Mama T’s heading for Dubois County trifecta with new Ferdinand location

Lunch choices in Ferdinand are going to include some Italian cuisine on Friday as Mama T’s opens a new location for lunch at 1440 Main Street.

“This just fell in my lap, man,” Owner Brandon Acles said about the location that recently housed the 1440 Café. “This will be a little smaller menu than our Jasper restaurant, but we’re adding the Subzilla to the menu.”

Acles is referring to what sounds like the Kilamanjaro of food challenges. Iron-stomached challengers who conquer the 24 meatball mountain, topped with a quart of Acles’ famous sauce, sprinkled with a pound of mozzarella cheese, and held between an entire loaf of bread will get the meal free and a photo on the wall.

Ferdinand attracted Acles because of the tourist traffic it receives from Holiday World and travelers heading into the heartland of Dubois County from the east. “I want Subzilla to become a tourist attraction,” Acles explained. “Something dads do on Father’s Day or when they visit Southern Indiana.”

This is Acles third expansion. He originally opened in Huntingburg in July of 2011 and the success of that store catapulted him into a choice location in Jasper. Unfortunately the Huntingburg store closed when Acles couldn’t come to terms with the landlord, but the Jasper store’s continued success has enabled the smaller leap into the Ferdinand market.

A Southridge graduate and Huntingburg native, Acles’ eyes twinkle as he ponders his return to Huntingburg and the completion of the trifecta of Mama T’s in Dubois County. “I shall return.”

Mama T’s in Ferdinand will be open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. The phone number is 367-1001.