Sweet Thyme Deli sweet choice for dining

FORT WALTON BEACH, FL - Sweet Thyme Deli has been part of downtown Fort Walton Beach's dining scene for nearly five years, serving breakfast and lunch plates seven days a week.
   
You may have missed this gem that's hidden on Ferry Street just across from the Bangkok House.
   
The food
Sweet Thyme's breakfast offerings include favorites such as sausage gravy biscuits, bacon and eggs and their "VERY BEST French Toast." They also serve omlets such as ham and cheese, Spanish style, Mediterranean style and pesto mozzarella.
   
For lunch, you can expect to find lots of soups, salads and sandwiches. A favorite seems to be the Cali wrap, a mixture of turkey breast, bacon, herbed cream cheese, spinach, lettuce, tomato and cucumbers.
   
The soups available on the day I ate there were tomato basil and black bean.
   
Sandwiches and wraps come with a side dish. One side dish I didn't try, but looked interesting was the sweet potato salad. For the unadventurous they also serve a traditional potato salad.
   
The salads range from a traditional chef's salad to chicken apple pecan salad and antipasta salad.
   
Sylvia Falasca, who owns Sweet Thyme with her husband, Rick, said the café also has homemade daily specials. For example, Tuesday is lasagna day, while meatloaf and mashed potatoes are served on Thursdays and spaghetti and meatballs on Fridays.
   
Desserts are also prominently displayed in a glass case as you walk in the door. Cheesecake looked to be the main offering on the day I chowed down on sausage gravy and biscuits, however, on a previous visit I had a delicious Italian crème cake.
   
The atmosphere
Sweet Thyme has a laid back feel. Everytime I've eaten there, it's always been at brunch time. I like the slow, relaxed pace of ordering and then sipping on sweet tea in the sunlit dining area.
   
During the weekdays, patrons place their orders at the counter, while on the weekends, as our waitress said, "We'll take care of you."
   
The service
Our server, whom I presumed to be the daughter of Sylvia and Rick, was very attentive.
   
She let us sit wherever we wanted, then took our orders. When she found out it would be a while before sweet tea was available, that was fine with me, and - as a Southerner, nothing else would do - so I waited.
   
A final taste
For a nice, tasty casual lunch Sweet Thyme is a good place for those looking to nibble or gorge or for those looking for something sweet, or something savory.

QuickBITES

Sweet Thyme Deli

Location
202 Ferry Road
Fort Walton Beach
(850) 243-2566

Hours
Monday-Wednesday, lunch only 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Thursday-Friday, breakfast 7-10:30 a.m. and lunch 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m
Saturday and Sunday, breakfast and lunch all day 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Handicap accessibility
Good

Children's menu
Yes

Price range
Breakfast
$3.95-$8.50
Lunch
$5.50-$8.25