“This must be the place.”
It was a Saturday morning, and my family was hungry for brunch. So, when we saw those words in neon on the wall of Café on 8th, we had an inkling we were in the right spot.
The restaurant opened in April 2023, and I’d heard off and on that it was a place I had to try—but I didn’t know what the restaurant was all about until I stepped through the door and discovered that it was a gourmet waffle bar. So fun, right?
The interior is clean and modern—lovely hardwood floors, lots of black and white, and hanging greenery for splashes of color. You order at the counter; you could start with the chalkboard listing out espressos and coffees, lemonades and teas, smoothies and bowls, and other specialty items—and even though I’m not a coffee drinker, I love that they have so many flavors you can add, from a classic French vanilla or hazelnut to peach or strawberry or lime. But I was eager to try out a waffle creation. And the friendly folks at the counter were just as eager to tell us all about it.
There are classic waffles, plain or filled with a fruit or spices (and you can also customize your waffle in many different ways, just ask). Then there are the deluxe waffles, like the Backyard Barbeque stuffed with hushpuppies and topped with pulled pork, or the salmon croquette served with a cheese grit waffle, or the Southern Smile, a biscuit waffle smothered with sausage gravy or bacon. Vegetarians can also enjoy the Cauli & Parm, made with riced cauliflower and parmesan.
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Or if you’re not in the mood—strictly speaking—for a waffle, you can also try other items like an omelette, grilled cheese, quesadilla, wrap, patty melt or avocado toast. But here’s the fun part—they’re still prepared on the waffle iron so they have those classic waffle iron marks!
I got to see this in action when my daughter ordered the chicken bites and waffle tots off the kids menu. The waffle tots were generous wedges of hashed browns, cooked and shaped into a waffle, a little creamy in the inside and crisp and brown on the outside, with a dash of chopped scallions on top. But here’s the kicker—even the tender chicken bites were cooked on the waffle iron, making them extra fun to eat.
I have always been a chicken and waffles girl, so the Down Home waffle with fried chicken, bacon, cheese and collards was my jam, while my husband went for another favorite flavor, Low Country, featuring a grit waffle, shrimp creole and bacon.
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You might briefly notice that the food is served on disposable plates. But no matter because the food is the real star. My husband’s was a beautifully plated trio of the hearty grit waffles, topped with the plump and fresh shrimp—they nearly popped in your mouth—smothered in a creamy and bracing tomato-ey sauce flecked with bacon and scallions. It was all those low-country flavors we love in the South, wrapped up in a fun new package.
My chicken and waffles wasn’t what I expected. At first, I was like, where’s the chicken? But then I realized, it was cooked into the waffle, along with the bacon and collards. Genius move. The waffles were served with either a spicy creamy sauce or a sweet (perhaps brown sugar-based?) sauce that made me feel I was being treated to two different meals. The spicy sauce turned it into a buffalo chicken—and brought out the sweetness in the waffle. Meanwhile, the sweeter sauce made it more of the classic chicken and waffles, which are typically served with a maple syrup. In short, I loved them both.
Café on 8th is off the beaten path. Which makes it such an unexpected and delightful gem when you happen upon it. But now that you know, make your way to this little gem of a restaurant right off of Broad. It’s definitely the place.
Make Your Reservation
Café on 8th
226 8th St., downtown Augusta
Entrée cost: $6 to $15
