Freshly painted Bobbie Joe’s and Friends restaurant in Homestead, FL

I am one of those people who enjoy a range of dining options and there are occasions when a down-home, basic place is exactly what I am in the mood for. We have a number of small, family owned restaurants in town and among them was Bobbie Jo’s, tucked into a strip shopping spot which also happens to be one of the older buildings in town that managed to survive Hurricane Andrew. I had been in Bobbie Jo’s twice and while it was okay, it had struck me as perhaps being past its prime. So, when a good friend began to talk about how much she liked the place, I wondered if I had misjudged it. I had not actually, and why I had not is an interesting story.

When I was there, the current owner was struggling and two of the older patrons who had known the family for many years were convinced that a recovery was possible. So, despite being very much in the senior citizen category, this couple has taken up the mantle, determined to make what is now Bobbie Jo’s and Friends the sort of restaurant that it had once been. This is not fancy, not remotely. It is breakfast and lunch, no booze served, but you can get breakfast any time they are open. It is classic breakfast fare, soups, sandwiches, and plate lunches; good food at reasonable prices. It is the type of place where the waitresses quickly learn your name and the new owners will stop at the table to chat. I had a hamburger steak smothered with grilled onions in brown gravy that brought back memories of before the days of franchise restaurants.

I don’t know if the effort to revitalize Bobbie Jo’s and Friends will pay off, but I do know that I will happily recommend it and be returning.