ON THE MENU

The veggie platter, a combination of mixed vegetables served with a feta roll and zucchini pate.

Café Zuppina A Unique Approach to Mediterranean Fare

By Amy Sumerlin Photos By Chris Douglas

Café Zuppina is not a large restau rant, and there are no neon signs to pull you in to its (also relatively small) plaza on S. Florida Avenue in Lakeland.

If you’re not careful, you could drive right by it.

But trust me, that’s not something you want to do.

BERNA’S DREAM

Berna Nar and her husband, Erkan, moved to the states from Turkey in 2004 – landing in Plant City – seeking expert medical care for health issues Berna was experiencing at the time.

She began to feel better, and credits healthy eating for this. “Berna swears by healthy eating to eliminate medical problems,” said Blake Dossett, who is the Manager of The Market at Café Zuppina (more about that later). While in Plant City, the Nars owned a sandwich shop, the Sub Club, but once they moved to Lakeland in 2010, they looked to fulfill her dream of making Berna’s family recipes the centerpiece of the new restaurant. “What we serve is different than

In the Market you will find Turkish products including coffee, pastries, gelato, breads and spices.

Grape leaves with a rice and black currant mixture that's been sautéed in olive oil and lemon juice.

what you would see in a typical Turkish restaurant,” Dossett began. “The items on our menu represent the “home cooking” of the region.” THE MENU

Because of the name Zuppina (which happens to be one of about four Italian words I know), I expected to see a lot of soup on the menu.

There was some soup on the menu – and Berna is known for her Red Lentil and Spring Chicken Soup ($3.95 for a cup and $4.95 for a bowl) – but the menu, unlike the size of the dining room, is definitely not small.

The first thing I noticed about said menu was that everything was truly unique: You weren’t going to find typical appetizers (think onion rings or nachos) on The Starter lineup. Instead, you will have obviously healthier choices, including Hummus ($9), Zucchini Pate ($11), or Sautéed Vegetables ($9).

My friend, Tiffany, and I decided upon the Eggplant Rolls ($11). Herb infused with a light, flaky roll, and deliciously broiled eggplant; we quickly gave it a thumbs up.

Next, Tiffany was intrigued by the Strawberry Chocolate salad ($13) to which she added a side of Chicken ($6.95)– and I admit, when it came out, I felt a tinge of salad envy. Beautiful, obviously uber fresh spinach was topped with walnuts and equally fresh strawberries and the entire salad was lightly drizzled with a Chocolate Vinaigrette Dressing. She let me take a bite and it was refresh ing and delightful.

I decided to go for a heartier meal and chose the Romanian Style Brisket Platter (Berna’s mother was from Romania, so some of her recipes come from there), which runs $15.

I cannot say enough good things about this meal, which is far different than American, barbe cue style brisket. Oven baked, moist, shredded and served with mushrooms, it is a must try – even if you think you don’t like brisket. As the side, I asked for the Brussels sprouts, which came out

The servings, by the way, were huge. I noticed on the menu that there was a sharing fee of $4.95, and I can see why – if you have a smaller appe tite, you may want to try this: The leftovers from my brisket – which was the lunch portion – was enough for an entire meal the next day.

Next time I go, I would like to go for dinner and try the Mixed Grill Platter ($28), which features lamb chops, chicken, gyro meat, and lamb patties. And, by the way, I will try to share with some one… because next time, I must try the desserts next door.

THE COFFEE SHOP, THE MARKET — AND DESSERT!

Desserts next door? Yep. When Berna gave me the check -- yes, you’ll see the Chef delivering meals and checks – she told us we had to check out the desserts next door. Oh my. I was stuffed. “What do you have today?” I asked, even though I knew I would explode if I ate one more thing.

“Beril makes different pastries every day,” she said, obviously with pride.

Beril is the Nars’ daughter, I now know, and she inherited the couples’ love for the culinary arts. In fact, Beril’s dream was to be trained by a French pastry chef in Europe.

“As luck would have it,” Dossett continued, “the pastry chef happened to come here, and that is where she did her training.”

Despite being full, we still walked over to the space that, prior to 2018, housed a consignment shop.

“Berna had always felt limited before – not just by the small space – but by a regular menu,” Dossett began. “She is constantly inspired by memories of family meals and other culinary treats that you can find throughout her native Region.”

THE MARKET

And therefore, The Market was born (it opened in 2019). It’s not just a market, either; rather the charming space features a full-fledged coffee

shop where customers can choose from Turkish coffee or any of their American coffee favorites. While enjoying a cup, try one of Beril’s beautiful pastry creations (and in case you’re wondering, there are gluten free options). If gelato is more your thing, you’re also in luck – the gelato case was filled a ton of delicious-sounding options.

And then there’s the Market, which has refrigerated cases of Beril’s creations, many of them not on the menu. While we were there, there was one lady filling a basket with several items to enjoy at home.

“I’m about to have a medical procedure, and I’m stocking up, “she laughed.

Also, in the Market, shoppers will find many of the Turkish products that Berna utilized in her recipes, including breads, spices, and even teas.

And so—if you are looking for a good cup of coffee, a French pastry, truly healthy meal options or simply unique ethnic food, Café Zuppina is a must try!

FMI: Café Zuppina, 4417 Florida Ave S, Lakeland. (863) 644-5144 * CafeZuppina.com