Native Cafe — Restaurant in Santa Rosa Island

Native Cafe has always been super busy any time I've driven past over the last 9 months I've lived here, however this past Easter Sunday I was finally able to slid into a parking spot and give them a chance.

Up front there is definitely a "You're in the Santa Rosa Island Authority area" upcharge on everything. Foodstuffs I'm used to seeing for $7.50 everywhere else run $14.50 here. An omelet cost me 17.50 here, at Wild Eggs up north I get a similar style omelet for $9 and it's twice the size.

But that's the thing you just get used to when visiting anything in Pensacola Beach, there's an upcharge on everything here. Soda is $4.50, tea is $4.50, everything is nearly double what it is on the other side of that bridge in Gulf Breeze.

That said, the stuffed French toast was some of the best I've had, very fluffy and filling with fresh fruit and whip. The grits were magnificent, hot and not overcooked. You can add salt+pepper or go my route and add sugar and it is still delicious.

The only thing I didn't like was the Ice in my water, it tasted a bit "moldy" as if the water lines to the ice maker hadn't been cleaned for some time. Which is sadly all too common for a lot of independent restaurants who don't have the same benefits as chains with a third party deep cleansing crew every so often.

The service was a bit slow but they were also packed with 15 people waiting behind us when we got our seats. It wasn't unreasonable though and everyone was constantly moving to address customer needs. Definitely an issue of the brunch crowd and their mimosas and bloody marys dilly dallying about.

They do have an excellent selection of the local craft beers in the area, and at a future time I think I would like to sit and take it a bit slower there and enjoy a beer or two and just take in...

Oh. My. Gawd. I love this place! Have only been there twice, breakfast both times, but I look forward to trying lunch one of these days. I am a semi-local... live about an hour away... and we have eaten here the last two times that we've gone to the beach. I much prefer a breakfast/brunch here as opposed to the other eateries on the Island... it is just nice to have something different.

Both times that we have gone there has been a wait, but the line moves super quickly, I was really surprised. It is well worth waiting for. On our first visit I got an omelet, side of bacon, and potatoes... the portions were massive & very delicious. They can make all kinds of omelets and my selected omelet fillings were VERY generously stuffed.

The last time we went I tried the stuffed French toast with strawberries... I really think it could have used more cream cheese in the 'filling', plus a few more strawberries and a better quality of whipped cream... it was just not what I had expected, and although I was admittedly a little disappointed, it was still very yummy! I was also very impressed with the hot latte that I got.... it was super delicious!!! They have different flavours to choose as well.

One thing that I wish were different.... I wish their Mimosas were 'bottomless' - at least on Sundays. Most all places seem to do bottomless Mimosas on Sundays. I got one to try on my first visit [actually, I got a Poinsettia... Cranberry juice instead of orange juice]... it was a decent Mimosa, but if I remember correctly it was a little pricey for...

Since the last time we were here, the Cafe has doubled in size and is as hopping as ever. They could have squeezed in several more tables, but I'm glad they didn't. You can walk around the place to admire all the beach art on the walls without having to climb over someone's lap.

Tara, our server, greeted us quickly even though the place was quite busy. She was fun, friendly and attentive. The food was fresh, hot and as ordered. They have wonderful biscuits. They are hefty and flavorful, unlike the air puffs some restaurants call a biscuit; made me regret not getting sausage and biscuits. But the "Hungry Native" with three eggs, hash browns, sausage and a pancake on the side was nice. I do wish they made more traditional hashbrowns with onions, but that's just me as a hash brown snob.

The only complaint I have is a bit unusual for a restaurant review: the plates.

Some dinghead thought spiffy square plates -- more apprapos to a fine dining establishment than a Cafe -- would be a great idea. They are not. First, they are perfectly flat with only a quarter-inch edge, so when you try to scoop up hasbrowns with your fork, most end up flying off the plate and go the floor. Worse still, they take up a huge amount of space.

I challenge whoever picked them to sit at a four-top table with three friends and all of you order the "Hungry Native." Good luck balancing your second plates with the pancakes on your laps because there will be no room for them on the table as your other plates will already be hanging over...