I camped out at the Orange County courthouse for the better part of a morning. Breakfast was not an option and I subsisted on a banana I had stashed away in my car before leaving Tallahassee. Towards the conclusion of the day’s business a food headache rapped on the inside of my skull, and I knew I had to find something to eat before making my way onto I-4.
A quick search for nearby breakfast places listed Uptown Ground as a place to purchase a no-frills inexpensive bite to eat. The restaurant is located at 743 North Magnolia Street with ample on street parking available. I pulled next to the curb, hopped out of the car, and was greeted by a shark wearing a Hawaiian shirt. Above the door hung a nicely designed sign depicting a coffee cup and a city skyline.
I walked inside and was warmly greeted by the woman behind the counter. She was hustling about making coffee and pointed me towards a one page paper menu. During breakfast hours Uptown Grounds keeps it simple and offers eggs, various meats, toast, pastries, and coffee. The fanciest thing on the menu was an egg sandwich. I ordered one with cheese, ham, on white bread along with a cup of coffee.
For those expecting a coffee house, Uptown Ground will leave you disappointed. The cafe only offers drip coffee served a cup at a time from a Douwe Egberts machine and Cuban coffee. Lattes, mochas, and the like are absent from their menu. What arrived in a simple cardboard cup steaming hot and dark as freshly tilled soil was decent.
Uptown is a lunch counter and the decor was simple and functional. High top tables and chairs filled one side of the restaurant and a small flat screen television broadcast the news. The kitchen is behind glass panels and I was able to watch the cook assemble my meal.
The breakfast sandwich was served on a wax paper lined foam plate. The white bread was lightly toasted and concealed a fried egg, slice of yellow cheese, and crisp bacon. I had asked for ham, but all things considered, I was hungry and it did not make that much of a difference. I took a bite and was happy. The egg was cooked well and the melted cheese bound the sandwich together into one delicious mass of breakfast.
I finished my sandwich and tossed the plate into the garbage can. As I departed the owner waved, thanked me for stopping by, and told me to return later that day for their meat loaf blue plate special.
Uptown Ground can be found online, on Facebook (although the page has not been updated since December 2012), and contacted by telephone at (407) 481-9111.
Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: C
Taste: B+
Presentation: C
Service: A
Cleanliness: A
Price: $
Sweet Tea & Bourbon 