West Columbia eatery offers twist on breakfast
Just across the river sits a brightly painted yellow and blue cafe, nestled neatly in line with the other buildings along State Street.
Its name is Cafe Strudel, and since opening in 1997, it has become a not-so-secret place for locals to stop in for a bite to eat.
Owner Trip Turbyfill started the cafe with his wife and another business partner in a much smaller 600-square-foot building. After three years, the need for more space became apparent, and Cafe Strudel moved to its current location in West Columbia.
To place Cafe Strudel's eats into one category is difficult, as the restaurant seems to specialize in almost all types of food and drink. Initially offering mostly coffee and desserts, the restaurant's menu has grown to include a full array of soups, sandwiches and salads, as well as breakfast served all day and the cafe's popular Sunday brunch.
Turbyfill said the focus is on good quality and offering food with a spin.
"We put some different things together that you don't normally have," Turbyfill said.
He also emphasized that the food is made fresh, and much of it with local ingredients.
All of the soups and all but a couple of the salad dressings are made from scratch.
The cafe has become known for its "world famous" Hangover Hash Browns. With banana peppers, grilled onions, tomatoes, cheddar cheese and eggs, this potato dish definitely strays from tradition.
Along with the hash browns, the breakfast menu also offers many other items, including bagels, cinnamon pancakes and a breakfast quesadilla.
In addition to the all-day breakfast, Sunday brunch has become a specialty of Cafe Strudel's. Brunch is served from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, offering a slightly altered breakfast menu.
"That's turned into one of our big things," Turbyfill said of the Sunday brunch.
Coffee was a main focus for the cafe when it started out, and Cafe Strudel has remained true to its roots. The menu offers various coffee and espresso drinks, along with more than 30 varieties of hot teas and specialty drinks, including an Arnold Palmer and hot apple cider.
The restaurant features an extensive beer and wine menu as well, which is available each day of the week except Sunday.
The menu also offers a variety of soups, salads and sandwiches perfect for any meal. These items, like most at Cafe Strudel, are traditional favorites served with a twist of local flavor. Sandwiches range from a classic BLT to a cranberry turkey baguette and the Martino — a turkey and cheddar sandwich served on a sweet, dark wheat loaf.
From the menu to the building and its atmosphere, Cafe Strudel prides itself on being a locally owned establishment.
"People like a local place they can come [to]," Turbyfill said.
Inside, the mismatched chairs and quirky decorations create a relaxed and fun atmosphere that adds to the local feel of the restaurant.
Local music acts also perform at the cafe. Turbyfill said he hopes to bring in more talent from around Columbia to play at the establishment.
"We're going to try and do some more singer/songwriters who come and perform their own music that they wrote," Turbyfill said.
Along with a variety of quality food and live music, Turbyfill said the restaurant's success has been based on keeping customers coming back. The cafe gets much of its business from USC students and locals who return for the cafe's original take on classic food.
Cafe Strudel is located at 118 State St. in West Columbia and is open Monday through Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and for Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
With a fun atmosphere, live music and a unique twist on food, Cafe Strudel is a great place to go for some sweet bites.
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