Good ol’ home cookin’ at Geraldine’s Originals

The story goes that Geraldine has been selling her jams for 10 years at a road stop, and all she wanted to was to move into a store front. The health people said she would have to have a full food licence to open this jam store, and Geraldine thought, what the heck, I’ll serve some food to go with my jam.

And now Geraldine has a restaurant serving breakfast and lunch, just the way she knows how to serve it. And it is wonderful Southern cooking. The website doesn’t seem to work, but her address is: 2522 Capital Circle Northeast #6 Tallahassee, FL 32308.

Store front

Inside the small restaurant there are about 6 tables, a full wall of jam and other homemade preserves and goodies, and friendly folk working and cooking. This is the type of place when you walk in the door the first words said to you is “What can I get you to eat”.

Wall o’ jams

Geraldine working a table next to us

You must be noticing by now that this Canadian is fascinated by real Southern charm and especially real Southern cookin’. And Geraldine’s Original is the place to get both.

Our table

The menu is small, and exceptionally well priced

Menu…squint to see the options!

The food is homemade. The sweet tea is sweet. And the cooking all happens on an electric stove just tucked behind the main eating area.

Abe and I were with our friend Casey, so we ordered three different things (and because I tend to pick eating partners who like to share I got a taste of them all). There were many off the menu specials the day we were there, and Abe and Casie ordered some of those.

Abe ordered chicken and dumplings, which came with (pan) fried okra, black eyed peas (also had possible choice of fries, squash and pink peas) and biscuit (or cornbread). I’ll admit that I have never had chicken and dumplings before, so I can’t say if it is really as amazing as I thought it tasted but man I liked it! The chicken was flavourful, and the dumplings were satisfying. The okra tasted great, and the black eyed peas tasted wonderful with only a small amount of fat in them .

Chicken and dumplings

Casie ordered BBQ chicken with the same sides as Abe, although with cornbread. The chicken was a tender thigh and leg, with a nice thick sweet BBQ sauce on it (my favourite type). The cornbread was probably the most disappointing thing about the meal, it was dry and didn’t have much corn bread flavour. Go with the biscuit…and enjoy the large tray of Geraldine’s jellies.

BBQ chicken

Two of the jams we tried

Both Abe and Casie’s meals were $8, and quite hardy. I ordered a smaller meal of freshly made chicken salad sandwich which was a bargain price of $3.50. The chicken salad was heavy on the mayo, which is how I like it, with relish mixed in. The bread was whole wheat, nicely toasted, and a big tomato and lettuce came with it. It was great, satisfying and priced appropriately.

Chicken salad sandwich

Really, I love Geraldine’s Original for the southern comfort food served honestly and affordably. The breakfast is even more affordable, I can’t wait to try that too.

Geraldine’s Originals is new to town, although Geraldine has been selling her jams here for years. The restaurant has been open for a few months, but they are finally having a grand opening on August 25. I suggest checking them out for a soul satisfying meal and friendly people.

Abe and Geraldine herself!

UPDATE: Geraldine’s eatery has closed. On a recent visit, I spoke with Geraldine briefly and she confirmed they would no longer be serving meals at the store.