Smell that? It's that delicious Grilled Pizza my group and I made on Wednesday Cooking Class. Moving to a brand new city, to people I don't know at all is hard (no surprise here!) So, I booked and participated in my first Chef Alyssa cooking class at Atherton Mill. I met some new nice friends, I made pizza dough and ricotta cheese (from scratch), and had a great time. Notes: - Chef Alyssa was very thorough and personable. (Shoutout to her crew.) - Roll up your sleeves and learn few fancy knife techniques. - Bring a bottle of wine. Or two but who's counting? - Good for a date night, fun night, or just because night. - The class runs about 2 hours; wear comfortable and closed-toe shoes. Five Yelps. read more

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After a long night out at a concert we decided to try Chef Alyssa's for brunch. When you arrive you order at the counter in the back then snag a seat wherever you can find one. One thing to note; they don't take cash, it's posted on the door. Also they have a little sign when you walk through the door about how food can take upwards of 30 minutes and that held very true. We ordered the pancake tacos and breakfast burritos with a beer and I i tried to order the sorbet mimosa but they were out so I got a regular mimosa. The pbj rolls were eyeing me at the register but I held back; next time I'll be ordering multiple baked goods! There was a group getting up so we were able to grab a table pretty easily. While we waited they had old class cooKbooks available so we read through those and took one home. All of our food took a while to come out and came out staggered so we spent a good amount of time hanging out at the table. One of the girls ordered the bagel and lox and the bagel looked delicious. The burrito was hefty and different than a typical breakfast burrito. The pancake tacos were good and I enjoyed the syrup with them. We also looked at the take home menu and I would definitely look into ordering and picking up a meal sometime. read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen - Pancake Tacos - Caterers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Chef Alyssa's is the best kept secret happening for brunch in Charlotte! Set in a beautiful cooking workshop where she holds her classes in Lower South End (LoSo), the vibe is light and inviting and the perfect cozy casual (but not too casual) Saturday morning brunch spot. The food lives up to the billing with unique dishes like pancake tacos and a coffee rubbed short rib and grit bowl on a menu filled with items that give you that "wow I want to try that" feeling! I had the morning buzz bowl and it was just the right amount of food and flavor (with arguably the best grits I've had in charlotte). Can't recommend here enough for brunch! read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen - Morning buzz - amazing grits and coffee rubbed short rib - Caterers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This was such a fun experience and a great way to kick off the Holiday Season. I definitely will be coming back! read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen - Caterers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

My fiancée brought us here for a date night. We are avid cooks, and happen to love Spanish tapas which was the theme of the evening. We were paired with another couple for team work and off we went! It's not a dinner, or a short class, it's an experience! It was approx three hours before we were eating, so don't show up famished. Alyssa and her staff took great care of everyone. Our meals turned out really good considering it was our first time making some of the dishes. You're able to bring your own wine in as well which is a plus! Wouldn't recommend this as a first date spot, as you're captive with no escape routes! But maybe a third or fourth. Overall we had a great time, had a really filling dinner, and felt like we certainly got our monies worth! We will be back! read more

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Awesome place for a date night, a group event, or even a rehearsal dinner! I've actually done all 3! Alyssa and Andrew are two of the nicest people we've ever met! She does the cooking and he does the business side of things. Right now they are located in Atherton Mill, but they will soon have a much larger space in LoSo. They offer a variety of cooking classes regularly for everything from beginner meals to advanced, from Mediterranean to Latin Street Food. Prices are reasonable for all you get, usually around $60 per person. Tables work in teams of 4, but if you really want to work alone, you can pay a little extra for a private station for 2. For our date night, my husband and I worked with another couple to make leg of lamb, stuffed squash, and a dessert. You can BYOB and it's a fun night out where you learn a little something, eat a lot of something, and have a great time. You get to keep the recipes to take home with you too! You can also book private classes for your office or a birthday or whatever. I recently did a class with my coworkers for team-building and we made a Latin Street Food menu. It was a great shared experience that we now have together and the food was amazing... again! Lastly, we chose to have our rehearsal dinner for our wedding here. The set-up for that is a bit different... so instead of having people stay at tables as groups of 4, the tables are turned into small-plate stations and guests have the opportunity to mix and mingle and learn some skills as well! Everyone loved this set-up and we were even shocked when one of the grandfathers proved he WAS able to make his own food haha! Alyssa and Andrew helped us out with some prepared appetizers and planning a perfect custom menu. Oh and they also have the best playlists :D read more

I had the pleasure of participating in 4 classes as 2 date nights and 2 family dinner events. Each class was unique and they were all a really great experiences. After the first class we learned so much about cutting techniques and ended up making a hearty Italian menu that was incredibly delicious that we had to go back. I can proudly say that I am much more comfortable in the kitchen because of Chef Alyssa. My family dinner duties have extended past clean up and errand boy to bringing some sort of dish for the meal! It really is a perfect date night, bring a bottle (or 2) of wine and get social with your table-mates. I highly recommend Chef Alyssa's Kitchen! read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen - Brinner! French Toast, Spanish Tortilla and Turkey-Apple Sausage for DINNER!!! - Caterers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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I had attended a handful of cooking classes the past couple years in Charlotte, and after Chef Alyssa's Kitchen, I realized that those could only really be described as demo dinners. Chef Alyssa classes are the real deal. She let's you get your hands dirty and even trusts you with sharp objects! The majority of the lesson is taught with Chef Alyssa at the front of the class and some helpful camera work projecting an up close view of the important moves on the screen above her. Her helpers walk around frequently to provide guidance and take care of distribution and clean up. Once in awhile Chef Alyssa well also check on your progress and answer any questions. It was so fun cooking and nibbling and making new friends at my station. At the end, she invited us all to sit together on the cool long custom bench made of repurposed doors and dine together on our proud creations. The food was so good that I immediately put her complimentary cook book of the night's lesson to use and repeated the meal the next day for family. Thanks for making me look good, Chef Alyssa! read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen - With the lovely Sharon S.! - Caterers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

A great experience for my first visit to this charming breakfast spot! I had a little trouble finding Chef Alyssa's Kitchen but once I entered I was pleasantly surprised by the great setup of this cooking school/restaurant! I processed to the counter and I was greeted by Chef Alyssa and her staff. The menu selections all looked appealing but I narrowed my choice to the Shrimp and Grits! My meal took a reasonable amount of time to arrive! The portion size was definitely worth the money, I could tell they used fresh ingredients and it was perfectly hot! A great fun spot for Saturday breakfast/brunch and I definitely would love to come back to try one of her cooking classes! Thank you Chef Alyssa and staff! read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen - Shrimp and grits! Delicious and a great portion! - Caterers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

This was an awesome date night I bought my wife for her birthday and would highly recommend this experience to anyone regardless of cooking experience. The night we selected was a Mediterranean night where we prepared sea bass, fried sunchokes, stuffed grape leaves, and meringue for dessert. We met in Atherton Mill where all of the ingredients are already portioned out and Chef Alyssa is in a rigging that felt like kitchen stadium with microphones, mirrors, and cameras so you can follow along with ease. Initially I was concerned as this class was listed as a intermediate skill level bordering on expert. My wife and I are no strangers to the kitchen, but working with a pro chef can seem intimidating! Fortunately my fears were unfounded as the instructions were easy to follow and their was a ton of help floating around. Overall the night was a blast and the food turned out terrific! We both are looking forward to booking another class soon! Pro Tip #1: it's BYOB, so class it up and bring a bottle of wine. If you like to party like me, bring 2 as you are going to be there a while. Pro Tip #2: Be sure to start looking waaaay in advance as they fill up fast. I had to work with Andrew to find a spot - fortunately he is extremely helpful! read more

Do you like cooking? Do you need a fun and unique date night out with your love? Do you simply like food? Chef Alyssa's Kitchen has it all! I have known about Chef Alyssa's Kitchen for a while now. I first met Chef Alyssa at a Yelp event where she did a mini demonstration for us. After this event, I told my husband that the only thing I wanted for my birthday was a cooking class with Chef Alyssa. Fast forward a few months (her classes fill up fast, so sign up asap!) and we were treated to a fantastic and educational Friday evening class. First off, Chef Alyssa's husband and business partner, Andrew, is fantastic! He responds to emails so quickly and genuinely wants to help organize your experience. We arrived on Friday and took our spots at one of the tables. You work in teams of 4 to complete the meal. After the meal is over, everyone sits down to eat. For our meal, we made stuffed grape leaves, sea bass with sunchoke chips and puree and berry meringue. It was an intermediate level class and I felt like the pace was perfect. Chef Alyssa and her assistants walked around throughout to give tips and answer questions. I thought the steps laid out were easy to follow and very methodical (hats off to Chef Alyssa to be able to create a menu that is a. easy to follow b. can be cooked in the time period c. can be coordinated appropriately using an oven and range so that all food finishes at the right temperature at the time needed. All in all, a fantastic evening. I am literally about to go on the website after this review just to look up more classes. Pro tip- BYOB. They have cups and bottle openers available. read more

Came to try the place. Excellent food and staff. I had one of the brunch bowls with short ribs and it was delicious. Wife had the stuffed French toast and loved it. Definitely will be back. read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen - Mir of the inside - Caterers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Have been to two classes and I love the experience for a date night. We have so much fun following her directions. You leave full, with a good grasp on how to make the meal without being stuck with dishes! Love that it's BYOB. You also receive a cookbook of what you prepared. Very clean environment with helpful staff. read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen - Prepping. - Caterers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

As far as taste and quality, this is hands down the best brunch in Charlotte. Not your typical 'restaurant/boozy brunch experience' but the food is always fresh & tasty and the facility is always very clean. I have taken one cooking class and it was enjoyable as well. read more

Creative menu with other things to do in the area. Can be difficult to seat more than 2-4 d/t open bench seating. Overall great spot

Andrew and Alyssa were absolutely fabulous! The cooking class was well organized and the time flew by. Alyssa is very knowledgeable. The meal was delicious and more than I can eat. I highly recommend! My only suggestion is to have a 4 people so you can have a whole table to yourself. Otherwise you end up splitting a table and a meal with others. read more

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Tired of cooking during quarantine, my husband suggested a date night! We ordered Chef Alyssa's Kitchen Family Table meal for our Saturday Night in and it was the best take out we have had! I was slightly hesitant to order the salmon because I wasn't sure how reheated fish would taste, but it was AMAZING. You can order it cold and then pop it in the oven when you're ready to eat. The rosemary mustard that comes on top is my favorite- I usually buy a jar to cook meals with and to dip pretzels in. The crispy root vegetable cake was a great side- there was even enough left over for lunch the next day. The braised beef pot roast was flavorful and the mac & cheese was so rich! All around, a bright spot in our meals during this odd time! Highly recommend! Signed up for one of their upcoming virtual classes too- can't wait. read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen - "date night" during quarantine. Salmon with a veggie cake, pot roast and mac & cheese! - Caterers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

Apparently everyone else has had a different experience from us. We walked in on Saturday morning to find the place in disarray. All the unoccupied tables were filthy and garbage was all over the floor. After about 10 minutes we managed to flag down a "server" to get them to bus the table. 10 minutes later yet, they actually came back to do it. We asked for menu and were told that you have to order at the counter. Oh. A sign would be nice. So, I went up and ordered for us. After 60 minutes with no food being brought out, we flag down another "server", who went to check. We were second in line, but they brought us some apple crisp to make up for the wait (more on that later.) 30 more minutes later, they finally brought out the food. Note that during this time, they locked the doors. Apparently they were virtually out of food. So, here is what we ordered and the individual ratings. Coffee - Very good coffee. Limited selection of sweeteners. 4 stars. Apple Crisp - Super delicious. Appeared to be made with Golden Delicious apples. 5 stars Breakfast Sandwich - Eggs, overcooked. Bacon, overcooked. Bread, burnt. Cheese, non-existant. 1 star Modern Southern bowl - two small strips of bacon, burnt. 1 very scrawny sunny egg, over cooked. Potatoes, ok but very dry. Brussels sprouts, cold, but warmed up by mixing with the potatoes. With only the 1 small egg, there was not enough yolk to make this palatable. 1 star. Service - Uniformly poor. 2 stars. This would have been a 1 star review had it not been for the apple crisp, which pulled it up a star. I realize that it is difficult to run a business that is only open 1 day a week, especially with staffing. Nonetheless, this was beyond the pale. read more

Light and airy place to have a delicious brunch. Had the Leslie Waffe and it was great.

First time here and got the coffee rubbed ribs and grits. Delicious food! Everyone was very friendly and excited to be working there. Food was reasonably priced too. Will be going back! read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen - Shrimp and grits. Coffee rubbed ribs and grits. - Caterers Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

I took my fiance here for a date night and it was awesome! Neither of us had ever done a cooking class, so we definitely consider ourselves amateurs. The best thing about Alyssa is that she won't make you feel like you are an amateur, and is a great teacher. The dishes we prepared were really easy to learn, and definitely things we would be able to make at home. All in all, it was a great class but more importantly it was a really fun time. Their location is also super convenient right in South End, inside the Atherton Market. I recommend you check out the classes she has available and schedule something soon. With as much fun we had, I imagine all of her classes will be booked full! read more

My husband and I attended one of Chef Alyssa's classes last night and we were BLOWN AWAY. I thought it would be something fun to do for his birthday and boy was I right. We both had an absolute blast! Chef Alyssa is AWESOME - she's so nice and helpful and makes preparing the dishes super easy. We had all of the ingredients and necessary kitchen gadgets waiting for us just like on Food Network. ;-) Chef Alyssa does a demo of the steps and then she and her team walk around to help each table as they go through the steps themselves. Once you complete those steps, she does another demo and comes around to help again. It's a very interactive class and she does a fantastic job showing you each step so that you can complete it yourselves. Everyone at your table helps and then when you're finished you sit down to eat an amazing meal including dessert! All of the ingredients are fresh and local, most of which came from other booths in Atherton Mill Market (fresh bacon, fresh veggies, fresh fruits, etc). Chef Alyssa explained why we used certain ingredients (like coconut oil instead of olive oil) and she also gave us great tips on how to chop the veggies without chopping our fingers as well as why we should use fresh, local ingredients. I really can't say enough great things about Chef Alyssa and her team. It was a fantastic evening, a wonderful meal and a great birthday celebration! We will definitely be back, hopefully with a bunch of friends in tow! read more

Food turned out tasty in the end but we were admonished during the cooking process for laughing and having fun. It could be they may have felt we were being rude but we definitely did not intend to be disrespectful. However to that point, they should not have assumed we were doing anything other than trying to have a fun team building event. We were accused of being drunk which after two glasses of wine or two beers per person seems not only poor treatment of your paying customers but it was not true. Again we apologize if we had to be quieted down at times, but they could have been more patient and certainly not talk to us like they did or about us as they did. Not a good place for a team building event. read more

Chef Alyssa's Kitchen is quickly becoming our favorite spot for breakfast in Charlotte! We stopped in for our third visit this morning, I had the Latin TBD and it was delicious - LOVED the sauce on top (I'm slowly working my way through the menu) and my boyfriend got the breakfast tacos which have always been a favorite. Next time when we go with friends we plan to get the breakfast tacos plus an extra so we can all have a 'breakfast taco' appetizer! The pancakes, bacon, and eggs that you then dip in warm syrup is SO good. Staff is always super friendly and look like they love working there! Great place to go with just the two of us or with friends, lots of places to sit and space to move around if you have young ones! Already planning my next menu pick...the coffee is on point too! read more

Delicious food in modern casual dining atmosphere. We ordered a Morning Buzz (grits and short ribs) and a TBD (adobo chicken and potato hash). Both were excellent! Iced coffee and their ginger iced tea were delicious as well (the tea was not overly sweet). Will return when in the area! read more

First parking is confusing. Team building year 1 was great! Team building year 2 was Good. Beautiful facility. The prepared dinner on year one was ok but buffet style some poached looking chicken with tomato and rice and eggplant but the pesto chicken year 2 was delicious... I wanted more but it was single serving. I would have liked to have another drink option besides water for dinner. Maybe it was a different package choice on behalf of the organization. The team building cooking challenge was fun and highly recommended. However please replace the tofu in the ingredient box. Whoever wins should get a MK souvenir. read more

Went for brunch on a Saturday morning at 10 and it was amazing! No wait, plenty of tables to choose from, and the food was amazing. Highly recommend, with food options for everyone. read more

I got to try this out thanks to a gift certificate and took the Paleo II class. It is easy to see why Alyssa is an award winning chef as her menu items were both innovative and delicious. So if you want some great recipes and some wonderful tasting food the night of, you are going to enjoy yourself. Now as for the class itself: The Good: Alyssa and Andrew are top notch and super friendly! Alyssa gave great instruction from the steps to make the food to why she chose certain ingredients. It really helped not only understand the process but how to potentially use some of the same ingredients in other recipes. Alyssa is very patient and if you need to go back over a step, she is right there to help. She and Andrew also take care of the little things such as making sure the ingredients are portioned out for each table, food is put in and out of the oven at the correct times and they take care of the cleaning too. While Alyssa is demonstrating the recipe, Andrew is filming it and putting it on a projector screen so everyone can see it easily. The recipes she came up with (and put in the cookbook you get to take home) were delicious and creative. The bad: I had signed up for one of the more advanced classes because I like to learn by doing but can already cook. While it was nice to have some steps taken out for time's sake, I like to measure stuff, I like to look in the oven and observe the color and consistency to know when to take it out. I'm sure if I had been assertive and asked, they would have allowed me to, but it was not built in as part of the class. You are working in teams of 2-4. If you are a stickler for quality control like myself, this can affect things. Because we divided up steps, I didn't get to put in all the work on all the recipes which would have been nice. I also had to trust my food to other cooks. As a result, my sliders were overcooked and very dry and the sweet potato buns were poorly formed and thus very crumbly. Don't get me wrong, I loved my team and it was great working with them but you may have to be prepared to adjust your expectations. But hey, that is what this is all about right? Learning. I only mention it because I went in with the expectations that I would be doing 100% of the recipes and work. I think if you chose to take one of Alyssa's classes, you will have few regrets. It's a good time, a terrific learning environment and outstanding food. *I'd add half a star if I could. The only variable that keeps it from being an outright 5-star is that someone else can potentially ruin part of your meal. read more

This was one of my husband and my favorite date nights. I didn't think I'd enjoy a cooking class so much. There was a great energy, lots of helpful information and a fun camaraderie we developed with the people at our table. We're going back in a few weeks for another class and I can't wait! read more

What a great time my husband and I had last night ! Butterflied stuffed pork loin with roasted garlic, rosemary , scallions and pine nuts; homemade potato gnocchi with spring vegetables in a goat cheese cream sauce and individual sponge cakes with fennel macerated syrup, strawberries and Marsala sabayon sauce . Chef Alyssa first demos a particular technique followed by each table of 4 sharing the preparation of that technique. You can bring your own wine or beer. So much fun, so informative and really excellent food. (Chef's) hats off to Chef Alyssa and her excellent support staff! read more

One of my new favorite things in Charlotte. Chef Alyssa's Kitchen in South End holds cooking classes. If you are looking for a cool/fun date night... this is what you should do. When you sign up for the class, you can pick between dates that have different dishes for each date( We did the Spring Italian Night). Eat a snack before you go because normally if you have a class at 6:30pm then you don' t eat till 8:30pm. When you go I suggest getting there 15-30 minutes early so you can get situated and get a close table. While you wait you can drink wine (BYOB) and enjoy a fresh appetizer made complimentary by Alyssa and her helpers. Everything you need to cook is there for you. Chef Alyssa will show you by parts how to make each item on the menu for the night. You split jobs between your table of 4. So if you don't go with 4 people, you will get a chance to meet other people. Chef Alyssa and her helpers walk around and help answer questions and show you different techniques. Every ingredient is measured out for time/correctness purposes. All utensils used is picked up, cleaned and moved by the helpers. So the stress is taken out of cooking these amazing dishes. After the food is done and plated, you get to enjoy your masterpiece and the rest of your BYOB wine or beer. The experience is great and fun for everyone. This could be a fun team bonding experience, date night, or girls night out. Check out their social media pages and make sure to sign up quick if you are interested. Spots go fast! read more

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Great spot for a corporate event! My company hosted an event at Chef Alyssa's Kitchen yesterday and it was fantastic! We did the tapas tasting style event and received great feedback from our team- it was perfect for our large group. Andrew and Alyssa are fantastic to work with and they made the event so much fun! I can't wait to go back! read more

What a wonderful team Alyssa and Andrew are. My wife and I recently had the pleasure of having Chef Alyssa's kitchen host our rehearsal dinner/cooking class/awesome party. First off, leading up to the event Andrew and Alyssa were so helpful and willing to meet us whenever we needed to hash out details. They even met with my mom to talk her through how everything was going to go. They let us drop off alcohol and containers for that the night before the event as they did not have a class scheduled. When we showed up to the dinner, they had 4 stations setup in the theme of upscale southern menu that Chef Alyssa designed. The stations were each manned by a chef that they brought in and they were all so wonderful and personable, we absolutely loved them! We had stuffed squash blossoms and Brussels sprouts with bacon for two app stations, then shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles for two entree stations. It was some of the most fun our group has ever had, all night long we heard about how awesome of an idea it was, how everyone loved it. All in all, Andrew and Alyssa could not have been more accommodating, they were absolutely wonderful and I now consider them friends! Book a class here and go make friends with Andrew and Alyssa! read more

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Fantastic lesson on Moroccan cooking and how to adapt to your kitchen. We made lamb tangine and couscous. Chef Alyssa taught us in easy to understand steps and the helpers brought around the ingredients. I loved the goat cheese honey lavender cigar desserts. We went as a date night Valentines present and it was awesome. You can reserve the date night table for a little more and cook together for more romance! read more

We got to experience Chef Alyssa's cooking class during a rehearsal dinner for a friend's wedding and it was really fun! It's located in Atherton Mills, so it's pretty easy to find and has plenty of parking. Alyssa and her crew were SO sweet and fun to cook with. Everything was explained really well and the food stations were unique and delicious. All of the supplies were clean and well maintained and the rotation of stations was organized. If you have an event you want to plan or want to take a cooking class, I would definitely recommend Chef Alyssa. read more

Just gonna say this: one more sub-par Charlotte eatery. It was so awful I'm not going to waste my time writing a detailed review - I already wasted an hour and a half of my life waiting (and waiting and waiting and waiting) for bad, cold food at Alyssa's Kitchen. Waited 40 mins for our way-overpriced meal, and it came out cold. Bad combination. If you're gonna make me wait for my food, at LEAST bring it out hot. Sausage biscuit sandwich was tasteless and the grits ...well, they did NOT resemble grits. The waffle was ice cold...AND burned. What? And revoltingly, they keep the silverware in a self-serve basket - NOT individually wrapped - so everyone is reaching their hands into the basket to get their forks. Everyone's hands reaching into the communal silverware basket...during one of the worst flu seasons in 2 decades. Does that sound right to ANYONE reading this?! No need to ever go back to this place. Oh Charlotte...I wish you'd up your restaurant game. read more

Please go to this place for brunch! I love breakfast/brunch and this is the best I've had in Charlotte. It is delicious, with unique ingredients you can tell are fresh. The eating space is low key and very clean. I didn't think anyone could make better grits than my mom but the grits at Chef Alyssa's are amazing. (please don't tell my mom). Looking forward to taking my first cooking class with them next week. read more

The food is tasty but the customer service changes the experience. I wanted to love this place so I came back a second time with a different friend and the customer service was still much to be desired. read more

For the second year in a row, my work family had an amazing time at Chef Alyssa's participating in the best team building event ever...Chopped Challenge. Not only did we have so much fun and get some awesome cooking tips while we prepared our works of art for a fun contest, we had the best family meal prepared by Chef Alyssa and her lovely staff! Love this place and will come back for brunch or dinner sometime! Oh, and her space? So fun to be in. read more

I can't say enough good things about this place. A the Husband and Wife owners are so personable. B the food. WHOA. If you have not visited this gem for brunch do so ASAP. Bonus if you have ever wanted to tale a cooking class this is the place. My husband and I have taken one of the classes and it was so fun and the food. To die for. Only down side classes fill up immediately so they are difficult to get into but so worth it. read more