One Simple Philosophy — So Many Homemade Treats
Coffee, ice creams, pastries, flat bread pizzas, sandwiches, salads, omelets. If you think that one café in Cocoa Village couldn’t specialize in all this then you haven’t been to Ossorio Bakery and Cafe.
Egg and cheese omelette with fresh fruit salad
With all those options you could potentially find a crowd at any time of day. The accommodations lend a casual atmosphere that is reminiscent an outdoor café inside, appropriate for hot Florida days. The cooler air enhances the relaxed ambiance; shoppers stop by to fuel up before perusing the shops in Cocoa Village. Though many do take advantage of the outdoor dining the café offers, a common option for cyclists on weekend mornings and those who wish to bring a doggie companion.
In the morning, diners enjoy French style omelets with a thin layer of eggs, cooked in butter and filled with fresh ingredients like bacon and cheddar or sautéed spinach and feta. An open-faced bacon, egg and cheese croissant presents another savory option. Sweet breakfast lovers have the choice of a selection of homemade pastries like a chocolate croissant. Delicious home-roast coffee rounds out a delightful breakfast. Ossorio roasts its own secret blend of beans to a Full City roast and French Roast for espresso drinks.
Morgan’s salad consists of crisp bacon, fresh strawberries and toasted pecans served on a bed of spring greens with a Balsamic vinaigrette. The salad includes homemade baguette toast topped with a goat cheese and cream cheese blend.
In the afternoon, Emma Kirkpatrick, general manager, says customers swoon over Cha-cha’s chicken sandwich with homemade flat bread, roasted and sliced chicken breast, mozzarella and asiago cheeses, spring greens, roma tomatoes, red onions and balsamic vinaigrette, served with roasted sweet potato wedges.
If you’re craving pizza, the tomato is a top seller. Thin and crispy home made flat bread, mozzarella and asiago cheeses, roma tomatoes and a fresh basil pesto, roasted in their own wood oven. Though most pizza options are not necessarily “traditional” choices by some standards, they do not disappoint.
Sara’s chicken salad is another tasty choice — curried chicken salad mixed with sautéed celery and onions, tomatoes, raisins and black olives served on a bed of spring greens with one of Ossorio’s hand rolled croissants. The salads are generously proportioned and make an easy meal for one or more people when shared with a pizza.
There’s something for dessert lovers too. Over 20 flavors of homemade ice cream are available and of course, handmade pastries are a decadent pick. No sugar added ice cream flavors are also available.
Ossorio Bakery and Cafe celebrated its 10 year anniversary in June this year. While the menu has original items that the café started with, the latest addition is daily lunch specials that change during the week.
“We really enjoy those because we get to play around with our ingredients and experiment with different kinds of foods,” Emma said.
The owner, Graeme Ossorio began with one idea — to have a great coffee shop in Cocoa Village. After meeting a French pastry chef the coffee shop and French bakery morphed into one. The ideas continued to emerge and now the philosophy is simple — make the best possible food with the freshest ingredients.
“To most of our customers this is a home away from home, we get to know them, they get to know us and really do become part of the family.”
