When Bayview Café relocated from Lakeshore Drive to Cobbs Block Central in early 2014, owner Sheree Davies decided more than a name change would be needed, and eventually decided to go with a “complete overhaul” of her business.
The result is Café Bodega — what Davies calls a “fast, casual café” that’s as much about the social experience it offers as it is its unique dining menu.
“In the evening on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, we’re calling it a social menu, so it’s more of a gathering place, and it’s not a dinner menu,” she said. “You can have your charcuterie trays, you can enjoy some wine that goes with them, some flatbread, some small plates, and meet with friends and have a good time.”
Café Bodega opened on June 12 at the same Cobbs Block location previously occupied by Bayview Café. While certain aspects of its product offering and operation have remained the same — such as its counter service and its wide array of coffees offered — others are new and all together unique to the Sylvan Lake area.
“Instead of beers and wings, we want it to be wine and charcuterie, and they both go together and are different,” said Davies. “You want to come after work and sit with friends, you want to socialize and have something different than your typical deep-fried wings and beer. There’s nothing wrong with wings and beer — we all love our wing night — but this gives you a different option.”
While charcuterie, with its selection of cured meats and accompanying fixings, isn’t entirely familiar to residents of the Central Alberta area, feedback so far has been positive among both those who are familiar with it and those who have tried it for the first time.
“A lot of people don’t know what charcuterie is, so it’s something fund and different to try,” said Davies. “We’ve had positive results, and those that do know are very anxious to come back again.”
Café Bodega first opened its doors as Bayview Café in 2007.