On Main Street in Waterford, you’ll find a hidden gem for breakfast and lunch. Café 213 has been a destination for regulars and a great spot for lake season tourists since owner Tanya Schachner opened its doors four years ago. Café 213 has a relaxed and charmingly cozy atmosphere and is a reflection of both owner and staff in the thoughtfully prepared and presented food they serve.
The setup is simple: Walk in, order off the menu, grab a mug and fill you cup with coffee (with the exception of a variety of specialty coffees). Then pick your seat and relax at one of the tables or in the small seating area. You will find Schachner always popping out of the kitchen to make sure her guests are happy and making you feel at home knowing that the kitchen is in the capable hands of her team.
They have a variety of both sweet and savory items on their breakfast menu, as well as many options for lunch. All items are made from scratch with much attention to detail and even some creative specials that are the inspiration of chef Holly Goodbrake, like the black bean and sweet potato with sliced fresh avocado and eggs served to your liking. The hash was a delicate balance of bold flavors that really worked well and was accompanied by Bread Smith’s honey wheat toast and beautifully presented fresh fruit to sweeten the deal. Another breakfast highlight was the toasted pecan waffle where the pecans were actually toasted to enhance the nutty flavor ($8.45). The loaded omelet was just that—a thin layer of a three-egg omelet overflowing with pulled ham, spinach, mushrooms, onions, red pepper and cheddar cheese ($9.45). The extra-large crepes are filled with fresh fruit and one even offers a drizzle of Nutella ($6.95-$7.45). It had really nice flavor and held up to all the fruit inside.
Other breakfast menu items included breakfast paninis and burrito ($5.95-$8.45), French toast coated with a cornflake crust ($7.45), loaded hash browns stuffed with pulled ham and cheddar cheese ($8.95), steel-cut oatmeal beautifully studded with pecans, raisins and cranberries ($7.45) and an array of breakfast side dishes.
Lunch also had chef specials—different each week—and a great variety of salad and sandwich options to choose from. The chef’s special cod sandwich had a crunchy coating of panko and was served on a brioche-style bun with tarter sauce and sweet potato chips on the side ($10.95). The salad of fresh mesclun mix with cranberries, goat cheese and toasted almonds had a fresh-to-the-palate vinaigrette and a healthy option of a generously seasoned sliced chicken breast on top ($9.95).
All Café 213 sandwiches ($8.45-$9.45) are served with your choice of regular or sweet potato chips, mixed greens or their signature crunchy peanut sesame slaw, also served as a side ($3.95). Every day has a special soup, but the tomato basil is on the menu daily and is served with bread and by the cup ($3.25) or bowl ($4.25).
Don’t forget to pick up some sweet treats at the coffee counter including chocolates from a local chocolatier, muffins, cupcakes and many other perfect finishing bites to enjoy with your coffee in this quaint, relaxed setting.
Café 213
213 E. Main St., Waterford
262-534-2131
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Handicapped access: Yes
