creole wrap which I think is the menu item J was looking at.
Even with the little set back, we both found something on the menu that looked good. Mama Bear’s is, for the most part, a deli-like cafe. The options are all cold meat sandwiches or wraps plus a couple of soups. Since they couldn’t make the creole wrap, J settled on the #8 Herbed Hummus Wrap. This was one of the sandwiches that was right up her alley. You get your choice of hummus flavors plus three veggies. The selected items are then wrapped in a whole wheat wrap and served alongside fresh, seasonal veggies. J really liked the sandwich and used the hummus that dripped out as a dipping sauce for the three carrot sticks that came with the sandwich. She also got a sugar free iced coffee to go with her sandwich.
Mama Bear's on Turner Street in Lansing's Old Town
I got the #2 which is called The Godmother. The sandwich consisted of thin sliced Mortadella, Genoa Salami, Prosciutto, Provolone cheese, and lettuce then it’s dressed with a house garlic vinaigrette which was really the star o this sandwich. The whole thing is served on fresh baked bread which was really soft and perfect for this sandwich. The Godmother was delicious, but not enough for someone with a huge appetite like me. The “side” item was three carrot sticks. I’m not a huge fan of carrots, so I gave them to J. I loved the sandwich, but left hungry.
The bill for the two sandwiches and one drink (I passed on a drink, but really should have tried one of the rootbeer or soda’s that they sell) was just over $18. It took less than five minutes from the time we ordered until the time our plates were brought to us. Mama Bear’s was perfect for J. She really liked her sandwich and her coffee and left satisfied. I thought my sandwich tasted delicious, but wasn’t enough to fill me up. Still, J does appreciate it when I pick places like Mama Bear’s. It’s kind of a guilt free lunch. They use local grown and organic products whenver possible which makes us both feel good about eating out. Mama Bear’s fits perfectly into the Old Town landscape. It’s a light, healthy lunch that you can feel good about eating.
Mid-Michigan Dining 
Leave a comment