Water Street Central Kitchen — Restaurant in Corpus Christi

I've been - or was - a regular here since 2023. I'm talking once a week and all major events. Central Kitchen always stood out for not the food, but the atmosphere. The cozy vibes, warm, soft lighting, and the smell of fresh pastries being baked wafted through the air no matter the time of day. Above all the staff made CK truly remarkable. They always greeted me with enthusiasm, even remembering my usual order and having it ready before I even got to the register. They would check on me at my table, even offering refills and clearing my plate when they noticed that I was finished. The manager (the one with the space buns, I think her name was also Amber) even went as far as to remember my children's names and their favorite pastries even though they seldom come with me. Each visit made me feel like I was stepping into something magical, not just a bakery. I loved bringing my friends in and watching their faces light up in awe.

Recently, Central Kitchen has felt like nothing more than a shell of it's old self. The lighting is cold and harsh. The food, once so carefully crafted with love, is now seemingly just thrown together so that they can move on to the next order. The quality has consistently gone down over the last few months. The pastries are consistently stale and dry despite being "fresh baked". During my last visit my son ordered the chocolate donut (his favorite) and then refused to eat it because it was fried to a crisp (literally, the thing was crunchy) and the icing was transparent. My Suzie Q was not only burnt, but the chicken salad was extremely disappointing. The apples were cut into 3/4 inch pieces, the pecans were so small that they felt like sawdust, and the cranberries were non-existent. All I tasted was mayo and apples. Your chicken salad has been my favorite for years, and now I've been turned off of it completely.

Most concerning of all is the service. No one greets people any more, no eye contact is made, and the restaurant is filthy. Staff who were once quite cheery now had the life sucked out of them. No managers in sight either - not sure what happened to Space Buns, but morale visibly went down after her departure. These poor kids have aged ten years in the last few months. As I said earlier, everything feels cold ... and soulless.

My family and I will no longer be dining here, and I will no longer recommend Central Kitchen to anyone. Coming here...

Water Street Central Kitchen is an absolute gem in downtown Corpus Christi, tucked away on Lomax Street just off Water Street. The charming and quaint atmosphere makes it the perfect stop during a scenic walk downtown. From the moment you step inside, the bakery’s warm and inviting vibe makes it hard to choose from their incredible selection—everything looks amazing!

We’ve tried quite a few of their offerings, and everything has been outstanding. My personal favorite? Their cheesecakes. During the holidays, I had the eggnog and pumpkin cheesecakes, and they were to die for. The chocolate cheesecake was equally divine. Other standout favorites include the key lime pie and the coffee cake, both bursting with flavor.

My mom sampled all three of their scones and enjoyed them, with the rosemary scone being a particular standout. But hands-down, the biggest hit among everyone has been the cream cheese kolache—they’re huge, freshly made, and the cream cheese filling is just something special.

As for their breads, we’ve only tried the baguette so far, but it’s absolutely delicious with a bit of butter and would complement any meal beautifully.

On the savory side, the Susie Q sandwich was impressive—not only large but packed with flavor. The Front Porch Toast was another favorite, with its melty pimento cheese, crispy bacon, a slightly spicy sauce, and creamy avocado, all atop fresh, chewy homemade toast. We also tried the Billy Elvis, which my dad loved—it’s incredibly rich, sweet, and heavy on the Nutella, perfect for those with a serious sweet tooth.

All in all, I highly recommend Water Street Central Kitchen. It’s a fantastic spot to grab a bite, and downtown Corpus is really making strides in revitalization—this little block is perfect for a leisurely stroll. If you’re in the area,...

It’s been awhile since we have paid a visit, we used to come here almost every Sunday back when they first opened.

I noticed they added some new items and changed up the menu just a touch. My husband really enjoys the Front Porch, it’s his go to when he come here for a light breakfast/brunch he absolutely loves their Pimento Cheese spread. I have tried the Front Porch, Adam & Eve, and recently the Lox & Everything and they were all exceptional choices! I think by far my favorite is the lox. Their sourdough bread is quite delicious and fluffy.

We have also tried quite a bit of their baked goods. My top contenders are the Kouign Amann and the Almond Croissant. By far the absolute BEST almond croissant that I have had anywhere! The cinnamon roll is a little bit of a hit or miss for me, I find it a bit dry and the icing to dough ratio isn’t ideal for how big they are. Maybe just a tough more icing would be good…. Granted the last time I had their cinnamon roll was about a year ago. The Cranberry Orange Scone, Chocolate Chip Cookie, and the Brownie were all just okay. Not a repeat item for us.

Everyone is always friendly and helpful if there are questions about any of the items. It’s really just a nice place to hang around and honestly a cozy atmosphere to read a book here which I have done...