CWC Cafe’s Southern cooking good for the soul

by Tallahassee Table

Catering with Care offers homemade comfort food for breakfast and lunch.

This Tallahassee Table article first appeared in “Here’s Brunch” from Florida Politics.

Catering with Care or CWC Cafe is a homey breakfast and lunch destination, serving traditional Southern cooking less than a mile from the Capitol. If you haven’t been here yet or it’s been too long, now’s a good time to stop by for the comforting fare of Joe Nix.

Teresa and Joe Nix, co-owners of Catering with Care or CWC Cafe. Photo / Catering with Care

“My husband just plain ‘ol enjoys cooking, always has,” said Teresa Nix, cafe co-owner with husband, Joe. “I met him in 1983 and he was cooking when I met him.”

From Choose Tallahassee: “Joe and Teresa grew up in the now-historic neighborhood of Smokey Hollow. The couple started from humble beginnings, but in 2014 they opened Catering With Care and haven’t looked back!”

The couple first opened a cafe on Crawfordville Road, but they moved to their current spot two years ago in the former home of Nick’s Cafe.

Knotty pine frames the cozy restaurant on South Monroe Street. Photo / Tallahassee Table

The cozy restaurant is open and cheerful, with two dining rooms, a row of booths by the windows and knotty pine paneling and wood floors.

My Southern husband was more than pleased with this plate-size pork chop at CWC Cafe. Photo / Tallahassee Table

 My Southern husband is usually hesitant about ordering pork chops because he’s always disappointed. Not at CWC. His breaded chop was as big as his plate and tender and juicy. We were instant fans.

The AJ Sampler at CWC Cafe brings two truly fluffy pancakes, ham, two slices of bacon, two sausage patties, hash browns and toast. Photo / Tallahassee Table

Breakfast platters are huge and soul-satisfying. The basic breakfast special brings three cooked to order eggs, bacon, sausage (pork or turkey sausage) or corned beef hash with potatoes or grits for $7.65. I splurged on the AJ Sampler ($11.50) with two truly fluffy pancakes, ham, two slices of bacon, two sausage patties, hash browns and toast. We took home part of our meal for leftovers.

Omelets are among the breakfast specialties at CWC Cafe. Photo / Catering with Care

P.S. We just went back to CWC Cafe for breakfast March 20 with friends and they also loved their breakfast. My friend Gail, a fan of chicken and waffles, raved about her platter with several waffle wedges and a lot of Southern-style chicken wings. She said they were “light, flaky and tasty.” Omelets and breakfast sandwiches help round out the morning menu.

These are just a few of the sides you’ll find at lunch at CWC Cafe. Photo / Catering with Care

The lunch menu features sandwiches, burgers, and wraps but it’s tough to beat the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet, offered at 11 a.m. It’s $10.50 for dine-in or $5.49 by the pound. Joe Nix cooks about 95 percent of all the food on the buffet, said his wife. Choices vary but options could be fried chicken, pork chops, smothered turkey legs and a long list of sides.

If you haven’t been to CWC Cafe yet, the food is good for the soul.

Details: CWC Cafe, 1431 S. Monroe St.; 850-765-0127. Hours 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Closed Monday.

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