After eating at Cafe C years ago and deciding to not go back again, the guys at work wanted to give it another try. When we arrived it was hopping, and it looked like they made the space more their own since my last visit. I also saw they had a buffet going, and I was happy to see I wasn't going to have to go with one of their sandwiches, of which I'm neither a fan nor an enemy. I thought there was hope that they had evolved into a better restaurant with more compelling food.
The buffet was Italian themed, and since they have their own catering business, I thought it would be a good opportunity to see how good they are at preparing larger batches of food. I paid $11 for the buffet and drink and got in line. I tried a sampling of their food; wheat garlic rolls, lasagna, rice, a vegetable medley, mashed potatoes, penne w/ chicken, and what looked like sliced turkey. As I made my way through the line, I heard one of the staff telling another customer that the chef was unhappy with the quality of the rolls since they didn't rise correctly and weren't good. Hmm. I hadn't even taken a bite, and I was already regretting my purchase. I couldn't believe a customer was being told this.
I went into their dining room and enjoyed the new low-light environment. I felt very relaxed, despite the fact that it seemed crowded. I went for the mashed potatoes first, and was thinking things would be okay since they weren't all that bad. It was all downhill from there though. The chicken with the penne was tough and overcooked, the veggies (squash, zucchini, and onions) were withered and chewy, and the turkey was so dry I had to drink a lot just to get it down. Oh yeah, those rolls I mentioned earlier were dense bricks of starch that I wouldn't even give to my dogs in fear of it constipating them.
If the chef makes something and knows it's no good, then it shouldn't go out to the customer. This is common sense. I felt like pulling a Robert Irvine on them in hopes that they'd understand that concept. If I can't trust the kitchen to not serve something they know is bad, I can't trust their food.
My friend and I went to Cafe C for lunch on Sunday. I've never eaten there before, so I Â was clueless about the concept of the restaurant. It seemed a bit confusing at first as to what was going on inside, but after speaking with the girl at the counter, we found out they offered all-you-can-eat buffet, as well as ordering from the menu. Drinks were included with the meal, which was thoughtful, and the orders would be taken at the counter.
We decided to order from the menu, so we took a seat on the patio. The restaurant is quite inviting and cozy, I loved the whimsy decor and the patio was beautiful. There was live music playing, which was even better, and the band  (Middle Ground) was great, by the way.
After perusing the menu, my friend ordered the Meat Me My Love Salad, he's a meaty kind of guy, and I decided on the grilled cheese on sourdough with the tomato mozzarella salad. I should mention that the customer service in general has been wonderful and the girl I spoke to at the counter was knowledgeable about the menu. I had a tea and my friend had coffee... I like tea a lot, so when I saw it was Lipton (they were out of green tea), my heart sinked a little. Something about Lipton tea just makes me automatically think greasy dinner...
Well, the food arrived pretty quickly, so at first glance I thought the sandwich was on the smaller side. It was a classic grilled cheese, as per menu description, but I expected the bread to be thicker (the bread was tasty, just too thin and dry) and the cheese to be oozing out of the sandwich, which it was not. Upon taking a bite, there was no buttery, cheesy goodness there; the sandwich lacked moisture, unfortunately :( Â So, I think the grilled cheese could be improved by toasting the bread more on the outside, adding some butter (or more butter) to it, both inside and out, and balancing out the cheese/bread ratio.
Regarding my friend's salad, he mentioned he was underwhelmed by it, mainly the dressing and the rolled cold cuts in it. I did not try his salad, so I'll just leave it at that.
I didn't plan for this review to be so lengthy, but there it is. Great customer service, very friendly staff, Â and wonderful atmosphere. As far as the food, it could use a little tweaking. I will give it a second chance, though.
My girlfriend and I tried Cafe C today. Â I had the Meat Me for Lunch sandwich, stacked with ham, turkey and bacon on a delicious pretzel roll. Â She had a Wilbur, which was porkloin with brie. Â Both sandwiches are excellent - flavorful with fresh ingredients.
The only problem? Â The sandwiches were expensive! Â I mean, really expensive. Â The Meat Me for Lunch was $10.50 or so, plus tax, and the Wilbur wasn't much cheaper. Â The sandwiches came with a side of potato salad and a soda, but the price was still too high for my tastes. Â If it wasn't for the high prices this place would get another half star.
The rest of the menu was intriguing, and I'll be back to try the Sunday brunch.
Prior to even entering Cafe C, I was intrigued by the menu posted online as they have interesting twists on traditional offerings.
However, I was mildly disappointed. Â I ordered the Bento salad box (containing 5 Asian inspired salads) and left feeling unimpressed. Â My conclusion on the salads (Edamame corn salad, Smiling Buddha noodle salad, Vietnam vermicelli salad, Asian cusabi coleslaw, and coconut rice salad) was that all had great potential. Â The combinations could be delicious but lacked the punch of flavor that I was expecting. Â All ingredients were fresh although execution could be improved. Â For example, the Smiling Buddha noodle salad had the best sauce-nutty and sweet with a spicy kick, but the raw pieces of broccoli and asparagus should be blanched and the noodles were stiff). Â Â
I will note that the presentation was absolutely beautiful and both my friend and I received our meals in under five minutes.
My friend's Wilbur Smith Ciabatta was a winner though, stacked an inch high with thinly sliced juicy pork tenderloin, slices of crisp Granny smith apple, and gooey brie tied together with the sweetness from the apple-mango jelly spread on the bread. Â It's a solid pick. Â
Overall, the atmosphere was great-intimate and eclectic with a laidback vibe. Â The addition of unlimited beverages for all meals (the blueberry tea was a nifty offering) and portion size make it a place that I would return too, although I am hoping for a punchier flavor profile.
If you have a smart phone, checking in through facebook will also gain you a free brownie or specialty bar. Â Get the brownie (intensely fudgy without being cloyingly sweet).
It took four visits to get something decent (I am patient, and one one of the meals was free). Â The Sunday brunch was my least favorite, the food wasn't very good or hot. Â Sandwiches have been okay but I felt I could make better at home. Â I got the vietnamese salad and it was good but I won't be going back. It's too bad because they have a nice space and location and a good concept.
Review Source:Having enjoyed many events catered by Celebrations Catering, I wanted to enjoy Cafe C. Unfortunately, I cannot give it anything but a low rating. I gave it two chances and after watching shows like "Restaurant Impossible" I can't imagine what Robert Irvine would think of this place. I will clarify that I have only been here for the Sunday brunch and that it's possible that a la carte ordering may be better.
On my first experience, I came a little before 2pm for Sunday brunch. I noticed the food is laid out on tables with no sneeze guard or protection, like an at-home potluck with food on plates, so the food is exposed to numerous people leaning over it and things that should be kept to temp are not. I'm with friends so I try not to fret too much. There is still an hour before the buffet shuts down, but it doesn't seem like they are going to refill any of the nearly gone dishes (and they didn't!) We pick through what's left. We are given a choice of a single glass of sangria, Bloody Mary or a mimosa with our meal. This area of the buffet is closely guarded by someone who stands there and serves you your single glass - the size is arbitrary since there are several thrifted style glasses, but one thing is clear, they will only give you one glass and it's going to be filled with as much ice as possible.
I sat down and ate bacon and quiches that should've been warmer, deviled eggs that were crusted on top from having sat out with nothing to keep them cool since they were just sitting on a plate (my work has ordered these deviled eggs for catered function, so I've had them fresh and they're delicious.) None of us could ignore the fact that things that should have been hot and things that should have been cold weren't. That's a red flag for food poisoning. We joke about it amongst our table, but though we all kind of felt we were taking a gamble. Since none of the food is labeled, my friend who's a vegetarian, discovered the hardway that she had been eating shrimp grits. Thank goodness she doesn't have food allergies. The shrimp were hard to spot since they were so few. We go back to get pastries and I remarked to the short man in a chef's coat about food temperatures. He was polite and said that unfortunately for us, we are coming at the tail end of the buffet and that it's better when you get there at 11:30am when the buffet starts. With a whole hour left before the buffet shuts down, shouldn't you be concerned about everyone coming in until the buffet closes? Someone from our party thought that the randomness of the non-breakfast foods meant we were eating foods recycled from a catering event. It was a joke, but as a previous reviewer remarked, it did make us wonder.
I decided to give Cafe C another try because I was now going to brunch with a different group of friends and there was a "My Perks" coupon advertised that week that we had all purchased. The coupon was $10 for $20 worth of menu items. We were headed to a bridal expo and the bride had considered Celebrations for catering so we thought we'd try it. She had already had a bad Cafe C experience before, but like me, was willing to give it another try. This time I was there at 11:30am. It was very busy, so lots of food out in the open air exposed to lots of people. The buffet was $15 and since the coupon was use it or lose it, we each purchased an additional drink so that our $5 would not go to waste. Sadly again, the food was not at correct temperatures - hot foods were lukewarm and foods that should be chilled weren't. This time the non-breakfast food selections were disappointing. There was nothing that was the same as the last time we were there. I was with different friends this time and again the comment was made that this must be leftover food from catering events. I got my glass of sangria and the glass was spotty - I am being kind because it really looked dirty. We commiserated with a couple fellows who had been in line IN FRONT of us and learned that for their $20 they got the buffet for $15 and for $5 all you can drink. We were done and on our way out the door, terribly disappointed, but curious why we weren't offered the same deal the guys in front of us were. We approached a lady with blond hair and light pink streaks to ask if it was really the case that it was $5 for all you can drink and she said the manager decided to do that AFTER we had gone through the line. Hmm. I didn't make a fuss, but I was surprised by her response, knowing the guys just before us got a different deal.
I won't be going back to Cafe C. They have some major issues to fix - food safety and sanitation being the first, customer service second. It's really shocking to me since Celebrations has been catering so many events for us at UF and done such an impeccable job. Don't let your reputation go down with this disgusting place!
This is the perfect lunch spot! Â I used my groupon on my first trip here and they were very accepting of the offer and let me take $22 off whatever I purchased and didn't have any crazy groupon restrictions which was nice.
My girlfriend and i came intending to get the sunday buffet but the cashier let us know that most of the items were "sold out" aka they ran out of items like eggs so they could make any more omlettes so we decided to go for sandwiches, soup and salad. This review would have been five stars if they hadn't ran out.
I got the Cafe C Club and the Cypress sandwich and it was amazing. Â The club was one of the best sandwiches I've had in Gainesville. Â The salad was very tasty with so many different topings.
Can't wait to go back and try the buffet.
One word for Cafe C: Yummy!
I've been to Cafe C twice now and I can't recommend it enough to people! Sandwiches, soups, salads, excellent customer service and a fabulous atmosphere.
Besides the food, the best part of Cafe C are the people - the people that work there, the people that go there to eat, everybody. On our second trip, my husband and I were one of the first customers in the place. The young woman working the register was in training. I believe one of the owners was there working with her. It made such an impression on me how patiently the owner was with the trainee. That's important to me. I need to know that the owners, managers, shift leaders treat the employees well. It's hard shopping in a place when you know that the management staff treats the employees like garbage.
Back to the food! There are quite a few choices of delicious sandwiches and soups and salads to choose from. I will have to admit I have only eaten one sandwich both times I've been - The Meat Me for Lunch! Pretzel bread - pretzel bread! - layered with turkey, ham, bacon, prosciutto, Dijon mustard, asiago cheese, lettuce and tomatoes! I've gotten a different side salad both times. I really liked the pasta salad I got the first time. Nice and cold, perfect for a hot summer day.
Now if you think you're going in to get a sandwich for cheap, you're going to be a little shocked. However, it's important to know that these aren't just your average chain sandwiches like you'd get at McAllisters or Panera. This food is fresh! Fresh breads. Fresh meat. Fresh veggies. The taste is nothing like what you will get at a chain restaurant where all the food is shipped in from some warehouse somewhere. So yeah, you might pay more but it's completely worth it.
With our lunch we got a free drink and because we did the Facebook Sign In thing we got a free brownie too! Just can't get much better than that.
There is a lot of seating available. Booths, high top tables and stools, regular tables and chairs, and outdoor seating, which I personally cannot wait to try out now that the weather isn't quite so hot. The outdoor area is almost as large as the indoor seating area.
The decor of Cafe C is funky, eclectic, and charming. Your plates, cutlery and stem ware won't match which is half the fun. It's almost like having dinner at your favorite aunt's house.
I'm very excited about using Cafe C to cater a future event I'm planning in February (ssshhh they don't know yet!). When I plan events for work I really think it's important to use locally owned businesses. Cafe C is another fantastic company that I can work with that I know will serve excellent food with excellent service.
I hope you enjoy Cafe C as much as I do!
In one word: YUM
This place is fabulous. Their menu is really diverse and the decor is really cool. I love the tables with the testimonies from previous customers-what a cute idea! I ate lunch with my sister there today. I got the David sandwich which is a really interesting combo of chicken, tomatoes, guac, cream cheese and bacon. It was really yummy. They also have a buffet option, but I didn't know that until I had already ordered, but I probably would have picked off the menu anyways. My sister got the Buddha salad and omg- it looked amazing. I will definitely try that next time.
Also, if you check in there on your phone on Facebook they give you a free dessert (pick the lemon bars-they are out of this world!) for every person you tag. Free yummy dessert-can you say "HELL YES"?!
The only reason this was my first time here is because of their weird hours. Every time I had been on that side of town, they weren't open unfortunately.
Also, I have been told to come to the Sunday brunch (which I plan on doing this weekend as a surprise for my boyfriend) because they have a superb omelet bar with really interesting foods to add and french toast. Can't wait for Sunday!
A-Mazing. Tucked in a location one wouldn't think to look for a great restaurant. We went for the sunday brunch buffet, and it was all I hoped it would be. It was $15 and change for all you can eat deliciousness, including the special drink they had, which was a wonderfully refreshing mimosa. Their spread was: 3 kinds of steak (The best being the jerk-crusted steak), Cheesy grits, Garlic mashed potatoes, french toast with blueberry compote and granola, Fresh fruit salad, bacon, sausage, and a omelette bar. Everything was fresh and well seasoned, the service was phenomenal (the cook brought our omelette to our table), and we were even treated to a free extra mimosa while we waited for the rain to die down. This place is a must go, though unless you are a foodie and dedicated to finding the awesome hidden gems in gainesville, you will probably miss it.
Review Source:An excellent addition to the Gainesville scene of lunch places. Â Thank goodness that there are alternatives like Cafe C versus chain cafes like Panera. Â A sandwich, salad, or lunch combo will run you almost $9-10 here. Â However, when we were here that also included a complimentary drink. Â The renovated dining area is adorable, and the music is something that only a Mom would love. Â The outdoor patio wraps around half of the building and is the most popular seating, even on warmer days. Â You order at the counter and they call your name when the order is ready for pick up, so the intercom noise is just something you have to get used to.
Since they are run by a long-time local catering company (Celebrations), most of their dishes have been perfected and they know what the customers want. Â I have mostly ordered sandwiches, and each order comes with a different side item. Â You could probably request an item if you are so inclined. Â
On the sandwiches, the quality of the ingredients are great, however all of the items are sauce focused. Â The Italian style sandwich I had was slathered with a creamy balsamic, and the ham sandwich was doused with honey mustard. Â Even the rice pilaf side dish had honey mustard mixed in. Â The "sauciness" factor is either a blessing or a curse for some, like my dining partner that is horrified by any condiment known to man. Â He had some trouble eating the food. Â However, knowing this as a first-timer is helpful, so you can ask for the sauce on the side. Â
The crab bisque was divine, but more of a white chowder than a bisque. Â I still have yet to try their fabulous looking desserts at the counter. Â The chocolate cupcakes were calling my name. Â Maybe next time.
First, I love what they did with the space. Â I'm glad I visited when I did because it's almost too hot to sit outside now. Â If the weather is decent, you should definitely try the back patio. Â So cute! Â
Maybe I shouldn't have ordered the most basic sandwich on the menu, but I was totally craving a grilled cheese so I ordered the Sweet Home Alabama. Â Unfortunately, it was kind of disappointing, but only because the rest of the meal was so delicious. Â The sandwich was your basic grilled cheese. Â The bread was good (wheat), but nothing special. Â The side Heirloom Tomato Salad, however, was fantastic! Â The menu says it's served with their Homemade Salsa Verde and Balsamic Dressing. Â Delicious! Â
Also, I sampled my boyfriend's salad (Good Afternoon Vietnam--I love menus with creative names!), and I kind of wish I had ordered it instead.
I've been here once, but I can't wait to come back and sample the rest of the menu!
This place is so close to my house and I can't believe I'm just discovering it not!
I met a friend here for lunch during the week. We were given some suggestions by the staff on what to get which was really helpful since I can be so indecisive when it comes to food. The staff was really pleasant and asked us how our food was without overly hovering.
I ordered the Here's the Beef sandwich and my friend got the Wilbur Smith Ciabatta. Both were excellent and the portions were really huge. I was only able to eat half of my sandwich and my side because I was so full. We were offered a choice of two sides-- a rice with pine nuts and a pasta salad. The rice side was tasty and the pasta salad was so-so. It just wasn't as flavorful as I hoped. One thing I might suggest is if they offered a green salad as a side. I really like veggies and this would appeal to people like me, and it would offer a wider selection of sides to choose from!
For dessert, we shared a delicious brownie. Whoa it was good. I may have gotten a to-go box for my lunch, but there always seems to be room in my belly for a yummy dessert!
Another lunch meeting at Cafe C... Planning a Life South Chamber Mixer for October - hope you all can come!  All four of us had salads, each was delicious.. Please ask for the customer tomato-cucumber-mint Persian Salad from our expert salad maker-Parvin... she's happy to whip one up for you even though it's not on the menu.  Kim Mitrook had the Buddha salad... kind of pad thai type thing, Brite Whitaker had the New Delhi Curry Chicken Salad, and Kjell, our event planner for Celebrations had the Tango Chickien Salad with Mango Slices.... yummy on all four salads!  Atmosphere quiet enough for our lunch meeting, ran  into a friend from Alabama, and stopped outside to chat with ladies eating at the picnic tables on this beautiufl day!  Service is Excellent and fast!
Review Source:I have to say this place is very underrated! As I was walking out, I was thinking "how did I not know about this place?"
Walking in, I instantly liked the decor. Very playful colors sort of reminded me of the art deco colors in South Beach. Very intimate feel, homey touches, awesome outside seating. Free wifi = Yay. My friend commented even on their restrooms being very nice (-:
I saw someone have their spinach escape salad and it looked so colorful and vibrant I just had to try it! Btw, food came out in minutes! I love classic waldorf salads, and I wanted something on the light side and it was one of the best waldorf/apple strawberry salads I've ever had. Again, how did I not know about this place?! The ingredients were super fresh (they said they get a lot of their ingredients locally). The goat cheese (sharp) and candied walnuts (sweet) just worked really well with the tart fruits. I'd probably buy the raspberry vinaigrette by the bottle if they sold it!
My friend had their "to david with love" sandwich which she liked a lot. The chicken had a bbq dry rub I think? that worked and she said the bread was amazing. (She loves bread)
The clientele seems to be mostly local workers (UPD station across the street) and they seem to be regulars so I can safely assume that they deliver on a consistent level. I liked that you order at the counter and they bring out the food to you. Its the perfect amount of service! And their staff seemed very lovely and down to earth. I wish they were closer to campus, if only for their awesome vinaigrette!!! But I'll be back regardless. It's a fresh yummy (and healthy) quick lunch for ~10$ and their atmosphere is intimate & fun. 4.5 stars
Very nice little place. Been here a few times, all with very happy results.
The last visit was with the lovely redhead, she and I both did the soup and salad combos. Both soups were excellent, and both sandwiches delicious.
Fresh ingredients and daily changing soups = yum. It can be very busy right at lunch, and you're likely to see at least one of the GPD brass there on any given day, as Police HQ is directly across the street.
Order at the counter, wait for your delectable sammich... nosh and be happy. Drink fountain is self service too. Win.
I have not found a house yet, truth be told I haven't even started looking, I must admit after the life changing experience at Cafe C the thought had crossed my mind to move in right next door!
I often do dessert first because who knows if I will even be there at the end of the meal for sweet endings...
At Cafe C I kicked off with a brownie and a lemon bar... Â Two of the best executions of aforementioned confections I have ever nibbled on....
Truth be told and I say this with no reservation, the brownie was simply the best brownie I have ever sank my teeth into, I am all about moisture in my food especially baked goods, and these brownies have a moisture about them that is nothing less then invigorating to those with a palette for moist and creamy... The brownies have a creamy rich deep flavor that just delights! Â Dive in deep you will be glad you did!
The lemon bars are nothing to ignore either, truly delightful, I have been a lemon bar lover since my early days here on earth and these rank with the best of them!
This delightful little spot has cool air warm people and fun decor... If I lived in Gainesville I would be popping in here all the time!
They do shots of soup which is wonderful for a foodie like myself, more flavor options to explore, on the day of my visit I dove into a shot of creamy cheesy bacon goodness (not the official name but a good thought for sure)...
The main course was a perfect sandwich in all respects! Â The Wilbur Smith Ciabatta... Pork, apples, brie and a mango melange that will intoxicate anyone who takes a taste... Â The sandwich was prepared in such a way that allowed for the brie to melt and coalesce perfectly with the fresh ciabatta, when the fine flavors of all these ingredients invade the ciabatta via a creamy perfect brie injection; what you have is absolute heaven, a perfection that can only be experienced and never truly explained in the confines of the English language...
On my way out, in a stellar mood from an unbelievable meal experience, I had the unexpected delight to meet the owner of this exceptional little establishment, she was as wonderful as the food, I hope her and I's paths continue to cross, one thing is for sure I will be back to this wonderful little spot even if it is over 1000 miles from where I call home...
Cafe C is a new locally owned lunch place right down the street from where I work my full-time job and basically in the parking lot of Chun Ching Market on 8th Avenue.
I'm not sure what the connection to the old "Celebrations" is, but there is one no doubt.
I've been to Cafe C three times now and it's been excellent each and every time. Â Today I had the lunch special which is a basic cuban dish called ropa vieja (translates to old clothes). Â Now I grew up with my cuban grandmother so I like to think I know a little something about ropa vieja. Â My expectations were timid, but Cafe C came through with flying colors. Â Great stuff!! Â The pulled meat was tender and flavorful. Â
My only complaint about Cafe C is that there menu is usually limited to sandwhiches and salads which is disappointing considering how well they do regular lunch dishes. Â The prices are around the $8-$10 range.
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