The Flying Biscuit Cafe

Great café if in gainesville please try this place it’s very popular… amazing quality food and the staff is very close and prompt try it out its really busy on certain days

I was in Gainesville for a work trip, and some friends took me here for breakfast. The décor of the place is phenomenal. Very bright beautiful colors, just the kind of thing you want to see in the morning. The folks that work here are incredibly friendly and very eager to make sure you are happy with everything. That said, I wasn’t too happy with the food. I ordered one of their specialty veggie omelettes. It came with grits and some fruit. The omelette was very watery which was a little unappetizing. And the flavors were very bland. I just wasn’t feeling it. It was very disappointing considering how gorgeous the place is and how friendly the staff are. I’m hoping it was just a one-​time thing.

Service was cordial, the taste of the food was good, but everything wascolf. My supposedly «fresh, homemade biscuit» couldn’t even melt the butter that was soft on the table. Ordered a side of bacon that came out cold, soggy, and greasy. Disappointingfor the price.

I had a short day at work yesterday so I went in search of a descent breakfast spots. I went with the Flying Biscuit and gave them a shot. I walked in and the place is full of bright colors and kind of sectioned off into rooms and areas. Since i was alone I went to the bar for seating. I was staring at their menu and it had more regular breakfast ideas and not focused on a biscuit like I thought with the name of Flying Biscuit. Ok everything comes with a biscuit. I went with the biscuit and gravy with a side of grits and a extra biscuit. Like I said everything comes with a biscuit. Even biscuit n gravy has a biscuit. One thing I also noticed is that all of their gravy is made with chicken sausage. now didn’t you throw out the calorie counter when you walked in. Ok chicken sausage I have made a bunch and it can be tasty. So me server was just that a server he showed up to take my order and told me where I could find the specials. Brought me my drink and food and left me alone. I guess I wanted maybe some info even when I mentioned that this was my first visit. When my food came out it looked pretty good. There was a biscuit topped with a couple of eggs and a dollop of chicken sausage gravy and a small bowl of grits. The grits were grit, smooth and creamy just no flavor. The plain biscuit was tasty and then put powdered sugar on top of it. Then the gravy first there wasn’t a lot of it and what was there was kind of bland. The sausage really didn’t have much seasonings that I could taste. The eggs were cooked perfectly but were between the biscuit and the gravy. So none of the gravy mixed with the biscuit. When I cut it all up and mixed it all together it wasn’t bad as a whole. Will I come back? I’m not real sure but they are trying I guess

Tips: Go early to avoid the wait. Call ahead.
This place is very popular. Skip the pancakes, they’re not very impressive. I get an omelette, creamy dreamy grits, and biscuit every time. The apple butter is wonderful. Great place to take friends or family. Their lunch wraps are really good as well.

My husband, mother and I stopped in The Flying Biscuit for breakfast at the recommendation of a family member. Because I’ve never tried grits before (my childhood upbringing up north, am currently living in California), it was HIGHLY recommended that I give it a try. Our wait was 60minutes long (call ahead recommended) but once seated, service was fast, friendly and thorough. Our server was cheery and pleasant. After placing our order, I noted how colorful and upbeat the décor was. I would call it Americana themed. The restroom was clean and similar in décor. When our food arrived, the three of us were pleased with the visually appetizing plates. I ordered the basic Flying Biscuit special of two eggs, flavorful chicken sausage, side of creamy dreamy grits and a cinnamon sugar sprinkled biscuit. I had a peach Bellini alongside, which was delicious! My mom ordered the Veggie Scramble which consisted of fresh red and green peppers, spinach, onions and mushrooms. Hers came with a side of fruit and the same light and fluffy biscuit. My husband ordered the bacon cheeseburger with fried potatoes. The three of us devoured our scrumptious breakfasts and decided that the long wait was worth it. We felt the pricing was reasonable for the food portions.
The only downside to my review (and what prevents me from giving it 5 stars) would be the noise level in the restaurant. It was difficult to hear our conversation at our own table, due to the openness of the establishment. People were enjoying themselves, as were we, but I really can’t figure out how to mitigate this problem other then expanding the business and add noise absorbing décor and booths/​walls. Expanding the business would be the next step to such a popular eatery.
When back in the Gainesville area, I WILL be stopping back in, as I fell in love with those grits and the biscuit. I will be sure to call ahead for faster seating.

I’ve visited this place multiple times and somehow my opinion has changed since my first visit. First impressions weren’t that great, but maybe as I ordered different entrees, I was left with a more positive impression.
On my first visit a couple years ago, I wasn’t impressed with the food. I ordered a hot chocolate and their famous raspberry French toast. I think the biggest thing that disappointed me (and still does) was that both items were not served warm. The raspberry sauce on the French toast did not appeal to me at the time, but upon trying a smaller portion again a couple weeks ago, it actually became a favorite!
Based on my most recent visits, I’ve actually been wanting to go back. I fell in love with their chicken sausage and found the perfect balance between the raspberry sauce and honey crème anglaise to top my French toast. The Egg-​Stravaganza is plenty for one person and actually might be just enough to split between two people if you’re not looking to eat heavy. It’s become my go-​to meal! The menu describes what the breakfast entrees come with, but the waiter will always ask for which options/​sides you might like so it’s easy to customize your meal!
Service has been very friendly, and kind of quiet (if that makes sense), in my experience. The décor is also something I look forward to since it’s so bright and gives me a great start to my day.
Definitely one of my top breakfast options in Gville!

Absolutely amazing, my husband suprised me with the «not so ordinary» lunch when I gave birth to our second child. My husband got me the turkey hash with a perfectly fried egg and French toast. The hash was heaven and the biscuits were to die for. I fell in love with the apple butter. The french toast was like eating a dessert and it hit the spot in every way possible. I also had an iced Chai for my beverage and was not disappointed in the least bit. I could eat here everyday and never get sick of it!

Had the Turkey Hash on the reccomendation of our server and couldn’t have been happier. The turkey was amazing. I was almost ready to lick my plate by the end because it tasted so good.
My girlfriend had the typical breakfast of chicken sausage, pancake, eggs, potatoes. It was ok but nothing special. You had to put everything together to get a great taste and the pancake was a little on the crispy/​dry side.
Overall service was fantastic and I loved that they had the pager system for while we waited so we could pop into the local market.

What a great experience! The food was divine, service was prompt, and the atmosphere unique. I still don’t understand the theme of the place, nonetheless it gets my ⁵⁄₅ stars.
Also, the amount of food was perfect!

Food is very good, different and creative. But service is not par with the food. So it reduces the overall experience drastically. I would have marked the place as 5 star if service would have been fast and attentive.

I really don’t understand why this place has such a following other than for the cheesy grits. The menu is basic and unimaginative for being a hot brunch spot. Often their dishes are overly salted and I often have difficulty enjoying the meal. Except for the grits. But considering Gainesville is a small town, this place stands out. I only go with friends who enjoy the place, otherwise there are better places to have brunch.

Whenever I visit my sister in Gainesville, I go to FB for breakfast at least once! The biscuit and gravy is so yummy!!! It’s a huge portion for the $ 9! You get a side of eggs, grits and another piece of biscuit. The first time I went was on a weekend and it was packed, the wait was long but worth it. The second time we went was on a Monday morning and the food was just as delicious, an no wait time. Everyone in Gainesville is very nice and the employees are super nice and attentive as well!

Best biscuits! Fluffy, moist, with a little peppery flavor? Very unique and so damn good… Random but I liked that they had Adequate size butter packs so I didn’t feel like a pig using 3 of the little ones! :-) Great mimosa flavors like cranberry, mango and peach… Service was excellent too!

Creamy dreamy grits, ’nuff said!
My sister and I met my grandmother at The Flying Biscuit Café for lunch last Saturday. I had called the day before to make reservations, but the restaurant does not take reservations. They do, however, allow diners to call for a table an hour before arrival. I almost forgot to call ahead and ended up only calling thirty minutes prior to our arrival. Once I reserved our table I received periodic text message updates. Initially, I received an alert that our wait was 220 minutes, but the hostess assured me that the wait would be much shorter. We ended up waiting about thirty minutes for a table.
I considered ordering a salad or sandwich for my lunch for about a minute until I decided that was crazy! I had to try the biscuits! I love eggs Benedict and the menu offers four different types. I ordered the Southern Style Biscuit Benedict which included an open-​faced biscuit, topped with pimento cheese, two poached eggs, crisp turkey bacon, and hollandaise sauce. The dish also came with a biscuit and a bowl of creamy dreamy grits.
I guess my eyes were bigger than my stomach because I only managed to eat about half of my breakfast. My meal was delicious, but extremely rich! I would probably order a lighter dish next time to save more room for the creamy dreamy grits. I can only imagine the amount of cream, cheese, and butter that go into the grits!
Oddly, the biscuits were not my favorite even though this is supposedly the Flying Biscuits specialty. The biscuits were warm and super fluffy, but I would have preferred a more savory biscuit. The biscuits were a little too sweet and were topped with additional sugar to make them even sweeter.
Expect a long wait on the weekends if you don’t call ahead for a table, but the creamy dreamy grits make the wait worthwhile!

I absolutely love The Flying Biscuit. The grits here are to die for. I didn’t actually like grits until I came here. I always get the Southern Style Eggs Benedict and it is always amaze. The biscuits and a cranberry apple butter are out of this world.
Pro tip: come early and be prepared to wait on weekends, I’ve waited up to an hour but it is worth it. Going around 9:30 on a week day morning I’ve not had to wait.
The service here is also wonderful I’ve never had a bad experience.
Overall, great food with lovely Southern charm. If you have a chance to eat here, take it.

The flying Biscuit was a very good experience. It was our first time here and we will be returning. Upon arriving I knew nothing about this place. I imagined they would have to live up amazing biscuits, however they do not fly. There was a lot of people there when we walked up to the host stand. The host said it would be about 40 – 45 minute wait. It didn’t stop anyone walking away which is a good sign. We also kept in mind that it was a Sunday morning breakfast time. They have a setup of hot coffee and ice water for free while waiting which is nice.
The food was excellent! And very fresh. If your a fan of fried green tomatoes you have to get these! Even if you never had them and like to try new things order the fried green tomatoes! They are served on a plate with goat cheese crumbles on top and a sweet and spicy cashew chutney. Another thing that was amazing is their grits. Award winning for sure. The biscuits also excellent. Everything else was great also!
Our server was very knowledgeable and helpful and gave excellent service while being very friendly.
The décor is very bright and colorful with painted murals and the restaurant was very clean.
I definitely recommend this place for breakfast!
Enjoy!

Most excellent biscuits (though for my taste they could lose the white sugar sprinkled on the top). Otherwise, flaky, fresh, flavorful, and huge. Nothing more to ask for, except the apple butter which is a Definite Addition.
Others have described the happy-​making décor, so I won’t add anything other than to say that Yes! it does lift the spirits to have lots of bright, colorful spaces. We arrived about 9:45 and must have been between rushes, because we had no trouble getting a table (though the place was jumping by the time we left).
Spouse ordered a Southern Scramble, and decreed the spicy collard greens an A+ addition to his eggs. I had one of their weekly specials — a scramble with penne pasta, eggs, spinach, ‘shrooms, and spicy sausage. In both cases, our most excellent server, Mary, asked us how we wanted the eggs, and we said scrambled very lightly. They weren’t — in fact they were pretty well totally scrambled, but at least brown and pilly and overdone like you sometimes get in a scramble. So, close enough; we were happy.
Overall, we had a great time, service was super. The unsweet tea was terrific. So — why not five stars? Ah yes, the dreamy, creamy grits. I think there must be sour cream in them, nothing tastes that creamy and yummy without it. Spouse and I are total grits-​lovers, having lived various parts of the South for over 20 years. We do, however, have a personal preference for coarser grits (I know, I know). That alone wouldn’t have cost them a star, but. .. what did it was. .. the lumps. Spouse found small lumps in almost every bite. I encountered only a couple of small lumps, but was finally put off by two nickle-​sized lumps, not a fun thing to encounter mid-​bite. If you’re going to make grits one of your signature dishes, you need to deal with the lumps.
So, four stars overall — not bad. There are lots of other things on the menu we want to try, so we’ll definitely return and recommend that you do, too. Sometimes you just have to take your lumps as you find them.
PS no reservations, but they have signs reminding you to phone ahead so you can get on the list, which presumably should cut down on your wait during busy times. Now if only I’d written down the number!

Solid brunch spot. Definitely call ahead or you will wait… and wait… and wait… You get the point.
The biscuits are incredible and even better with apple butter. Other than that they have the typical breakfast food. I’ve heard people rave about the grits, but I haven’t tried them yet.

If there’s one thing I know about Gainesville it is this: brunch is sacred. Numerous local spots offer adjusted menus, cocktails, and hours to accommodate for the most rejuvenating meal of any Sunday. The Flying Biscuit sits firmly at the top of the list as a consistently solid, affordable option for any group of people looking to get stuffed.
The Space
Quite far from campus, you can find Flying Biscuit over near the Thornebrook Village area northwest of campus. The café sits in a plaza-​type area, so ample parking and plenty of before/​after distractions if you find a long wait or want to waddle off some of the biscuits you inhaled.
The inside does have a bar area for immediate seating, «first come first served”-style, and pretty ample amounts of booths and tables for large crowds. The décor is bright and welcoming, but can get a bit loud when they are getting a surge of business.
The Service
Those who have been will say: «Flying Biscuit has a terrible wait». You might think that Flying Biscuit manages to fend off some of the college students and their grandmothers, nieces, uncles, friends, dogs, etc. looking to visit for graduation/​holidays/​other. They do not.
The truth is that Flying Biscuit has a huge following and manages to fill a rather large place for hours during prime time (between 10am — 1pm), so they are forced to make people take a number. Even with the simple fact of a building only having so much room to work, they still take extra effort to help with waits by offering call ahead seating services, which include text alerts to keep you updated on where you are in line. Add to this the free coffee they continuously provide the eager eaters and I’d say they did their fair share.
As for when you’re seated, I have found the staff to be extremely nimble when handling the nonstop groups coming for their mimosas and meals. I have been quite a few times and never get snubbed for refills of precious java or agua.
The Food
Been around the block with their breakfast menu and I have never walked away disappointed with my plate. I consistently find that the food comes cooked correctly, with the occasionally luke-​warm or undercooked egg. Most certainly, though, you can expect a quality meal with portions that will no doubt lead to a quick cat nap afterward. Some key notes from my brunch adventures:
–Creamy Dreamy Grits (A): I love them. They’re rich, smooth, and incredibly decadent. Simple grits get elevated at Flying Biscuit by a mile.
–Moon-​Dusted Potatoes (B): Bit of rosemary make these quite nice, but I tend to find them too cool when they get to my table.
–French Toast (B+): If you want to win brunch and wreck your sweet tooth, dive into the honey anglaise and raspberry drizzle that soak into these savory warm slices.
Final Thoughts
Prices are a tiny bit higher for the normal breakfast items, so expect $ 10 or more a head even if you’re only after grits, eggs, and bacon. Also the coffee outside is free, but come inside for more with your meal and that’s an added $ 2 on the bill. They’re popular and serve great food, so the waits are long and the prices are fluffy like their biscuits.