I am a huge fan of little Mom & Pop-type places, and the other day, I stumbled upon a little place called Danny’s All American Diner. And while it’s not much to look at from the road, once you stop and take a closer look, it is filled with Americana and the sort of character that endears a place to you, right away.
Sid and I were in a part of town that we don’t normally travel, and lucked into this really special place. We had a few minutes to kill, so we stopped in because they had the two words that usually stop my wife and I in our tracks: ice cream. So after a life-threatening U-Turn, we started on a new adventure for a new sweet treat. But we got a lot more than just a quick treat, we got a little slice of America.
They are only open from 6:30 am until 2:30 pm, but it was 2:45, and they served us anyway. Sid had a single scoop and I had a shake, both were chocolate and peanut butter – don’t judge us until you’ve tried it. They are huge baseball fans and the inside and outside of the diner is decorated with memorabilia and a variety of colas, pops, and concoctions that would shock you speechless. There is also a crazy assortment of antique kitchen items, and cooking knick-knacks.
While we were waiting we had a quick look around, the waiting area was about 10 X 10, so it was TRULY a quick look. Amid the bottled drinks and memorabilia there were snacks and other trinkets, but the food and ice cream were the stars of this show. They serve Blue Belle by the way.
On the back of the menu, they tell the story of how the “Danny Burger” came into being… In the early 1850′s their Great Great Grandfather was living in south Philepelphia, working for a local meat packing plant. One day he created a mixture of ground beef for a hamburger recipe that they still use today! The other menu items are all baseball themed, there’s the Babe Ruth Burger, the Roberto Clemente Burger, and the Nolan Ryan Burger.
It’s Tampa, so you know that they have a Cuban as well as a traditional Philly. Their breakfast items are equally as unique and varied. They serve a grilled honey bun with a side of powdered sugar as well as biscuits and sausage gravy. They also offer a breakfast slider that sounds divine! But get there early, they only serve breakfast from 6:30-10:30am.
Is it fine dining? No, but it would be worth the trip and the time to enjoy a good home cooked meal with a lot of character and love. I would whole-heartedly recommend Danny’s All American Diner. GoogleMap or YahooMap it, do whatever you need to find this place. It will be worth your time. Let me know when you’re heading down, and I may meet you there!
