We were in Deland for their weekly farmer’s market and discovered Bake Chop. This probably was the most rewarding dining experience we’ve had since finding Cafe Evergreen in Nokomis.
Don’t Blink or You’ll Miss it
Walking through the vendors down Artisan Alley, we found it at the end of the street. It is a modest entryway almost easily missed in the hubbub of shoppers. Walking through the door, we were greeted with a beehive of activity. The place was packed with early evening diners.
Fortunately, the turnover was quick and we landed a corner seat. It was the perfect place to both watch the frenetic activity in the kitchen.
From the soups and salads to sandwiches and seasonal sides, these are people who really pay attention to what they do. It is easy to see why they are one of the most popular restaurants in Deland.
Locally Sourced
Moreover, the Bake Chop uses as much product from local vendors as possible. For instance, many of the vegetables they use come from Common Ground Farm in DeLand. Items for their daily sides originate from Noble Roots in Eustis, Samsula Farms and Green Flamingo Organics in Oak Hill.
The kale, collard greens and many of the herbs they grow themselves.
The Bake Chop sources beef from Fort McCoy, while the shrimp comes from Seafood Connection in Cape Canaveral.
Our Dining Experience
Picking dinner from the menu at Bake Chop was not an easy task. We found a myriad of things we wanted to try. In the end, I selected The Boulevard. This is a grilled chicken breast with herbed goat cheese. It’s complimented with balsalmic glazed shaved red onion, tomato and spinach – all sandwiched between slices of toasted sourdough bread.
Mrs. Funmeister opted for the Vegan TLT. This creation is organic tempeh, avacado spread and pickled red onion. It’s complimented with lettuce and tomato – also on sourdough bread.
Let me tell you, these were two of the greatest sandwiches we have had since we have started traveling.
Our waiter Matinicus was extremely helpful in guiding us through the menu on our first time out. Mrs. Funmeister chose the German potato salad as her side. I, in turn, went to the edge and took a watermelon and feta cheese salad. It was out of this world.
Other Options
We are suckers for sandwiches. However, Bake Chop also has a wide selection of small plates. We saw choices ranging from “Magical Fruit,” to quiche, beef or seafood. They even had one dubbed “Taylor Trash” which is a medley of french fries, sweet potato fries and onion rings.”
They also have plenty of salads and desserts. Did we mention their desserts? They have their desserts displayed prominently on glass cases by the check-in counter. This is very handy. If you stuff yourself (as we did), you can always get a couple to go.
We would be remiss if we didn’t tell you that Bake Chop also has a gluten free menu for those who need such items. They are extremely responsive to special dietary needs.
In the end, we cannot say enough nice things about Bake Chop. This is one of the places that begs us to return. We want to go back and try a number of the other options on the menu.
One of the nicest things, is that this is not a cookie cutter restaurant. Matinicus told us that many of the items were crafted by their own staff – another thing that makes us want to return.
So we give Bake Chop of Deland five stars – our highest rating. We would recommend that when you visit Deland, seek out Artisan Alley and this fine little eatery. To find more, visit the Bake Chop webpage.
