When Mamma’s on Main closed in Waterloo in 2019 after being in business for five years, the small community of 14,000 people lost a favorite sandwich shop, owned and operated by local native Dawn Ritzel.
The memory of the beloved eatery and its homemade sub sandwiches remained so strong that several years later, in December 2023, Anthony Ruckhaber decided to replicate the original Mamma’s. He opened Mamma’s on Mill one block away from where the original was once located.
Offering a menu almost identical to the first Mamma’s, the new restaurant is thriving. In addition to capitalizing on the success of the original restaurant, business manager David Spalding says they offer a superior product. “Our clientele recognizes the difference, and they are willing to pay a slight premium for the food we serve,” he says.
“For example, a national sub franchise in town offers both 6- and 12-inch subs, while we sell 8- and 16-inch subs with generous portions,” Spalding says. “But, that is meaningless if the food is not outstanding.”
Most popular is the Tri-Tip Steak sandwich. “We marinate and sear the meat on all sides a day before it is served, using our own ‘boom-boom’ seasoning. The day it is served, it is sliced so thin you can see through it,” Ruckhaber says. “Then we grill the meat before adding the customer’s choice of cheese and green peppers, onions, mushrooms and one of our 10 sauces, two of which we make using our own recipe.”
There are a few options not on the menu. Each day, neighbor Michelle Schmiemeier stocks a small rack in the store with her homemade pies and other bakery products. “The rack is empty at the end of every day,” Ruckhaber reports, adding that Schmiemeier’s gooey butter cake is extraordinary, and that the pies are sold by the slice or whole.
and sauerkraut on marble rye bread
Sandwich bread is baked across the Mississippi River by the historic Fazio’s Bakery in St. Louis, which has been in business since 1926. Located 30 miles away, the bread is picked up daily. Customers are offered a choice of six breads (also sold by the loaf) for the sandwiches.
Fresh chili and soup are also made in-house, with different soups served as daily specials. Flavors include broccoli cheddar and potato bacon.
Part of Mamma’s success is attributed to the fact that all food is served fresh every day. “We slice our meats every morning; our bread and pastries are baked and sold the same day; and our soups and sauces are made each morning,” Ruckhaber says.
The popularity of Mamma’s chicken salad is a testament to the original restaurant’s recipe. When the new Mamma’s first opened, a family recipe of one of the owners was used, but customers kept insisting it was not as good as the previous Mamma’s. “We got in touch with [Ritzel] to get her recipe, and now all is well,” Spalding says, adding that it is served with a cranberry-oat bread.
The restaurant is the definition of a “local mom and pop” establishment. Ruckhaber’s mother, father, brother and sister are all “Waterlooians” and join him in working there, and Spalding is like family. He hosts everyone at his home for dinner every Sunday evening.
Local townspeople are not the only loyal supporters of Mamma’s. Local schools are as well. “We supply food for almost all the sports teams in town, as well as for special events at many of the schools,” Ruckhaber adds.
The restaurant embraces a muscle car theme, reflected in its decor and menu. Walls are decorated with images of muscle cars, and the menu is divided into categories like “Hot Rides” for grilled hot sandwiches and “Cool Rides” for cold sandwiches. Side dishes and extras are listed under “Nuts and Bolts.”
To top it all off, the fountain drink machine is perched above the taillights of the restored trunk of a robin’s egg blue 1964 Chevrolet Bel Air.
Mamma’s on Mill
