If it weren’t for the tell-tale canopy out front, you’d probably never realize that 8th Street Fast Café used to be a gas station.
That’s how good of a job they’ve done with remaking the space into a sleek, modern café.
Sitting at 1818 N. Davis St. on the outskirts of Springfield, the restaurant opened its doors in early June. It features an impressively eclectic breakfast and lunch menu, with options ranging from chicken and waffles, to burgers and hot dogs, to pizza.
When we went in to try it out, they were running a breakfast special that was pretty hard to pass up: an egg, bacon and cheese sandwich with a cup of coffee for just $2.99. The normal prices are certainly not bad either, though, with most menu items falling in the $4 to $8 range.
The food was good, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. The staff was friendly – and it appeared that they were in the process of hiring an additional staff member when we were there.
Really, the only thing we didn’t like was that the place was empty, aside from us, when we came in on a Saturday morning.
While the restaurant’s location next to UF Health and near other office buildings is likely a blessing during the workweek, it may struggle to attract customers on weekends due to its relative isolation.
It sits just off of the I-95 exit onto 8th St., also a potential advantage, but must contend with McDonald’s across the street. And while Fast Café’s prices are good, you’ll never beat McDonald’s in sheer cheapness.
That being said, we really, really hope this place can make it – and maybe even eventually expand into a more prominent location. We’ll certainly be sure to stop by again soon.
