In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, sometimes you just need a break. A cup of coffee (or depending on the stress level, a cold beer). An indulgent snack. All in a beautiful setting.
That’s exactly what you’ll find at downtown Augusta’s Emil’s — part coffeehouse, part taproom and all delicious.
I ducked inside on a recent Saturday and immediately felt a sense of calm from the aroma of fresh coffee, the inviting robin’s egg blue walls, and gorgeous wood décor and leather banquettes. It was fresh and felt like a glamorous café in another city.
I didn’t know exactly what to expect food wise — I’d heard there was coffee and possibly sandwiches or snacks? So, it was fun discovering what Emil’s was really all about.
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To drink, you can order coffee: espresso drinks, batch-brewed coffee (Big Trouble, described online as nutty and smooth), Americola (espresso and Coca-Cola!), espresso tonic (espresso and tonic water), or a chai or matcha latte. Or, if the day calls for it, serve yourself from the self-pour taps in the back of the restaurant, a dizzying variety that changes up semi-regularly.
If you want food to go with your drink, Emil’s has a lunch and dinner menu. Both feature cold plates such as a white bean dip served with fresh, soft focaccia or a riff on a caprese salad with grape tomatoes, mozzarella pearls and balsamic nuggets. There are boards, such as the farmer: a charcuterie board featuring three cheeses (cheddar, goat and gorgonzola), three meats (prosciutto, sopressata and bresaola) with focaccia, spreads and savories. And there are sweet things, from a simple (but perfect) buttermilk biscuit with homemade jam to a strawberry hibiscus toaster strudel (if you’re in luck—the sweets do rotate regularly).
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The dinner menu adds additional bites, from Far East meatballs and bacon-wrapped dates to vindaloo creamed corn and roasted potatoes with a three-paprika sauce and lemony garlic mayo. There’s also two “pint-size sammies”: a roast beef and Havarti melt and a baby Cuban, both on a brioche roll.
But for my lunchtime snack, I knew just what I wanted: Emil’s version of chicken salad and something new I’d never tried muhammara, a roasted red pepper dip with pomegranate molasses and sumac. To wash it down, I added a a San Pellegrino aranciata, or sparkling orange soda — one of several specialty sodas available in Emil’s cold case.
Sitting at one of the restaurant’s leather sofas with a small round table in front of me, I had the perfect view of Broad Street and time to wave down a friend for a quick chat just before the food arrived.
The muhammara — the name rolled easily off my server’s tongue, but don’t ask me to repeat it — was a gorgeous deep reddish-orange dip, drizzled with sweet molasses and rich walnuts, served with golden, buttery and lightly grilled focaccia. I scooped a bit of the dip onto the end of a slice of focaccia using the restaurant’s tiny and perfect golden forks. The bread was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, but with heft. And the dip itself was an explosion of flavors, it was earthy but also fruity, with a little bite. I thought I tasted tomato as well, and if you like curry, I think you’d like this —and I happen to love curry. It came with two slices of focaccia, but I had to add another order so I could enjoy every bite.
I already knew from the menu that the chicken salad had fruit in it — granny smith apples and green grapes, so be forewarned if you’re not a fruit with your meat kind of person. It was also flavored with celery, parsley and green onion, and lightly mixed with mayo and a generous sprinkling of pepper. The chicken was so tender, and I loved the sweetness of the fruit matched with the tang of the onion and perhaps a touch of lemon. That was served with long flat notched crackers, but I also loved it with the focaccia.
And while I forgot to take a photo of it, I also got to taste one of the biscuits with homemade strawberry hibiscus jam for a little sweet ending to my snack. The biscuit was light and crumbly, and the jam? The most perfectly ripe, sweet and smooth strawberry flavor.
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I could imagine stopping by Art on Broad to buy a little gift or to pick up something I’d had framed. Or getting some yarn or other craft item from Two Crows Fiber. Or perhaps some jewelry at Freshwater Design, or designing my own candle at Augusta Candle Company. Then, popping into Emil’s for a little refreshment before heading back out, or bringing my family for a light lunch or enjoying a date night out. No matter the season, Emil’s is a great addition to downtown Augusta’s food scene.
Make your reservation
Emil’s
902 Broad St.
Entrée cost: $7 (for a small plate) to $28 (for a board)
