Get Peruvian Food when You Visit Tallahassee
Want to try something totally delicious next time you’re in Tallahassee? Stop by Café de Martin and get Peruvian food.
We were searching for a place for lunch and came across a listing for a Peruvian restaurant. Since Tom had spent a few years in Chile, the idea intrigued him. After a quick decision, we headed to Café de Martin (pronounced Mar-teen).
Incidentally, it’s the only place to get Peruvian food in Tally….but that’s not all that makes it unique. Here are 3 things we found.
The Café de Martin has both indoor and outdoor dining as well as take-out orders.
Location
2743 Capital Circle NE
#100
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Contact
(850) 900-5969
Lunch & Dinner
11 AM - 8 PM, Tu-Sa
Website
Cafe de Martin
MENU
Served on fresh-baked bread, the Chicken Sandwich was totally delicious! I used the red onion creole sauce for both the fries and the sandwich.
#1 - It's Top-notch Peruvian Food
First, if you’ve never had Peruvian food, you will find this place is top-notch. From sandwiches to entrees to desserts, everything we tried was delicious!
With 25-years’ experience, owner, Martin Bohoroquez, knows his stuff. He also has a great love for what he’s doing which shows in every dish served.
Causa de Pollo has layers of chicken salad, yellow mashed potatoes, avocado, and eggs drizzled in yellow chili sauce.
Martin told me, “Every plate, every dish, we have a special recipe, process. Every time it’s the same.” Every employee learned each item's process during training. As a result, the food tastes the same, no matter who's at the grille.
The Café de Martin serves both lunch and dinner. In addition, be sure to order one of their scrumptious homemade desserts—all made by Martin.
Jairo prepares meals just the way Martin taught him and with a smile.
Choc-a-holics will LOVE Martin's Chocolate Cake made with dark cacao and filled with dulce de leche.
#2 - It's Fresh Every Day
Second, according to Martin, “Everything is 100% fresh.” No pre-packaged, no frozen items used—ever.
During our interview, he said, “I bake chicken, turkey, pork, beef once a week. For example, today, I baked my pork, on fire so it’s slow. It’s the best. Also, I bake every day, my breads. Every day.”
Pastry case filled to the brim with both beef and chicken Empanadas as well as homemade desserts.
By the way, freshness includes items Martin brought in, picked fresh, that day from his garden. His home-grown peppers, chiles, and herbs find their way into the dishes prepared.
Doesn’t get any fresher than that.
Plate filled with peppers Martin picked fresh from his garden that morning.
Interior decor gives you the feeling you might just be dining Peru.
#3 - It's Martin's Dream Fulfilled
Third, it’s a dream fulfilled. Martin always dreamed of having his own restaurant. With the help of a friend, Gary Parsons, the dream come true.
If you look on the Café’s website it says, “Hechos con amor y passion.” Translated, it means “with love and passion.
Gary told me, “I thought, that seems a bit much, but how wrong I was because that is exactly what embodies this place. Martin is the most creative person that I know.”
Café de Martin’s diverse menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches as well as Peruvian classic dishes made from recipes Martin collected over the years.
Cafe de Martin has a large outdoor patio for dining.
Definitely Worth the Detour
To sum it up…a dream coupled with passion for cooking fresh food makes Café de Martin the destination for Peruvian food.
It’s here you will find a pleasant atmosphere filled with friendly faces. Combine that with top-notch dishes and you’ll agree, it’s definitely worth the detour.
Friendly staff prepares orders for the dining room, patio, and take-out.
The only place in Tallahassee to get Mid-town Roasters organic coffee by the bag.
FYI...About the Coffee
Coffee served at Café de Martin is “made on the spot.” It’s organic, it’s fresh and we were told, it’s delicious. (We don’t drink coffee so you will have to be the judge.)
Midtown Roasters, a mom-n-pop business in Tallahassee, provides all the coffee for the Café. They sell coffee every Saturday in the park downtown.
Want it by the bag? Pick it up at Café de Martin, the only retailer in town for Midtown Roasters.
Owner, Martin Araujo Bohoroquez
About the Owner
Meet Martin Araujo Bohorquez. He is a man with a dream who came to the United States in 2019. The Lima, Peru native is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Peru. Martin brings with him 25-years restaurant experience.
Accustomed to buying fresh food every day, he was shocked to find frozen, processed, and packaged foods in the supermarkets. Martin asked co-workers, “Do you eat this way?”
They replied with a nod. That’s when the dream kicked into high gear and Café de Martin was on its way to becoming a reality. And the rest they say, is history.
Looking for more yummy foods to enjoy?
Head over to our "Places to Eat" page for other Worthy Detour stops.
This place looks awesome. I’ll definitely want to try it out next time We’re in town haha!
It is fabulous. You would love it!