Caffe Far Bella: Strong Coffee and Sweet Treats

In all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, and of life in general, we have become accustomed to certain things.

One of those things is the caffeine kick of a hot cup of coffee or latte to get over the morning hump. The problem is with a Starbucks on every corner, we are inundated with opportunities to visit chain coffee shops while mom and pop coffee shops are pushed to the side. 

is quite literally off to the side of Mack Avenue. On Nine Mack Drive behind and , it is easy to let Far Bella go unnoticed, but that would be a mistake. 

Owners Jack and Karen Palazzolo are the kind of business owners that you want to succeed. Warm, inviting, and perfectly polite the Palazzolos are excited to be in St. Clair Shores. "There's nothing we'd rather be doing," said Karen.  And it shows.

When I approached the counter, Jack was standing there with a smile. Instead of, "What would you like?" he asked, "How are you? Can I help you decide on something?" It might seem like a small thing, but it is the small things that differentiate Far Bella from a chain store.

First and foremost, Caffe Far Bella is a family-owned establishment. Jack and Karen are almost always there. Their star employee is Karen's mother Rose, who works in back as the dishwasher. Karen says she gets a lot of gruff for letting her mom do dishes, but Rose wouldn't have it any other way. 

Rose is also a part of Caffe Far Bella's name. Caffe means coffee in Italian, Far is an acronym for (Uncle) Frank, (Dad) Andrew, and (Mom) Rose, Bella means beautiful. 

Another huge difference on Far Bella's side is their support of Michigan-made products. Detroit's Faygo soda, Grosse Pointe's Breadsmith bread, Madison Heights' Cadillac Coffee, St. Clair Shores' Cathy's Homemade Goodies and Eastside Bagels and Detroit's Better Made potato chips are all represented. There's even a community board for local schools, churches, and groups to post events and gatherings.

Panini sandwiches have gone the way of Starbucks. They show up everywhere and, many times, with little difference from one to the next. While Caffe Far Bella's sandwiches are not earth-shattering, they are much better than anything you'll find at a fast food establishment. 

Good bread is the start of any decent sandwich. The cibatta roll used for the paninis is crusty yet soft and has a delicate butteriness. This goes especially well with breakfast sandwiches. 

My sausage, egg, and cheese panini was an eye-opening combination of salty, creamy, and fluffy. Peppery flecks from the sausage perk up the taste buds quite well.

The turkey panini has provolone, roasted red pepper, and pesto. A classic combination and quite tasty, they don't use school lunchroom pressed turkey here. While not roasted in house, the turkey is most definitely cut off a roasted breast. Slightly tangy peppers, bright, fresh pesto, and creamy provolone are flavorful friends. The colors of this sandwich are striking as well with green, red and white prominent. 

If you're more of a sweets person, have no fear because there are plenty of treats from St. Clair Shores' own Cathy's Homemade Goodies. Since it is the holiday season, Cathy is making cuccidata (Italian date cookies). Cuccidata is my favorite holiday cookie and this version is flaky and buttery with a citrusy and spiced fig filling.  The chocolate biscotti is also quite good—crunchy and deeply chocolaty with a drizzle of white chocolate for contrast.

And what goes perfectly with cookies? Coffee, of course. The cafe mocha here is strong and just the right of sweet. It was brought to the table piping hot, which is all you can ask for when coffee is being served.  

Hot coffee and tasty sandwiches made with local products. Cafe Far Bella is a family-owned business that we love to see succeed. A husband and wife team putting themselves on the line for the love of their business. Knowing that each time you visit Cafe Far Bella you are supporting a number of local businesses is a great feeling. Here's hoping the Palazzolos are successful for years to come.

Joe is a food writer and photographer for TheHungryDudes.com. Follow him on twitter: @joefoodie and @thehungrydudes. Check out The Hungry Dudes food photos on Flickr.