This Legendary Florida Deli Put Bacon on Doughnuts Until It Closed for Good

A maple and bacon doughnut, topped with real strips of crispy bacon, once sat in a bakery case like it was totally normal. Then there was a burger with buns made from mac and cheese. That burger even made it onto national morning television.

I like how this Florida spot opened as a simple deli and changed course after just one week. The owners chose elevated comfort food instead. That choice turned out to be a very good one.

The menu soon grew wild. It offered a bacon flight with five kinds of bacon and four dipping sauces, including chocolate. I can’t imagine sitting down without wanting to try everything.

The doors closed for good in 2023, but the stories still float around. So how did one South Tampa kitchen get so famous for doing the most?

1. The Doughnut Shop Next Door Started All the Bacon Buzz

Breakfast and dessert rarely shake hands this nicely. At Dough, the sister bakery beside Datz, the maple and bacon doughnut came topped with real strips of crispy bacon.

Datz was the flagship of the Datz Restaurant Group in South Tampa. Dough sat right next door, so a sweet stop after lunch was almost too easy.

That setup worked like a two-for-one deal for the curious eater. You could grab a savory meal at Datz, then walk a few steps for something sugary. Plenty of restaurants offer dessert, but few build an entire bakery beside the main kitchen.

The maple and bacon combo makes sense once you think about it. Maple brings sweetness, and bacon brings salt and smoke. Together they balance each other like a seesaw.

Doughnuts also popped up on the Datz menu in bolder ways. The kitchen served Nashville hot chicken between doughnuts and even made doughnut burgers.

Those dishes told you plenty about the place. Nothing was too sweet, too salty, or too strange to try once. Honestly, the doughnut case was the perfect welcome sign for a kitchen that loved surprises.

2. A Deli That Changed Its Mind in Just Seven Days

Most restaurants take months to find their identity. Datz needed about one week.

Owners Suzanne and Roger Perry opened the doors on January 28, 2009. The original plan was a deli, which sounds sensible and calm.

Calm didn’t last long. After roughly a week, the couple shifted the concept to elevated comfort food served gastropub style.

I believe that quick pivot explains everything that followed. They clearly paid attention and weren’t afraid to switch lanes fast.

The new direction gave the kitchen room to play. Familiar dishes like meatloaf, grilled cheese, and chicken and waffles got bold upgrades.

The building sat at 2616 S MacDill Ave, Tampa, FL 33629. That stretch of South Tampa became home base for the whole Datz Restaurant Group.

Here’s a useful lesson for anyone starting something new. Your first idea doesn’t have to be your final idea.

The Perrys took a deli plan and turned it into one of the most talked-about restaurants in Florida. Not bad for a week of rethinking. Some people need that long just to pick a paint color.

3. The Mac and Cheese Burger That Hit National TV

Bread was apparently too boring for one burger. The Cheesy Todd swapped regular buns for buns made entirely of mac and cheese.

Yes, you read that right. Pasta and cheese held the burger together instead of bread.

The idea grabbed attention far beyond Tampa. The Cheesy Todd helped land Datz a spot on Good Morning America.

That kind of exposure changes things for a neighborhood restaurant. Suddenly, people across the country knew about one quirky kitchen on MacDill Avenue.

Mac and cheese showed up in other clever spots too. The menu included mac and cheese bites, which make a smart starter for sharing.

Think of the Cheesy Todd as a mission statement you could eat. It said this kitchen would take a classic comfort food and push it a little further.

Was it practical? Maybe not. Was it fun to talk about?

Absolutely.

Here’s a tip if you ever try a similar burger elsewhere. Grab extra napkins and a fork, because rich dishes like this rarely stay tidy. Splitting it with a friend is also wise, unless your afternoon plans include a nap.

4. Five Kinds of Bacon Walked Into an Appetizer

When Pigs Fly was the name, and bacon was the whole game. This Bacon Flite at Datz served five different kinds of bacon on one plate.

The lineup was impressively specific. It included Benton’s hickory smoked bacon, jowl bacon, back bacon, peppered bacon, and Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon.

Then came the sauces, and things got even more interesting. Diners could dip into balsamic glaze, maple syrup, red chili pepper jam, and Vosges Haut-Chocolat.

Chocolate and bacon might sound odd at first. Yet sweet and salty pairings show up everywhere, from chocolate-covered pretzels to kettle corn.

A flight like this works like a tasting class. You compare smoky, peppery, and fatty styles side by side and notice real differences.

That’s a smart way to explore any food you love. Try a few versions together, and your taste buds start picking up details you’d usually miss.

Bacon became a signature ingredient at Datz, and this appetizer proved it. Few restaurants would dedicate an entire plate to one pork product. Datz did it with a pun-filled name and a straight face.

5. Chicken, Waffles, and a Little Jalapeño Heat

Here’s a dish with a name that makes you smile before it arrives. Waffles and Tweet was the Datz take on chicken and waffles.

The build was clever from the bottom up. Boneless fried chicken sat on cheddar Belgian waffles, finished with a jalapeño-maple syrup.

Cheese baked into the waffle adds a savory twist. Jalapeño in the syrup brings a gentle kick that keeps all that sweetness in check.

Chicken and waffles ranked among the most-mentioned dishes connected to this Tampa restaurant. That tells you it wasn’t just a novelty item collecting dust on the menu.

Brunch was a big deal at Datz. The menu covered dishes like Eggs Barbacoa, omelets, and pancakes alongside the chicken.

If spicy food makes you nervous, sweet heat is a friendly starting point. Maple softens the burn, so the jalapeño feels more like a wink than a punch.

I like how this plate captured the whole Datz attitude in one bite. Sweet, salty, crunchy, and a bit spicy all landed together. Not bad for a dish named after a bird noise.

6. Meatloaf Got Stuffed and Grits Got Global

Meatloaf has a reputation for being plain. Barry C’s Stuffed Meatloaf at Datz flipped that idea upside down.

The kitchen packed it with bacon-jalapeño mac n’ cheese. So every slice hid a creamy, slightly spicy center inside the meat.

Meatloaf drew more mentions than almost any other dish tied to this spot. That’s quite a comeback for a dinner many of us grew up rolling our eyes at.

The Shrimp n Grits took a different kind of risk. Blackened shrimp sat on cream cheese cheddar grits, which already sounds hearty.

Then came a creamy Indian Makhani sauce and sautéed spinach. That mix of Southern comfort and Indian flavor made the bowl stand out.

Here’s something worth remembering for your own cooking. Familiar recipes often only need one bold change to feel brand new.

Try adding a stuffing to a basic loaf or a fresh sauce to a plain grain. Datz built a reputation by doing exactly that, over and over again. Who knew grandma’s meatloaf just needed a cheesy surprise tucked inside?

7. Save Room for the Gooey Pull-Apart Finale

Sticky fingers were basically guaranteed with this one. Monkey Bread was the dessert star on the Datz menu.

It arrived as warm cinnamon sugar bread made for pulling apart. Caramel and vanilla icing covered the top in generous drizzles.

Pull-apart bread is fun because everyone grabs their own piece. No knife, no fancy plating, just hands and happy chaos.

The dish became one of the most-mentioned items linked to Datz. During happy hour, it was even offered at half off, which made it a popular starter too.

Dessert first? At Datz, that idea didn’t seem strange at all.

The menu also featured treats like an Outrageous Peanut Butter Pie and carrot cake. Plus, Dough sat next door for anyone needing more sugar.

If you bake at home, monkey bread is a great family project. Kids can roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar while adults handle the oven.

Datz proved a simple, nostalgic dessert can hold its own beside wild creations. After a mac and cheese burger, sometimes warm cinnamon bread is the perfect gentle landing.

8. Upstairs, Outdoors, and More Than a Restaurant

From the street, the building looked fairly modest. Inside, Datz offered more space and more surprises than you’d expect.

The restaurant had a second floor with its own bar area. There was also outdoor seating, which made sense in sunny Florida weather.

Families found plenty to like as well. A kids menu offered choices like chicken tenders and pancakes.

Datz also sold gourmet groceries alongside its meals. That turned a lunch stop into a chance to browse specialty goodies too.

Mocktails were part of the drink lineup, so non-drinkers had fun options. Iced coffee was on hand for anyone needing a midday boost.

Brunch could get busy on weekends. Call-ahead seating and reservations were smart ways to plan ahead for popular times.

That’s practical advice for any well-loved restaurant. Calling ahead can save your group from standing around with grumbling stomachs.

Owners Suzanne and Roger Perry said they hoped to make eating fun. The building itself, with its levels and patio, helped deliver on that promise. Every corner gave diners a slightly different way to enjoy the meal.

9. Television Crews Kept Showing Up for a Reason

Few neighborhood restaurants get noticed by national TV. Datz collected that kind of attention again and again.

Beyond Good Morning America, the restaurant appeared on the Travel Channel. It also earned spots on Food Network “Best Of” lists.

Print outlets joined in too. USA Today, Newsweek, and Time Magazine all highlighted the Tampa favorite.

Why so much buzz? Simple answer: the food was built to be talked about.

Dishes like the Cheesy Todd and the bacon flight look amazing in photos. They also make great stories, which is exactly what TV producers love.

Bacon, cheese, and doughnuts showed up in combinations most kitchens wouldn’t dare try. The menu felt like a challenge to ordinary comfort food.

For Florida, that meant one more reason for food lovers to visit Tampa. Datz gave the city a spot that out-of-town travelers specifically sought out.

National fame can fade fast, but Datz kept its momentum for years. The restaurant stayed open for about 14 years, a solid run in the restaurant world. Creativity clearly kept people curious long after the cameras left.

10. The Last Plate Was Served in August 2023

August 27, 2023, marked the final day for the original Datz. Dough, the bakery next door, closed with it.

The reason wasn’t a lack of fans. The building and surrounding property were sold to a developer.

That’s a common story in growing cities. Popular spots sometimes lose their homes when land becomes more valuable for new projects.

Suzanne and Roger Perry called it a difficult decision. They shared hopes that they had brought out-of-the-box ideas to the local food scene.

Looking back, they clearly did. A deli concept became a gastropub, then a nationally known name in Florida comfort food.

So what can you take from this? If a local favorite matters to you, go often and tell friends.

Restaurants don’t last forever, even beloved ones. Enjoy them while you can, and snap a photo of that wild dish you ordered.

The maple and bacon doughnut is gone from MacDill Avenue now. Still, the memory of Datz lingers as proof that playful food can leave a lasting mark. Some legends simply come with sprinkles of bacon.