Native Cafe

Review by: Jess Dawson

Native Cafe is owned and operated by Joyce and Charles Brown and their three children, a fifth generation Pensacola family that aims to provide homestyle cooking to their neighbors and visitors.

Even when it’s gloomy outside, the restaurant feels like a sunny place, thanks in large part to friendly waitresses with bright smiles. The wooden tables are crowded with locals of every stripe, including families and kids and silver-haired retirees. Local art lines each wall, almost every inch of space adorned with images of pelicans, dolphins, and sandy beaches.

Spicy Bloody Marys and mimosas are a good way to start breakfast, which includes eggs and bacon, a pancake-wich, Benedicts, biscuits & gravy, and French toast. A Lil’ Native’s breakfast section includes bear-shaped pancakes and mini burritos.

My favorite is crab cake Benedict: crisp-edged English muffins topped with thick, salty crab cakes, runny poached eggs, and tangy hollandaise sauce. 

The breakfast burrito is stuffed with scrambled eggs, cheese, and bacon, wrapped in a soft flour tortilla and served with salsa. It’s a relatively small one, but just right for a modest appetite, or as a side dish if you’re really hungry.

Shrimp & grits is a bowl of creamy grits topped with Monterey jack and plump grilled shrimp. Green and fried onions are included. We like to add jalapeños and bacon for a spicy, salty flourish.

Of the “Big Beach’n” omelets, the Southeastern includes thinly-sliced strips of steak, diced bell peppers and jalapeños, onions, and cheese. It’s got cheesy edges and gooey insides: delicious with salsa and sour cream added.

When we arrived at Native Cafe just before 8 AM on a Monday, we snagged the last available booth, and an eager crowd quickly formed outside. It’s clear the Brown family has created a Pensacola favorite destination.

What To Eat

Southeastern Omelette

DISH
Shrimp & Grits

DISH
Breakfast Burrito

DISH
Crab Cake Benedict

DISH

Native Cafe Recipes

Discuss

What do you think of Native Cafe?

Nearby Restaurants

Cosse’s on the Beach

Pensacola Beach, FL

Shaggy’s Pensacola

Pensacola Beach, FL

Peg Leg Pete’s Oyster Bar

Pensacola Beach, FL

The Magnolia

Pensacola, FL

Jerry’s Drive-In

Pensacola, FL

Bagelheads

Pensacola, FL

Article’s & Guides Tagged Bagelheads

Connect with us #Roadfood