Every year since 2012, Chef David Everett has launched a new culinary venture in Williamsburg, and this year will be no different.
His newest offering, Culture Café, is a noteworthy departure from the hearty portions and pricey plates found at his Blue Talon Bistro and The Trellis Bar and Grill.
“It has the feel of a coffee house that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, all on small plates,” Everett said. “The idea is to make it affordable and interesting enough that you’ll order several things to try them.”
The restaurant, which Everett said should open by mid-to-late August, will be located at 747 Scotland St.
The “funky” floor plan of the former Jimmy John’s, which narrows toward the back—like a slice of pie, Everett said—fits the café’s eclectic menu, which will offer treats like homemade pop-tarts and donuts in the morning and dishes like pulled pork sliders and steamed buns at night.
Situated on the same strip as Paul’s Deli, Brickhouse Tavern and Green Leafe Café, Culture Café will cater to a new audience for Everett—college students. He hopes to reach them by promoting the breakfast menu and allowing students to use their meal plans to purchase food.
He said he envisions Culture Café being an “alternative” to the bars and restaurants near campus but also an alternative to the traditional Williamsburg dining scene.
“What can we add to the dining scene that hasn’t been done and that we’re interested in doing?” Everett said. “An eclectic menu, a funky space…where do you find that in Williamsburg?”
He said small plates will cost between $8 and $15. The café will serve alcohol; Everett said customers should expect better quality brews than what they would find at the neighboring bars.
Culture Café will be open from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily, Everett said.
The café will join a lineup of Everett restaurants including Blue Talon Bistro, The Trellis, DoG Street Pub, Blackbird Bakery, Colonial Capital Bed & Breakfast and Hair of the DoG Bottle Shop. The ownership of the café will be shared by Everett, Scott Hoyland and Louise Wood.
Hoyland and Wood are longtime employees at Everett’s restaurants. Offering them ownership of a restaurant, Everett said, was a way for him to thank them for their service.
“These guys, their work ethic is incredible and they’re dedicated,” Everett said. “You can only do so much in the structure of a restaurant. This way they get to have ownership and more of a controlling interest in what goes on.”
