Magnolia Cafe

I wish I could give this restaurant 5 stars because when it opened we were one of the first customers and we were rooting for them. I wish they would invest in a more capable chef or someone who truly loves or at least likes food. It’s easy to tell when you take a bite of something if there was thought or some love put into the meal and that’s not the case here. We sat in direct view of the kitchen a few times to try to figure out what was wrong, we saw two guys who didn’t seem rushed at all and would take turns reheating food in the microwave. It’s such a cute place and it could have potential but I wish the owner would put more attention to a good cook and not the décor. A few reviews mention slow service and if it’s who we think they are referring to the blonde thin lady who should not be in the restaurant business because you have to care about people to do good in a job like this she doesn’t seem to care about whether her customers eat or not. The last restaurant at this location failed I hope this one gets with the program.

We were referred to this lovely café by our airbnb hosts, and were delighted to find this quaint
and casual eatery on a Sunday morning. We were seated immediately in a room that had a saxophonist playing to easy listening music. This was quite an enjoyable and novel experience for us. One could describe this food as simple as opposed to gourmet, but was absolutely delicious, especially the hazelnut latte and dark chocolate cappuccino! Our server, Samantha was sweet and accommodating. We are two people who enjoy a good breakfast, and would have no problem giving this establishment a big thumbs up!

It’s sad that I feel compelled to give only 2 stars, because the food was extraordinary. The service is very slow at best because of under-​staffing. One server on the gigantic room is totally inadequate. Any manager with their salt should be able to see that customers and orders are backed up.

Reading other reviewers, I hoped for a Sunday morning brunch and improved service. What I experienced was no brunch (breakfast all day) and two young servers (adequate for the very small number of customers) who don’t realize how crucial customer service and a smiling face are to success. They spent most of their time joking with each other and paying attention to someone who might also have been a waitress who wasn’t on duty yet. Having to request more coffee during breakfast sure says to me that my server isn’t paying attention.
The food was good, but could have been great. I had the pancake special with blueberry compote. I expected an overly sweet jam but got something much nicer. The blueberries (frozen?) had been warmed with very little sugar and were like home cooking. I didn’t taste any other ingredient but think something else could have been added for more complexity.
The pancakes could have been terrific but either the batter was over beaten or they were cooked too long, because I had to use a knife to cut them. They were quite good nevertheless and the combination with the compote was a winner overall.
I am making Eustis my hometown and want Magnolia Café to be a spot I visit regularly and where I’m proud to bring guests. I hope the owner has a sit-​down with his wait staff as they are not helping the business. I will be back and hope to be able to write a much more positive review.

Walked in for lunch after seeing the 5 stars. The food was great. However the service could have been better. No more red wine they said at a wine bar. Then I ordered Chardonnay. No more of that. Oh look we found the red, really? Then the server messed up our order. We had to also ask her to please take our empty plates. Definitely a sweet place and the environment was nice. Server just made it a three star review.

Really cute restaurant with tasty, fresh food & a bright, large floor plan. Went for brunch this past Sunday & really enjoyed the food. Try the breakfast panini!