That’s the question I asked friends when they invited me out for dinner. “Mohnton,” came the reply. “Just over the line in Berks County.”
Mohnton isn’t exactly a metropolis, so I asked someone who lives in Ephrata if they were familiar with a restaurant in Mohnton. “You mean that Italian place?” he asked, sort of wrinkling his nose. Hmm … In talking to friends from Columbia, they asked what I was up to, and I mentioned I was going out for dinner at a place in Mohnton. “You must mean Doc & Bubba’s. We go there all the time.” Really? Okay … now we’re talking.
The covered atrium at Doc & Bubba’s
So, the appointed night arrives, and we head for Mohnton. Whoa! As my friends promised, Doc & Bubba’s is cool! A bar at the front of the building delivers a chic vibe. The club-like dining room is wrapped in dark wood and contains a fireplace. There’s a fun indoor/outdoor cigar lounge. Then comes the jaw-dropping moment! You walk into an indoor/outdoor atrium that is outfitted with water features, plants, fire tables, lounging areas, seating and a reclaimed-wood bar. Beyond the atrium is an outdoor patio that offers a gorgeous view of the surrounding hills and woodland. It’s a lot to take in! (A word of warning: If the parking lot is full, fear not. You’ll be directed to a lot about a mile away and will be transported to and from the restaurant via a limo-van.)
Fire tables dot the atrium
The dinner menu offers starters such as homemade bruschetta; soups such as lobster bisque (delish), salads (try the Butternut Berrata), wood-fired pizza, handhelds (the Original Bubba Burger is made with 8 oz. of Angus beef and includes a crabcake); and entrées ranging from Fish & Chips (the haddock was done to perfection), lobster mac & cheese, steaks to more seafood. There’s an expansive wine list, as well as beer and cocktails (Lavender Haze!). The Brunch menu (Sundays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.) is equally as adventurous.
Who are the people behind Doc & Bubba’s? Doc refers to co-owner Deb Radwanski, who holds a Ph.D. in health administration, while Bubba refers to J.P. Radwanski, who is the son of Deb and her husband, Jim. The Radwanskis purchased the restaurant in 2022 and it became an instant hit. It seems the property holds significant memories in that Jim’s family kept their horses at a nearby stable and always stopped at the restaurant (which has seen a succession of owners) after rides or chores. It also became a favorite Date Night destination for Deb and Jim.
Fish & Chips
Fast forward a few months after my initial visit and a friend was searching for a restaurant she and her husband and their guests could visit after a Berks Jazz Fest concert. I suggested Doc & Bubba’s. At 10:30 on the night of the concert my phone rang. It was my friends thanking me for the suggestion. They and their guests loved it!
Black Angus Burger
A few months later, the said friend and I were in Berks County on a Saturday afternoon and decided to get an early dinner. Of course, we ended up at Doc & Bubba’s. As we were preparing to leave, she said, “Wait a minute. We have to decide where we ate.” I was confused. “If [he] finds out we were here without him, he’ll pout all weekend,” she explained. We weighed our options. I suggested we say, “The Inn on Main in Oley,” if he asked. We were familiar with the menu thanks to stopping there on the Best Kept Secrets Tour. We agreed we had our tracks covered. As we made our way out, she was suddenly overcome by pangs of guilt. “Can I make reservations for Father’s Day?” she asked the hostess. Crisis averted.
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