Congratulations go out to owners Chuck Locke, Brenda Bening-Thompson and David Thompson on the recent expansion and redesign of their Mama Bโs Pizzeria on S.R. 56.
The trio purchased the former Pomodoro restaurant in Dec. 2022 and changed the name to Mama Bโs in July 2023.
โIโm not Italian,โ Brenda admits, โbut I am โMama Bโ and all of the recipes we make here are mine. Iโve loved to cook since I was a kid โ I have friends telling me I should open a Mexican restaurant next because they love my homemade salsa.โ
Thanks to the success of Brendaโs recipes, the partners decided to take over the out-of-business childrenโs shoe store next door.
โWe now have a total of 2,500 sq. ft. and a private dining room for 22-24 people,โ Chuck says. โAnd weโre all really happy with the new look of the place.โ
That new look was created by Bobbie Smith, the owner of Interior Design by Bobbie.
โThey told me what they were looking for and I just ran with it,โ says Bobbie, who also is designingthe upcoming Tampa Joeโs at The Hub at Lexington. โIt definitely feels more like a restaurant now, instead of just another pizza place.โ
So, What About The Food?
When we came to take pictures for this story, photographer Charmaine George and I got to sample quite a bit of the Mama Bโs menu, starting with two different pizzas. Iโve honestly never been a big fan of โwhiteโ pizza, but this mix of creamy ricotta, fresh mozzarella and garlic worked well with Mama Bโs true New York-style crust.
I personally was even more impressed with Mama Bโs pepperoni and mushroom pizza โ even though I donโt generally like (or order) mushrooms on anything, much less my pizza. But again, the true NY-style crispy crust was definitely an upgrade over the last time I had a slice at Mama Bโs.
โIโve really been working with our cooks on consistency,โ Brenda says, โespecially when it comes to pizza. If all the ingredients are measured and the dough is worked the same way every time, your pizza should taste the same every time you visit.โ
Charmaine absolutely loved the house-made garlic knots, which we both used to mop up the tasty (but different) marinara sauces served with the house-made signature meatballs (which are served with a generous scoop of ricotta cheese), and the extra-meaty (the way I like it) lasagna. I told Brenda that what I love most about the lasagna is the fact that when you cut into it, it doesnโt all fall apart, despite the generous amounts of ricotta, mozzarella and marinara.
My other favorite dish we tried, which again was something of a surprise because I almost never order pasta with Alfredo sauce, was the creamy fettuccine Alfredo. Yes, itโs made with cream, but Mama Bโs Alfredo was definitely not as โrunnyโ as Iโve sampled in many other places.
I would definitely add Mama Bโs pan-seared chicken to the Alfredo on my next visit, or I could opt for a more familiar favorite of mine โ fettuccine pesto โ with the chicken.
Other appetizers on Mama Bโs menu include crispy baked โ and then flash-fried โ chicken wings with your choice of five sauces (from Nashville hot to teriyaki), and fried ravioli or mozzarella. Thereโs also a Mama Bโs Savory Sampler with fried mozz, garlic knots and wings.
We also enjoyed the Mediterranean salad, with Kalamata olives, cucumbers, onions, cherry tomatoes, banana peppers and creamy feta cheese, with a zesty Greek dressing. Other salads include house, Caesar, caprese and antipasto.
Mama Bโs also offers a variety of specialty pizzas from standards like Margherita andย Grandmaโs to unique options like โThis Little Piggyโ (with a BBQ sauce base, pulled pork, smoked mozz & pickled red onion).ย
The casual eatery also offers a variety of strombolis, calzones and toasted hot subs, as well as pasta dishes like baked ziti, penne alla vodka, spaghetti with meatballs or meat sauce and chicken parm. Visit for a great lunch special (for example, two slices & a fountain drink for $7.99), plus beers on draft, wine by the glass and even a kids menu.
Mama Bโs Pizzeria (27607 S.R. 56, Suite 105) is now open every day for lunch & dinner. To order or for more info, visit MamaBsPizzeria.com or call (813) 328-8063.
