For those of you staying in a vacation rental in Naples, you are probably eager to explore the Everglades. One of the greatest benefits of renting a vacation home in Naples is that you can stay longer, which means that you can explore more of the surrounding area. Everglades City is one of those cities you will want to visit during your time in Naples!
Everglades City is known for being the gateway to the Western Florida Everglades, because it is positioned right in the heart of both Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. As a result, it is a great place to start your tour of this famous UNESCO World Heritage Site and natural wonder unique to Florida. You can either take a guided kayak tour, rent a kayak, or take a guided motor boat tour, either airboat or traditional motor boat. However, in between your tour of the Florida Everglades, you will want to stop to get a bite to eat, maybe even grab a cup of coffee and a pastry. One of these places that must be on your list to stop by is Sweet Mayberry’s.
Sweet Mayberry’s is a coffee shop, owned by lifetime local Jason Mayberry and his wife, Anje, who is originally from Spain. This coffee shop has only been opened for a year and a half, but it has been getting a lot of attention from locals, and visitors who come to Everglades City from all over the world. The reason why is very simple: the quality of the coffee here. Everyone who visits this coffee shop claims the coffee that they have here to be the best coffee they have had in the United States, which is a strong statement to make considering that there are so many destinations in the United States where coffee houses are a vital part of daily life. However, when you come to Sweet Mayberry’s to try the coffee, you will see why this young business has gotten such a strong reputation from its customers.
The major philosophy at Sweet Mayberry’s is to use local products as much as possible. For example, they use coffee beans roasted in South Carolina. The gelato they serve in their coffee shop comes from a supplier in Naples, Freddo, which makes gelato the old Italian way. Their key lime pie is made in house, and all their cakes are made by a local woman. They also promote local arts and crafts, by selling them in their tiny gift shop that is set up around the dining tables and the main counter. Gifts that they sell include local art, hand-made soap, hand-made jewelry, books by local authors, and photographs by local photographers, hand-made candles, and food condiments like hot sauce, salad dressings, and honey. They also sell their supplier’s coffee beans, which you can take home with you, or back to your vacation rental, to try and recreate those wonderful coffee drinks that Jason and Anje made for you!
The coffee served at Sweet Mayberry’s is inspired by Anje’s homeland of Spain, and it is one of the few places in the United States where you can get. These include classics like the cortado, an espresso drink with a hint of milk in it, and café bon bon, a latte with sweetened condensed milk in it. They also serve Italian classes like lattes, Americanos, macchiato, cappuccinos, and affogatos. Additionally, they serve American style espresso drinks with a twist. This includes mochas, frappuccinos, caramel coffee, and unique to Sweet Mayberry’s coffee flavored with strawberry syrup or coconut syrup, and the penguino, a latte featuring two scoops of gelato!
If coffee isn’t your thing, they also serve a wide variety of organic herbal and non-herbal teas, and old-fashioned soda fountain drinks using the gelato they get from Freddo. These drinks include a root beer float, or a gelato milkshake. They also do homemade smoothies!
If you want something to eat, Sweet Mayberry’s has you covered, with very fresh, healthy entrees. Try one of their sandwich wraps, or one of their famous salads! For dessert, you have plenty to choose from, including a slice of their in-house made key lime pie, a slice of key lime cake, or a slice of carrot cake! If you want some gelato to go with that slice of cake or pie, no problem! Sweet Mayberry’s has plenty of flavors of gelato to choose from to go along with your piece of pie or cake. If you really like their gelato or their cakes and pies, you can get some to go! A pint of ice cream to take home costs $10, while an entire key lime pie costs $18. If you want a whole key lime cake or carrot cake to take back to your vacation rental, you must call them at least two days in advance and expect to pay $40.
Bring your beach read and stay a while!
