4 /5 Gayle Dreiling Campbell: When I arrived at Anacortes Calico Cupboard Café, I wasn’t initially impressed despite the stunning ambiance. I hoped for a great experience, but it took a while for a hostess to greet me at the sign-in sheet. She was kind and estimated a 10-minute wait, though it stretched to 20—manageable, but noticeable.
Our server, a quiet young lady, took our drink order after a delay. She was unemotional and hard to hear, though she kindly let me sample the passion fruit tea, which was tasty. Drinks arrived after another 5-10 minutes, delivered by a different server— quiet, with minimal engagement, not checking if we needed anything.
With two babies under the age of two with us, I grew increasingly disappointed with the service.
After another 10-minute wait, Pearle arrived to take our order and transformed the experience with her sunshine-like demeanor. She single-handedly salvaged the visit, as the first 35-40 minutes had me vowing never to return.
The food, however, was a highlight—fresh and delicious. The Calico Grub burst with flavors, enhanced by peppers.
The passion fruit iced tea and toffee Irish cream boozy sipper were exceptional, as were the Calico Clubhouse with chips and the kids’ ham and cheese croissant. The cinnamon rolls (which I’ll try next time) looked irresistible.
The bill felt steep—$14 for a side of bacon (4pc) seemed excessive. I’d love to rate the restaurant five stars only thanks to Pearle; the earlier service was lackluster. If I could, I’d give Pearle a hundred stars. The other staff could learn a lot from her training.
Though it wasn’t busy at first, it got crowded later. Every time a tray of food passed, the vibrant dishes caught my eye, tempting me to give this place another chance.
