I’ve decided it’s time to resume the restaurant adventuring I did back in Okinawa. New locale, new adventures. So bring it on South Hampton Road…surprise me with your hidden culinary and food-oriented delights.
Friday the search began and my boy Gabe and I and set off down Chesapeake’s backcountry roads trusty Garmin leading the way. Our goal? “Bergey’s Breadbasket Bakery & More”, which I’d found, unsurprisingly, on the internet.
Bergey’s stood out to me for a couple of reasons. For one thing, I’d read that it was a mom and pop shop. Not a chain. Hooray! Further, the word “bread” was featured in the name and I’m a sucker for all things baked goods. And finally, it was on a FARM!
When I turned into Bergey’s dirt parking lot, happiness filled my heart. This place was decidedly unstripmallish. In fact, it couldn’t have looked farmier, housed as it was in a wooden barn, silos towering above, and creek running alongside. A man riding around front on a huge tractor-like lawnmower smiled and waved.
I met my friend and her son outside. When we finally made it through the doors (our kids made that a process as they just wanted to run after the tractor and race around the grass) a young man greeted us warmly. I love it when people greet you with sincerity. And this was the second person here to do so—a good sign.
A quick glance around reveals good things. Most of the space was devoted to assorted natural grocery products: preserves, granolas, fresh bottled milk, different kinds of breads. To the left there was a deli/bakery counter with gigantic cinnamon rolls and great big delicious looking biscuits. And cupcakes! Straight ahead, an abundance of fruitcakes. Okay, not such a big fruitcake fan, but I do appreciate a place that dares to offer them so prominently. To the right were a handful of dining tables. At one of them, where a white haired couple sat, there were balloons. They were celebrating…a birthday? An anniversary?
At Bergey' you order at the counter deli-style. Their menu is short and sweet. For breakfast there are various biscuits, quiche, cinnamon rolls, etc. (Most about $2) For lunch/dinner--deli sandwiches, pulled pork sandwich, veggie, BLT, PBJ, and soup. (Most about $7 whole/$4.20 half.) Also featured are “Dinners to Go”, chicken potpie w/ mini loaf of bread; pork BBQ w/ coleslaw, rolls and cookies, and chicken salad with the same. These serve four and are about $20.
Oh, and there are pies. Think chocolate velvet pie, pecan, coconut custard, shoofly and more. Also, homemade ice creams, fresh baked breads and sweets. I haven’t had the pies or the ice cream. I’d say that warrants a “research” trip back.
I decided on a pulled pork sandwich ordered my son a PBJ. He seemed to enjoy it!
And here is a blurry picture (taken while restraining wiggly child) of my BBQ sandwich.
It’s simple, unadorned with side items, leaving you with room for desert later. The roll was fluffy, fresh and light, as was the bread on my boy’s PBJ. Sorry BBQ lovers, the meat I don’t really remember how the meat tasted, except that it was good. My friend got a PBJ for her son too and the soup of the day, potato, for herself. She was very enthusiastic about. (I got an email from her later saying she should have gotten some to go!)
I could have lingered chit-chatting and munching on baked goods for some time, but of course it didn’t take long for the kids (okay, my kid) to get restless. Fortunately, as we were on a farm, there was plenty of room for them to run around and burn off steam outside in the grass. I got to enjoy the coffee I purchased (It was delicious. Larry’s Beans—a fair trade coffee.); shoot the breeze with my friend; and consider when I was going to eat the large red velvet cupcake I had purchased to go.
I have no doubt that I will be back to Bergey’s Breadbasket. While I enjoyed my lunch, what won me over was its warmth. It was just a friendly, positive place to be. It felt like family. That couple with the balloons? We got to chatting with them for a spell (it’s that kind of place). Turns out it was Grandma and Grandpa Bergey celebrating their 60th anniversary!
HOURS & INFO**(These are listed as December hours.)
Monday-Saturday 9AM-6PM Closed Sunday
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