Cafe 75 in Mounds is a must-stop for everyonegluten free or otherwise.
Margie Dennis
My grandparents, Margie and Mike Dennis, are the number-one food aficionados I know.
This made it all the more challenging when my grandpa was diagnosed with celiac disease earlier this year.
Credit:Margie Dennis
People with celiac disease, a hereditary autoimmune disorder, have to eat a gluten-free diet.
Thats where Cafe 75 came in like a miracle.
Cafe 75 was opened in January 2023 by Karen and Kyle Rackley.
Credit:Katie Akin
It sits in a smaller spacea few counter stools and a handful of tables are the dine-in options.
The slender building was formerly used as storage by its previous owner, who bought and resold overstock products.
Kyle says his favorite things they found inside were the vintage toys.
Credit:Katie Akin
Our Unforgettable Meal
I got the chance to join my grandparents on another trip there this spring.
We arrived at the door right as they opened, and there were already two or three tables seated.
On a back wall of the joint, huge letters spell out WHERE YALL FROM?
and are accompanied by notecards inscribed with visitors hometowns.
They didnt have room for a guestbook, so the city wall was born.
At my aunts suggestion, I ordered the chicken-fried steak sandwich and chose fries for my side.
Something I was not expecting but was delighted by was the fries.
My grandparents both went with thechicken-fried steak dinner,with sides of fried okra and mashed potatoes with gravy.
And though our meals were filling, we couldnt leave empty-handed.
About 14 years ago, Karen developed a severe gluten allergy.
This presented constant challenges when they dined out.
Cafe 75 is a Goldilocks.
The food, no matter what kind of flour is used to make it, is spectacular.
I treasure time with my grandparents, and I especially adore breaking bread with them.
