The Native Cafe

My trips to Pensacola Beach usually consist of me stopping by a fast food joint for breakfast before hitting the white sands.  No more.  After trying out the Native Cafe on the recommendation of a friend, I can just go straight to the beach and get a hardy breakfast that will last me until well after lunch time.

Pancakewich

I knew I was going to meet a friend and her daughter in a few hours for lunch so I needed something "medium" sized and not the full meal.  I decided on the pancakewich.  When I read the description, I immediately thought McGriddle.  It's two eggs, American cheese and bacon, sausage or ham served between two fluffy pancakes.  I got sunny side up eggs, cheddar cheese (for a $.50 up charge) and ham.  When it came out, I was surprised by the sheer size.  It has be at least 5 inches across.  I cut into it and the yolk oozed out, perfect for me to dip everything in. The pancakes were wonderfully fluffy. It was a great combination of salty, sweet and rich.  It was well worth the $7.50 I paid.

I arrived at Native Cafe at about 10:30 on a Friday morning and was surprised by how busy it was.  The bar area was full and the tables turned over quickly.  There was a nice mix of tourists and locals as well as the regulars.  There's about 6 booths and the same number of tables so the Native Cafe can accommodate a good amount of people.  My waitress was very good.  She was knowledgeable, attentive and nice.  I think one of the best part is on an island where just about every restaurant is corporate-owned, the Native Cafe is family owned and operated.

The Native Cafe not hard to find if you know what you are looking for.   It's about a quarter mile past the first traffic light when you get onto the island.  Look for the brightly painted shopping center and make that first turn into the parking lot because it's one way. To check out the Native Cafe's website and menu, click here.