In Good Company: Grapevine Cafe

One of the best aspects of quaint, small towns are the great little “mom and pop” eateries locals come to love and tourists enjoy discovering. Grapevine Café on South Padre Island is just such a place.

Owned by Mikey Damato and Doug Krawczynski since 2006, this breakfast and lunch diner has become a favorite with Island residents and visitors alike. Damato says it’s simply the food.

“We offer good quality food with fresh ingredients,” he said. “It’s just a nice spot to sit, have breakfast, read the paper or watch the news. And we always try to give the best service we can.”

But the prices help.

Thanks to a loyal following, Grapevine can offer daily breakfast specials at around $3.94 and lunch specials for less than $6. And while they do have the standard items like pancakes, waffles, French toast and omelets, they also have mouth watering dishes like Eggs Florentine, Eggs Benedict, Huevos Rancheros and Migas.

“We’re pretty popular for our breakfast tacos,” Damato said. “It’s a big, handmade flour tortilla.”

The menu is an eclectic mix of American and Mexican favorites, everything from chicken fried steak, Salisbury steak, meatloaf and pork chops to Steak Rancheros, enchiladas and fajitas.

And get this, Grapevine has fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juice. No big deal, right? Think again. This produce comes straight from an orchard right here in Bayview!

“I use to go out and pick it myself,” Damato said. “But it got too time consuming so now I have someone do it for me. I miss it, though. It was like therapy,” he laughed.

Grapevine has a nice, bright atmosphere and is smoke free. They offer free wireless internet for customers who want to bring their lap tops.

 They’re open seven days a week from 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and are located at 2800 Padre Blvd. Call 956-761-VINE (8463) for more information. And check out their ad right here in the Coastal Current for a 10 percent off coupon.