When Mel's Country Cafe first opened on Stanolind Road, owner Jeff Henry feared the restaurant's distance from downtown Tomball might harm its success in the community. After 20 years in business, the cafe has flourished to become a staple to both longtime customers and new residents alike in the Tomball area.

"The building was in my wife's family for years," Jeff said. "I think that the original building was built in the '70s as a fried chicken place and then after that it was several different things. My wife and I took it over in '94 and named it Mel's [Country Cafe]."

Over the years, Jeff and his wife, Melody, the namesake of the cafe, have maintained ownership of the restaurant. Jeff's brother-in-law, Charles Weirich, joined the team as a manager shortly after the restaurant opened in 1994, and business partner Phillip Gillian now works as the financial accountant. Strengthening the family's bond through a love of comfort food, the couple's two children, Chris and Mary Beth, have followed in their parents' footsteps and also work at the restaurant.

The menu at Mel's Country Cafe has remained largely unchanged since the restaurant opened, Jeff said. With a heavy focus on fried southern food, the cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items, such as omelets, chicken fried steak, burgers, grilled catfish and shrimp. In addition, the restaurant offers homestyle desserts, including bourbon chocolate fudge pecan pie, Uncle Buddy's banana pudding and Cousin Edna's cobbler.

"[Melody] always believed in big portions so people could split plates and cheap prices—that was her philosophy," Jeff said. "We still peel our own potatoes, and our green beans and onion rings are fresh. We believe in cooking to order."

Though his days are filled with managing his employees, Jeff said he often works hands-on in the kitchen to prepare meals for customers. Jeff began his career in the food industry in 1977 as a busboy, worked his way up to a chef in several restaurants and attended the Culinary Institute of America before opening Mel's Country Cafe.

"We decided to focus on southern comfort food mainly because of the nature of the area," Jeff said. "At the time [the cafe opened], people were into the smaller portions, and now I think it's coming back around [to bigger portions]."

Through the restaurant's run, several employees have worked at the cafe anywhere from 10 to 15 years, Jeff said. The business has garnered a loyal following of longtime customers who are on a first-name basis, and the attention of new customers due to a surge of growth in the area, he said.

Mel's Country Cafe features a gift shop area for customers with T-shirts bearing the restaurant's wolf logo and offers gift cards ranging from $25–$100. The cafe also operates a catering service with a wide array of entrees, vegetables and desserts for casual and formal events, Jeff said.

Thousands of customers have attempted the Mega Mel burger challenge—consisting of 1 pounds of ground beef, a pound of bacon and a quarter pound of cheese with all of the traditional trimmings, Jeff said.

"[The Mega Mel burger] started off as a gimmick," Jeff said. "It was kind of before everybody started doing the challenges, so I feel my wife was ahead of her time."

With two expansions in two decades, Jeff said he is satisfied with the size of the cafe and does not have plans to add a new location or expand in the future.

"We've [moved] into the new age with online ordering, but [our business is] almost all word of mouth," Jeff said.

Customer favorites

Large chicken fried steak: The traditional country dish at Mel's is a 16-ounce fried steak. ($16.99)

Grilled catfish: The catfish is lightly dusted with lemon pepper or Cajun-style with rich spices. ($11.99)

The Famous Mel Burger: A pound of ground beef, a half pound of bacon, three slices of American cheese garnished with all the traditional trimmings. ($9.99)

The Mega Mel Burger Challenge: 1 pounds of ground beef, a pound of bacon and quarter pound of cheese with all of the traditional trimmings. Customers who finish the challenge get a T-shirt and have their names placed on the wall. ($24.99)

Mel's Country Cafe, 24814 Stanolind Road, Tomball 281-255-6357, melscountrycafe.com, Hours: Tue.–Thu. 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sat. 7 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. 7 a.m.–5 p.m., Closed Monday