Mom Ward's Sub Shop 5910 Ritchie Highway, Brooklyn Park. Hours: Open Monday through Saturday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call (410) 789-4000. After 30 years in the business, Mom Ward's Sub Shop knows exactly what it is: an unpretentious place with decent food and reasonable places.
Sure, it has its quirks -- location for one (it's across from a cemetery and next to a car wash); ambience (the walls, decorated with posters of kittens and monkeys, resemble a preteen's bedroom); and a menu that harks back to the days when people ate roast beef and gravy without guilt.
Since 1962, when Charles and Kay (Mom) Ward took over this former pool hall, the sub shop has been popular among folks in northern Anne Arundel County, particularly because of its friendly service and old-fashioned diner food. Today the eatery is run by Christine, the second oldest of the Ward children, who has remained true to her parents' vision.