If you grew up in South Tampa, there’s a good chance you grew up making regular visits to Woody’s Famous Salads (1722 S Dale Mabry Hwy). It’s simply always been part of the rotation, ever since its debut in 1972. It’s the kind of no-frills neighborhood staple with Styrofoam cups, cafeteria-style trays, a packed grab-and-go counter experience and food that never needed to be trendy to keep people coming back.
Naturally, you have to start with the salads. They’re famous for a reason, and for longtime fans, they’re practically their own food group. The Chopped Greek Salad is the classic: piled high, loaded with all the good stuff over potato salad and somehow exactly what you want every single time. Then there’s the Strawberry Feta Salad, another longtime favorite that hits that perfect sweet-and-savory combination with a homemade poppyseed dressing. Add a fountain drink with a hefty amount of pebble ice, and you’ve got a quintessential Woody’s lunch.
But the cult following goes well beyond the salads. The soups change daily, with longtime favorites like Lemon Chicken Feta and Lentil becoming staples in their own right. Regulars know to check which soups are on the board that day and may even plan their lunch accordingly.
Then there are the sandwiches longtime regulars know and love: the classic Cuban, the Festivale with turkey and cranberries on a toasted croissant, the roast beef and bacon-loaded Buccaneer, and the Albacore Tuna Salad with tarragon. And don’t forget the Key West Chicken Salad, a favorite known to sell out. Be sure to order it early…