Wat Mongkolratanaram Buddhist Temple

Visiting Wat Mongkolratanaram Buddhist Temple on a Sunday is always a refreshing and uplifting experience. The moment you walk in, the atmosphere feels calm, welcoming, and beautifully connected to nature. The temple grounds are incredibly spacious, giving you plenty of room to stroll, relax, and take in the peaceful surroundings. One of the highlights is definitely the Sunday vegetarian food. The dishes are fresh, flavorful, and prepared with so much care. From comforting curries to light snacks and desserts, everything tastes homemade and satisfying. It’s a perfect spot for anyone who enjoys authentic, simple, and delicious vegetarian options. The temple is also surrounded by different kinds of flowers, adding vibrant color and a serene charm to the entire area. Whether you’re walking along the river, sitting under the trees, or exploring the garden spaces, the natural beauty makes the visit even more special. Overall, Wat Mongkolratanaram is a wonderful place for families, nature lovers, and anyone looking for a peaceful Sunday outing with great vegetarian food and a beautiful environment. Free Parking

I’ve been coming here for over 20 years, and it has changed a lot over time. When I first started going, there were only a few fold-out tables and maybe 20 to 25 people there. Now, on Sundays, it draws hundreds of people, possibly over a thousand, and it has grown into a very big community gathering. They serve food on Sundays and ask for donations. Over the years, it has become much more organized and commercialized than it used to be, but it is still a unique and worthwhile experience. The food is still decent, and the atmosphere is what keeps me coming back. This is a place I will visit again. For me, it deserves 5 stars because of the long history, the experience, and seeing how much it has grown over the years.

Returning to Florida after spending four years in Nepal and India, including visits to sacred places like Ladakh, Sarnath, Pharping, and holy caves in Nepal, I was deeply moved to discover Wat Mongkolratanaram Buddhist Temple. The moment I arrived, I felt the same spirit of love, inclusivity, devotion, and reverence that I experienced throughout the Himalayas and South Asia. There is a beautiful energy of place here that feels grounding, welcoming, and deeply connected to community. The temple offers a sense of peace and belonging that transcends culture and background. On Sundays especially, the atmosphere comes alive with food, gathering, generosity, and shared presence. It is a living community space rooted in kindness and devotion. A truly special sanctuary in Florida and an absolute must-visit on a Sunday.

Beautiful template and beautiful grounds! Each building is stunning with vibrant colors and impressive architecture. The landscaping is beautiful and the trees are decorated with orchid flowers. There are gardens all around. There is a great view of the water with picnic tables all along and a dock that juts out. The monks and dancers did a performance walking in from the dock. There were many fish and stingrays around the dock. We came on a Sunday 9am-1pm to enjoy their market as well. I recommend the mango sticky rice 10/10, pumpkin curry, and fried bananas. It’s very peaceful here, and I would come back here on Sunday mornings.

This is the biggest Thai temple in Tampa and the one that best captures the real feel of Thailand (though a bit smaller and less grand than the massive wats over there). We love coming here, especially for Songkran (Thai New Year), when the temple really comes alive with a huge selection of authentic Thai food and fun entertainment. They put on beautiful Thai dance and cultural performances representing different regions of Thailand — it's like getting a mini tour of the country without leaving Florida. The monks do their traditional alms round, circling the temple to accept supplies and donations that support their meditation and studies. There's some light water play (not quite the all-out water fights you see in Thailand!), a parade, and even a beauty queen or two. It's such a joyful celebration of Thai culture. Even on regular Sundays, the food is legit, super fresh, and very inexpensive — a great way to sample real Thai flavors. The temple grounds themselves are peaceful and stunning, making it a wonderful spot to visit any time.If you're curious about Thai culture or just want a beautiful, unique experience, this is the closest thing to actually being in Thailand. Highly recommend taking your time to explore. For Songkran, get here early — parking gets crazy fast!

We visited during the Sunday Market to see the beautiful temple as well as enjoy the delicious food offerings. We were surprised by how many non-Buddhist people just like us were there for the same reason. We met a lovely older female member of this temple who made us feel at ease. She invited us into a separate large worship space where the monks were having breakfast as members of the temple brought non-monetary donations to place on what appeared to be an altar. She helped us understand more about the temple, the monks, their particular congregation and the Sunday Market which is a very successful fund raiser for the temple. Outside on the spacious, shaded grounds were several food stations with various dishes to choose from. Each station has its on line, so you pick the dish you would like and cue up in their fast moving line to pay and receive that dish. There are numerous picnic tables positioned alongside the river at the rear of the property. We paid our respects in the temple (no shoes allowed) before departing. If you are in the Tampa area on a Sunday, we highly recommend checking out the Sunday Market to absorb some of the Buddhist culture as well as enjoying a tasty meal in a beautiful setting.

What a Peaceful place, soul feels lighter walking the grounds. If you're fortunate enough to go on a Sunday morning 9am-1pm you will enjoy the most Authentic flavorful foods. Beef/Veg Soup was amazing. Felt nourished and awakened after eating it. Same with 3 others that I went with My 1st table I just got 1 of everything, 90% was gone before the end of the night, didn't last next day. Looking forward to Sunday morning.!

Beautiful Temple. You have to respect the rules. You can't go in with shorts or skirts. Your skin has to be covered. No shoes. On Sunday we went. There is a great market with pad Thai as well as desserts and all sorts of other Thai food. Very delicious right on the water. No dogs allowed