Farmhouse Cafe — Restaurant in Wendell

I really enjoy the convenience of the Farmhouse Cafe in our neighborhood. I have had breakfast, lunch and dinner here numerous times and rarely disappoints. Except the coffee—it needs work. More on that below. Love meeting my friends here or taking my family when in town. They do lots of resident events there; summer music; trivia/bingos, etc. open to both residents and non-resident customers, so it’s always lively and abuzz. I love that on any given night in the fall or winter I can walk over and turn on the fireplace and just enjoy the sound of the pond/ fountain. In the Summer there are lots of outdoor barbecues and live music events. Here is my breakdown of what I love and dislike:

Love: -ambience/lighting/string lights/umbrellas -coffeehouse playlist is nice -clean and spacious bathrooms indoor/outdoor seating options with shade -dog bowls (when they remember to put them out). Just ask! They are friendly! has a bar with a few taps and wine selection pretty good late night hours; opens early enough to grab a bite on commute can calk ahead and order; walk up window available. -fire pits with wood (a sign with some instructions about whether it’s OK to light your own fire or if you have to ask an employee to light them would be great. Are there lighters somewhere? gas fireplace has a timer on it on the pool side of balcony sandwiches are large and hearty -smorbrods are amazing; hearty but still with delicate greens and sauces. breakfast biscuits are large and affordable. Lots of bacon! but biscuits crumble apart making it impossible to eat on the go. Please fix that recipe because everything else rocks! -gorgeous landscaping outside -great views from the back balcony

Dislike: wifi is ALWAYS spotty at best; outside wifi rarely strong enough signal. charge for water even with a purchase people walking around in swimsuits/bikinis in front of my son—cover-ups should be required. -temperature could be much cooler in summer lots of clutter of outdoor cooking/grilling equipment on side walkway which happens to be the only way to get to the back balcony. People in wheelchairs would be hard pressed to get by them. employees could be a lot friendlier; usually grumpy or short, even when no rush. When busy there is a lot of yelling back and forth and makes it hard to enjoy conversation. They also scream names really loudly. I usually avoid sitting near the cafe for this reason alone. seating outside is blown around by wind—need heavier weight, better quality stuff. I have been hit in head when i was on outdoor couch by the nearby aluminum dining chairs that get blown around. coffees are room temp at best and “baristas” don’t respond well to asking for “no foam” or “extra hot”. You get the “hey, we’re not a real coffee shop attitude”. Sizes are small for the price—more European in size :) Hope they will invest in more barista training. Otherwise when the Starbucks opens up next door they will lose a lot of traffic. *A frequent coffee buyer rewards program would help as well—especially for residents. When the coffee sizes and temperature improves I will give this place five stars!!!!! wish the upstairs glassed in room was available to more than just employees because it would make a great quiet work room for residents -kids area usually missing crayons; some board games on the shelf would be nice for older kids are those cute cruiser bikes for decor or for...

I want to get my complaint about the Farmhouse Cafe out of the way right up front. You have to stand in line to order your food, set your own table, pick up the food when it is ready and clear your own table. This is not my idea of "Good Eats." BUT - the diverse menu and really good food keeps me coming back. The multiple outside dining options are also a big plus - especially when the weather cooperates.

The week-end Brunch is a true delight. My favorite is the Three Little Pigs Grits Bowl ($13). The generous portion of Stone Ground Cheesy Grits is smothered with Pulled Pork, Country Ham, Bacon, Pub Sauce and a Scrambled Egg. The dish is as filling as it is delicious. A definite winner. We also enjoyed the Breakfast Burrito ($8). The flavorful Flour Tortilla Wrap is crammed full of Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Tomatoes, Cheese and Arugula. Another satisfying winner.

The Roast Beef Smørrebrød ($11) is a superstar. This unique combination of tender, thinly sliced Roast Beef, Pesto, Smoked Gouda, Caramelized Onions, Roasted Tomatoes and Balsamic Glaze was piled high - very high - on a thick slice of Nordic Farmer's Bread. It is hard to describe all the flavors, but this open faced sandwich is truly outstanding. The Smørrebrød also comes in a Salmon version for the same price.

We were not so impressed with the Sweet Potato Quinoa Stir Fry ($14). This dish combines Red Peppers, Arugula, Asparagus, Carrots, Green Tomato Relish and Thai Chili Sauce. I am always searching for new and innovative cuisine, and I applaud Chef Cowden for his many contributions to dining adventures; but I simply did not like this Stir Fry. The texture was off and the flavors did not work for me.

For an ultimate comfort sandwich, I recommend the Cuban ($10 with one side). The toasted Cuban-style Hoagy Roll is stuffed with savory tender Pulled Pork, Thin-sliced Ham, gooey melty Swiss Cheese, Dill Pickle slice and a slightly sweet Mustard Sauce. The Tomato Cucumber Side was fresh, crisp, nicely chilled and seasoned with a zesty...

I am new to Wendell Falls area, literally! I went on Sunday April 16th at 4:43pm after realizing I hadn't ate during my move so I was famished. I saw the hours on the door stating they closed at 5pm. To my surprise, I walked in and one young lady let out a sigh and called another young lady to the front. I asked for the menu and she called, im guessing the manager to the front who proceeded to state they were closing, not closed. I stated but it's not 5pm. The manager said well we are closing and no take out orders. I again stated but it's not 5pm and another young lady came from the back and said we already started breaking down and cleaning. I also see in the display muffins etc. & not once did either of the 3 state we are no longer serving hot food but we do have muffins, coffee etc. I get it was close to closing time but that conversation was longer than it would have taken to warm up a muffin or something. We all have things we would rather do than work on a Sunday but a little empathy and idk customer service would have gone a long way instead of the nasty attitudes I received. I don't think the owners would appreciate that they intrust these folks to give a 100% customer service to each and every customer that enters their establishment especially with big chain businesses opening up the street i.e. Starbucks. I was completely taken aback, returned to my car, now at 4:57pm still starving. I had to settle for Wendy's which I didn't realize was up the street. We are all somebody's customer and I pray the 3 of you, will receive better service than I received from you. I like to frequent smaller businesses to support and this experience was completely uncalled for.

Update as of 8/26: the owner emailed me back asking for my phone number and still I have not received a call as of yet.

Update as of 11/28/23: still have not heard from...