There are places you plan to “just quickly stop into,” and then there’s Et Al Fine Food — where somehow a coffee run turns into standing there debating whether it’s socially acceptable to buy four sweetbreads for yourself and call it “research.”
I’ve been here a few times now, and while the dining room itself is absolutely beautiful and inviting, my personal weakness is the back market café area. The sweetbreads are genuinely ridiculous in the best possible way. The zucchini bread is my current obsession — somehow perfectly moist, light, comforting, and dangerous because suddenly half of it disappears before you make it back to the car. The banana, chocolate, and lemon versions are equally addictive. They feel homemade in the way you wish homemade things always tasted.
The entire experience also feels effortlessly welcoming. You’re greeted immediately, the staff is warm without being overbearing, and they actually know the products well enough to make thoughtful suggestions. It has that rare balance of polished and relaxed that makes you want to linger longer than intended.
If you’re local, this should already be part of your routine. If you’re heading down for beach season, staying at the clubs, or renting nearby for the summer, do yourself a favor: swing into Et Al, grab a coffee and one of the sweetbreads, and pretend you’re only taking “one slice.” You won’t regret it.