Donna Sanders is the Assistant Producer, Food Editor, and official photographer for the network television, YouTube, and National Ag in the Classroom series Where The Food Comes From. This is the first in a series of articles reviewing the wonderful places the crew of WTFCF finds while traveling and filming.
Traveling around the country filming Where The Food Comes From is fun and exhausting. But lucky for us our Producer and Host Chip Carter always makes it as pleasant as possible. Yet there is one thing he can’t even solve – where to eat.
We have discovered some incredible spots along the way and I thought what fun it would be to share them with you. So, without further ado, first up: Mom’s Place located at 4816 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL.
Mom’s Place has been in Tampa since 1959; the “new” owners have only been running it since 1993! Sorry folks they don’t have a website. I guess when you have been around for decades the food speaks for itself.
Fun Fact: Being located close to Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Raymond James Stadium and Steinbrenner Field, spring training home of the New York Yankees, Mom’s Place has served some of the best athletes, coaches, and team owners their scrumptious downhome cooking. The walls are covered with old photos of past baseball greats who’ve dined there.
But beware – if you are looking for a fancy atmosphere this is not the place for you. But what I can guarantee is a happy mouth and a very full belly.
What’s on today’s menu? I was craving some type of burger and the Patty Melt fit the bill. The burger was served in the traditional manner with grilled onions and Swiss cheese on toasted rye bread. When asked how I wanted it cooked I told the server medium. She then explained the center will be slightly pink and asked if I was alright with that – huh, interesting, she actually cared!
And I got exactly what I ordered. The burger was perfectly cooked, the onions were soft not burnt, and it had just the right amount of cheese. I could actually taste the meat!
The meal comes with a side of fries which were delicious, but honestly, I didn’t eat many of them – more about why in a minute.
I get the feeling that Mom’s Place is best known for their large country breakfasts. Check out the two scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, four links of sausage with a side of pancakes.
This is my six-year-old grandson’s go to meal. And folks if you can believe it, he ate every bite on his plate. That alone is a testament to how good it is!
But what about the pancakes? Full disclosure: This is why I didn’t eat most of my fries. You see, I am somewhat of a pancake snob. So much so I always make mine from scratch. But one bite of Mom’s pancakes had me wondering what their secret ingredient is. They were light and fluffy with just a hint of sweet even without the syrup. In hindsight I should have asked and definitely will next time.
If you find yourself in the Tampa Bay area and want good food, reasonable prices with great service Mom’s Place is definitely the way to go. I guarantee you will not be disappointed!
