This is the old Shorty's Cafe, and I didn't ask if it was new owners or just a new name....
They recently advertised that they had brick oven pizza, so I had to try it. Â I have to say, it is GOOD! Â It has the best crust I have had in a very long time (a choice of hand-tossed, sicilian, or thin). Â I chose the thin crust, and while it is not paper-thin, it is well within the "thin" parameter, and the crunch/chewy ratio is perfect for my palate! Â The toppings are pretty standard, but they are from fresh ingredients even in the dead of winter.
This is definitely a little gem in a very out-of-the-way place....they also advertised that they deliver! But I don't know what their territory would be. Â I wonder if they would deliver to my house "up on the mountain" (which means, on Lookout Mountain in Mentone, AL).
It is clearly a hometown cafe, where everyone knows everyone, but they are very accommodating to the first-timer, as well (which isn't a given, even if a restaurant is struggling). Â The service was prompt and friendly, and it was much appreciated. Â
It was packed at lunchtime, which may not seem like a good indication, but us small-town people know that it takes less time for a restaurant to die in a small town than anywhere else if the food/service is not up to par. Or if they piss off the townfolk. Â Or if they are not open when the townfolk think they should be. Or if they don't serve a good "Meat + 3". Â Or if the waitress (don't call them servers here) doesn't call Cousin Jesse "Honey".
They also cater, are a bakery, and have a regular menu of standard "southern" breakfast, lunch and dinner fare, and it is likely that I will update this review with my observations of that. Â I reserved a star based on the fact that I haven't tried anything but the pizza yet.