B.C. L.
Yelp
Though I was raised in Davenport, Iowa, my visits home are whirlwinds. It is dependent upon my mom to show some of the best places to eat. She claims that I have high standards since I live close to NYC.
Cafe d'Marie is now my new favorite place to eat whenever I am in the Quad-Cities.
We were joyfully greeted by the staff when we entered. (There are two entrances - one that is directly in front of the cafe, a second which is on the side. The former is cool because it gives you the feel that you're visiting the home of an old friend: short stairs, foyer, etc. The latter is great because you get a chance to walk through the study before entering the dining room. Both gives you a chance to view the sun room that provides a view of downtown and The Centinniel Bridge.)
My mom enjoyed her hibiscus tea - balanced, full of flavor, but add your own sugar. I had an espresso. I think it was slightly more than a double, but still it was quite good. Both came out relatively quickly.
My parents had The No. 1 - turkey, cranberry, provolone, spinach on artisan bread. They both thought it was quite good.
I ordered The No. 11 - Cafe d'Marie's take on the muffletta. I chose to have the "mild" olive tapanade. That was a great choice because even the mild had a bit of a pleasurable kick to it. It wasn't overwhelming but definitely added to the sandwich's flavor. The bread was also artisan which made it more of a panini. No arguments by me. It was quite good - so much so that I've been telling everyone about it this afternoon.
The portions were perfect. You will not leave stuffed but you know that you had a hearty lunch.
For dessert, my parents had the traditional bread pudding. The cafe offered three options cinnamon, pecan, and cherry. My parents chose the "original" (cinnamon) with a smile on their face. The cinnamon roll was fresh and warm with an overflow of icing - just the way it should be.
Cafe d'Marie is an ideal spot for a mid-afternoon lunch with plenty of seating both inside and under a huge shade tree outside. If you're living in the Quad-Cities, this is a great change of pace from many of the local offerings. If you're visiting, then make this your first stop.
My only complaint is that Cafe d'Marie does not have an Instagram. It's 2023! I want to be able to continue to follow their progress before my next visit home.