The Rustic Inc. — Restaurant in Cape Coral

The Rustic is a wonderful Hole-in-the-wall place that serves immaculate authentic German food. The moment you walk in, the place is clean, looks very nice and although small, feels cozy. And the owners are also very friendly and accommodating.

To start with positives, the food? Delicious. I had the Schnitzel sandwich minus the Tomato and yeah, the taste is incredible. There's no doubt about it, this IS authentic and homemade. When you come here, your tastebuds will be delighted, believe me.

However there are two glaring issues that hold it back from being 5-Star perfection.

The sandwich construction isn't the best.

I ordered my Schnitzel as "Crispy" as opposed to regular, which means the meat is flattened out and fried for longer. So it awkwardly juts out of the small hoagie roll it's placed upon, making some bites difficult to eat, and some bites containing only the coleslaw. When the bread, buttery coleslaw and two schnitzel patties DO line up, the taste is heavenly and when this occurred while eating, I saw the vision clear as day. This had all the elements to be a perfect sandwich but it's construction held it back. I wish they had cut the meat to fit on the bread properly and layered it better.

This slight inconvenience normally wouldn't be a big deal to me but then there's the issue of...

The price. It's too expensive for what you ultimately get.

Yes, I know, this is homemade authentic, German cuisine. I obviously wasn't expecting to pay the price of a McDouble here. $15.50 might not sound like a lot for a Schnitzel sandwich but... this is for JUST the 6' sandwich and nothing else. No drink nor any option for a side. I got Lays chips with my order (The only Chips available) and that was an extra 1.50. Then adding in the 18% tip, this brought my lunch to a whopping $21.97.

For a 6' sandwich with no side or anything else included, this is just a bit too much.

I used to frequent a restaurant called Wicked Good Deli in Fort Myers and for only $13, you can get a Large footlong Wicked Steak Bomb sub WITH fries and a drink. Everything there is completely homemade and cooked to order, just like this place. It is a much better value. if I hadn't moved, this would be my choice to go to during my lunch breaks.

All of this being said however, The Rustic is absolutely still worth going to. I'm only being this harsh because I walked in expecting perfection due to the rave reviews of this place. And I see how it COULD be 5 stars, maybe I just got the wrong thing. But as it stands, I can only give it a 4.

Regardless of that though, I enjoyed what I ate and again, the service and atmosphere are wonderful. And there's also a lot of variety in the menu too with Fish sandwiches, Roast Beef and even an all day Breakfast menu complete with Coffee options. So there's plenty of reason to come back, and come back I definitely will. And I recommend you do too, especially if you have any German lineage in your blood. You certainly...

A Must-Visit Deli with Incredible Food and Service! I recently had the pleasure of visiting The Rustic and it was an absolutely fantastic experience from start to finish. From the moment I walked in, the owner (Dennis) made me feel incredibly welcome, going above and beyond to ensure a great visit. Their genuine warmth and passion for their craft truly shine through, making it feel less like a transaction and more like a friendly neighborhood spot. Now, let's talk about the food! I ordered a sandwich, and it was nothing short of delicious. These aren't your average sandwiches; they are very large and packed with robust, incredible flavor. Every bite was a delight, clearly made with high-quality ingredients and a lot of care. You definitely get your money's worth in terms of both size and taste. And for a side, I highly recommend the coleslaw. It's fresh, perfectly creamy, and provides a wonderful complement to the rich flavors of the sandwich. Not your ordinary slaw. Don't skip it! Overall, if you're looking for a deli that offers not just amazing, generously sized, and flavorful sandwiches but also genuinely friendly and welcoming service, this is the place to go. I can't...

WOW, that's all that needs to be said! I'm praying it wasn't a fluke but I may have found that type of deli food I've been looking for after 30 yrs. Finally made my way to the Rustic and it didn't disappoint! Ordered the Schnitzel, Mediterranean, and the Vegetarian and alll 3 where fantastic! Not a skimpy sub, they are huge, and the hoagie roll was probably the best I had, fresh and soft. The bread always makes the sub! The place is clean with a great atmosphere, fresh and bright! You can eat in or take out! The owners are as nice as can be and we had a great conversation. Really nice menu w/specials. A tad pricey, if it was an average sub, but this is well above average and 100% worth it. Can't wait to go back. Going back today, hoping for the same experience! UPDATE: Returned to try their Italian Sub And OMG! This was by far the best Italian I've ever had. So far I've have 4 different subs and all were amazing! Enough said, my new favorite place...