Melissa’s Sidewalk Cafe

I saw the reviews on Unilocal and decided I had to try this. I love paninis and I got the Caprese panini. It comes with Miss Vicki’s original chips as well. The sandwich was really good but I decided personally I got a little overwhelmed by the balsamic vinegar. I don’t eat it too much and sort of forgotten what it tastes like. Still a good sandwich! I’m definitely going back and trying others. Great little hidden gem in Crestview. It is take out only but there is a pretty little seating area.

This place was a nice surprise on our two week road trip to FL. Thank foodies for Unilocal.After eating out for over a week, Melissa’s café was just what I needed and was craving. With friendly service and amazing food, this will now definitely be a stop for us when we drive through. I am not a vegetarian, but with food like this I could go a FEW weeks with out meat. The mediterranean sandwich (gluten free) was loaded with tasty veggies and beans. The salads are colorful, beautiful and the dressings were savory. There’s a nice sitting area if you care to enjoy your meal on site, but we took ours to go. We were planning to have a nice picnic at Destin beach. Didn’t happen, we devoured our food before we got to Destin.

I was vegetarian for a week just to see if I could. I came here, service was great, people were so nice. If I stayed vegetarian, I would return. I did notice I didn’t get full-​probably accountable to my new diet, had a meal that had cream cheese. It did not settle well with me, but they had plenty other options. Too much cream cheese for my taste, but I was informed that many people order it and love it. My
meal came with chips. 4 stars for service.

I am a new fan of this food establishment. Why did I give it five stars? Food — excellent. Location — excellent. Service — excellent. Price — excellent.
If you are looking for a quick meal at the right price, absolutely give this place a try. Yes, it’s a food truck but not in the traditional sense that it moves from place to place. It’s also clean! Really nice folks, too.

WONDERFUL fresh food… no ‘bag salad’ here! Be sure to try the Avocado Panini and substitute the Santa Fe Chopped Salad with Chipoltle Vinegrette for chips. Worth the upgrade. Prices are very reasonable. My favorite place for lunch.

Great food! Can’t say enough good things about this place! Everything I’ve tried has been awesome & I’m not vegan. My favorite is the Artichoke panini — but the mushroom panini is a close second. Service is great, prices are very good, Melissa is a sweetheart! Location is not my favorite, but, hey, it’s a food truck! (take away) I eat here every time I remember to!

I have fallen in love with this gluten free friendly vegan/​vegetarian truck shop. I almost drove right past it because there’s a fence and a sign that’s all the corner but I’m glad I turned my happy honda around and tried it out even on a rainy crestview day.
Besides the usual salads, melissa has a yummy hummus platter with veggies and panini, wraps, sandwiches, pies/​fruit bowl, kids favorites from pb&j to gilled cheese, teas, natural sodas that are sweetened with real sugar cane, and the «drink your veggies» option like the Energizer 9oz of spinach, romaine, cucumber, celery, carrot, apple, lemon and ginger, Café Cocktail 9oz of carrot, celery, apple, lemon, and ginger, and Garden party 9oz of broccoli, kale, celery, cucumber and apple those little gems are $ 3.
She even has a fundraiser for pooches! 100% profit from the sale of her lemon pies are donated to the local animal rescue.
Since I have a gluten allergy, Melissa had gluten free bread in the freezer on hand and made me the Mushroom Panini. Can I let you hear my tummy go mmmmmm!!! It was delicious, a bit too cheesy but it was still hella good. Plus the fact that she was able to do that for me was awesome. Along with my big eyes I ordered the hummus platter with home made chickpeas with celery, cucumber slices and carrot sticks it was a delicious afternoon snack. No military discount but her prices are reasonably cheap for health food. I will be back again. Worth my 25 minute drive from Fort Walton Beach for sure!

What a cool place! Melissa served me the most amazing sandwich today! The Lavash Quesadilla was delicious and I would definately get it again!

Melissa is always so sweet! Everytime I drop by to get food for my wife from here Melissa is bubbly and makes you smile. She loves what she does and her passion for vegetarian cuisine shines through. My wife is close to being a begetarian. I am FAR from it… AND I still love trying out her different dishes…
This is a great place if you are looking for a changeup from standard fair… Highly recommend!

First of all, I am by NO MEANS A VEGETARIAN and I enjoy a burger or Porterhouse like the next carnivore, but would recommend this place to anyone in the Crestview area looking for REALLY GOOD FOOD. It just so happens that it is also a healthy/​vegetarian/​vegan establishment. The food is satisfying and flavorful and the prices are VERY reasonable.
Being from the DC Metro area, we have access to tons of healthy and unique dining, but this is as good as it gets for a casual, fresh and delicious lunch spot! I come to Crestview every now and again for work, and I have been here twice now. My experience with the service and food has been amazing every time! Everything is made to order, Melissa and her husband are so friendly and this place is truly like a breath of fresh air in an area where there seems to be more greasy, meat-​centric options. It’s also clear they really care about putting out high quality food and just want to share their love for good food with others!
I’ve had the Mediterranean Sandwich and the Popeye Wrap (although the wrap they use is more like a thicker pita than a tortilla). Both were very delicious and would recommend.
For sides, I’ve had the Kale and Avocado Salad (refreshing and lemony),
Hummus (nice and creamy) and the
Edamame (served hot and seasoned with an Old Bay-​like spice which kept it interesting)
Keep in mind, because everything is made to order that it may be, give or take, about 10 minutes to prepare, but I’ve also come with a coworker.
I look forward to coming back!

I love getting lunch from Melissa’s Sidewalk Café. The food is always great and tastes fresh! The granola wrap is super yummy and flavorful.

This is the best place to eat in Crestview without doubt, the food is great and the best part is its healthy, it keeps wanting you to go back again and again. The people who serve you are very friendly and I have got nothing but good things to say about this place, if you are in Crestview you should make sure to stop by and grab a bite.
Even if you are not a vegetarian or vegan you will still love the food, DONT MISS IT!!!

To quote a previous review: «This has got to be Crestview’s best kept secret!». My son and I recently stopped at Melissa’s to pick up lunch for the day. My son had the PB&J with chips. Let me tell you, she did not skimp on the PB or the J. I hate the sweet potato burrito, minus the tortilla (so she called it a sweet potato bowl). The sweet potatoes were cooked perfectly, as well as the rest of the ingredients and the combination of flavors and textures was to-​die-​for! While this place is quite the hidden gem, those that DO know about it, frequent it often. I suggest, if you plan to eat around lunch time, to call in your order. A woman had called in an order just before I arrived, for her entire office it seemed. Needless to say, there was a bit of a wait for my food… but it was well worth it! The staff (two women, I’m guessing that one of them was Melissa) were extremely friendly, warm and apologetic for the wait. There is a nice shaded area with benches, surrounded by beautiful plants and herbs. Even my 4 year old son enjoyed the relaxing wait. My food was hot and delicious! Yes, they accept debit/​credit cards, for those wondering. I can’t wait to go back!

This has got to be Crestview’s best kept secret! In a town where the local Ryan’s buffet seems to be the place of choice to eat, this quaint, outdoor, takeout «café» is a diamond-​in-​the-​rough! I was happily greeted by a nice man (Melissa’s husband, I presume) who was perfect running the order window. He knew the names of his customers and engaged in the pleasantries with each of them. He greeted me warmly, took my order, while answering the phone and taking additional orders. His wife, Melissa, occasionally glanced back with a smile, but I could tell her busyness consisted of putting together all of their wonderful behind-the-scene’s yummyness! I ordered the Mediterranean Sandwich on grilled Ciabatta and the Tuscan White Bean and Kale soup! Since their little café is a «mobile unit,» they didn’t have any outdoor seating (due to city code?) to partake of this scrumptious lunch, so I sat in my car, over-​salivating and devoured the most mind-​blowing, veggie sandwich ever. Amazing!!! Piled high on ciabatta were fresh tomatoes, sprouts, artichokes, spinach, olive tapenade, red onion and hummus! The soup was flavorful and the tomatoes, beans and kale were fresh and delicious! All homemade! It must be a popular place because the enlightened fans kept coming! Their menu is purely vegetarian/​vegan, but any carnivore will find something soulful and satisfying! They have a nice selection of salads, wraps, grilled and fresh sandwiches and desserts. Most of their menu items are prepared with local, fresh produce. These two definitely have the power lunch going on! If you’re ever in Crestview, bypass the Ryan’s restaurant and every other fast food joint and make a beeline for Melissa’s Sidewalk Café. There is a little bit of a wait, but you can sit in the covered patio and enjoy the peaceful spirit of the moment and the wonderful, colorful plants. Plus, it’s worth it to know your food is happily and lovingly being prepared fresh and not thrown together, hastily mass produced on the proverbial I-don’t-care assembly line.