Hart & Soul Cafe is a cozy spot for brunch. The interior has a rustic and country feel to it with plenty of seating for a town like Hickory. As for the type of food, there is a lot of typical Southern food on the menu. The service was great! The cashier was extremely friendly and brought wonderful energy to the restaurant. I got the Breakfast Burrito with Grits. I was not impressed by the burrito, unfortunately. I felt like it needed more flavor, either in the meat or elsewhere. I also think more cheese, specifically inside the burrito rather than on the outside, would have made it taste better too. Moreover, the burrito was soggy! I was not a fan of that. The grits were also a bit too watery for me. I had to add salt and pepper, along with the butter given to me in my order, to give it some depth. While I think that this is a lovely local restaurant, the food could be better. I would give it a 2.5/5 stars if I could. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Breakfast Burrito with Grits - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Hard to find something open on Sunday at 1130am, but was able to find this Cafe to meet friends halfway from Asheville and Mooresville. Super quaint café serving both lunch and breakfast. I settled on the country fried steak, grits, biscuits and 2 med fried eggs. One kiddo had the same as mine, but hash browns instead of grits (after seeing hers the hash browns were the better choice). Another kiddo had 2 huge buttermilk pancakes. Hubby had the hart and soul omelet with grits. Loved the diner feel, but the AC just could not keep up with the heat. Parking is super limited so we parked on 4th and Main by the tracks. Price was suuuuuper reasonable! Service was great and friendly! read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Country fried steak w grits and eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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First time trying Hart & Soul Cafe. We came for Brunch before heading to the Lake Hickory Riverwalk. Staff were courteous and the cafe has small town charm. It is a family friendly restaurant, so it can get a bit loud depending on who else is there. It was understandably busy with it being a Sunday morning, but we still were seated immediately. Food was good and affordable. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Breakfast Tacos - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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Really liked how cozy and friendly this place was when we first walked in! As soon as we walked in the door, the ladies immediately greeted us and told us to "watch your step." Which actually probably saved me from tripping over the small step in the front (they have shirts with the slogan which I thought was funny). The food was good! The breakfasts taco was a much bigger portion than what I expected. It could've used a little more gravy in my opinion because it was a little dry. The grits were a good consistency, but were very bland. Luckily they had butter and salt/pepper on the table so I could add some flavor. I also ordered a side of bacon which was pretty good, but all the sides seem pretty expensive for the portions you get. The service once we were sat was just ok. We had to ask for a bunch of stuff (hot sauce, refills , etc.) but it might've been because we were in the back corner and it was difficult to see when we needed something. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

This s place is truly "heart and soul" It's a popular place and I can see why. The service and food are amazing read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Outstanding place for breakfast in downtown Hickory! All of the food I have gotten here has been exceptional. The ambiance is casual like a diner. The place is small and can get very busy so plan accordingly. read more

Seriously good comfort food breakfast. Portions are great and the food spices are perfect.. chorizo, veggies, and breakfast potatoes are just what you hope for. Service was prompt and thoughtful. Definitely a country diner feel, complete with staff whistling and smiling!! Recommend you get there early. Update: bathrooms could use a little better attention from staff read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Breakfast burrito and home fries.. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Fantastic find in Hickory! A friend and I were heading back to Charlotte from a mountain trip and wanted a quick lunch, but not a drive thru. Hart and Soul is a great diner with many breakfast and lunch options. Their fries are hand cut and their onion rings are delicious! Our server was attentive and knowledgeable of the menu. Will definitely return when I am in the area. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Cali Wrap - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

This place puts emphasis on their name! (Hart & Soul) Our server Michelle truly made our visit feel special and welcoming. You can tell the cooks take pride in their jobs. Food was amazing and overflowing on our table, which was fine with me, I was starving! We have nothing even close in Maryland compared to this Mom & Pop gem in Hickory. Next time we come to visit family in Hickory, this is the 1st place we are coming too! Go Crawdads!!! read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Food galore! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

This is a cute little café with friendly waitstaff. The food arrives quickly and is delicious. Will definitely be back to try other things on the menu read more

Amazing food and excellent service. Their omelets were amazing and so were their biscuits and gravy! All of that plus very reasonable prices! Would give it more stars if I could. read more

Really enjoyed the atmosphere and food . Everyone was nice kept coffee cup full and checked on us often

This place is a hidden secret and deserves to be named a Hickory hot spot. Small town diner environment and the staff is sweet and welcoming. The breakfast menu has plenty of options. We tried several options since it was our first time and pretty much everything was yummy. The crunchy french toast, breakfast sandwich, and gravy biscuits were delicious. They cooked the over easy eggs perfectly and gave options to grill or fry the liver mush. We will be back so glad to have found a good and reasonably priced breakfast place in Hickory. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Breakfast Sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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Great local breakfast joint with friendly service and good food. It's not a fancy place by any means but that's what gives it its cozy charm. Food was made fresh, hot and flavorful and served with a smile. Would absolutely recommend this place. I got the eggs Benedict and it did not disappoint. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Eggs Benedict with hash browns - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Quaint little diner. All day breakfast. Great service and food. Varied menu. Watch your step when you walk in the door!

Soo good. Service was very good and gracious. Will be looking forward to trying more. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Shrimp and grits breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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This is a very cute breakfast place that I have been to before. They offer a classic southern breakfast menu with daily specials. After dining on several occasions, I can say that the food quality is not consistent & there is nothing on the menu that really stands out. Service is okay but nothing to rave about. My friends & I decided to dine here this morning instead of waiting at other restaurants downtown. As I set down my sandwich from taking a bite, I see mold on the bottom of the bread & immediately lost my appetite. My friend's French Toast was served without the toppings she asked for & the sausage was not cooked all the way. We notified our waitress who immediately apologized & removed my sandwich from the bill. After that, all three of us were no longer hungry so we left without eating. At first they were going to have my friends pay but when they saw that they did not eat their meals they were not charged either. read more

Watch your step! Great place for breakfast. The liver mush is great. Service is great.

Such a mom and pop place! Always watch your step coming in (don't worry, the lovely ladies there will remind you as well) The chef's specials are AMAZING! They don't disappoint, this past time we went I got the chile chicken omelette, so good!! If you get a biscuit for your side, make sure to get a side of their gravy (for dipping purposes of course) Cannot wait to go back again for breakfast read more

When I went in to eat, I had really high hopes!! But, the restaurant was just blaring music so loudly, it was crazy. I asked if they could do something about it, and nothing happened. We had already ordered or my granddaughter and I would have left. Hey, I like loud music, but this was next level! I put napkins in my ears, and she did too! I got their shrimp and grits, a specialty of theirs. It was pretty good. A little heavy on the seasonings. My granddaughter got pancakes which she like very much. The whole thing was fairly over priced. My ears are still ringing with heavy metal music. read more

Clean. Great hospitality even at 1:30 just before the 2pm close. Great food. Watch your step (step down) at the front door. Shrimp n grits is an awesome dish.. 2 tiny cherry tomatoes for garnish are eye candy. Wow at the Cajun seasoned shrimp. Extra creamy from the delicious runny egg. Loved the fried green tomatoes on the side. Highly recommended. Good homemade fries and home fries. Good chorizo breakfast burrito. Good biscuit & gravy. Smiles from several servers and everyone made us feel welcome. Clean bathrooms. read more

This was a great little cafe for breakfast. It was busy, the kitchen and wait staff was busy as all get out, but the food was great as was the service. The prices were unbelievably low. I highly recommend this place for breakfast. read more

Who makes Snickers Pancakes anyway? These folks do in a big way. Very nice place. Clean as a whistle, creative breakfast and lunch fare and open early!!! You've gotta chicken fajita omelet, biscuits and gravy and the Benedict's. Of course if you're a fan of the local favorite breakfast meat, Livermush, they do it crisp and firm. Service is pleasant and prompt. Very nice so try it twice! read more

Service and food were very good! The pancakes were amazing and so was the traditional breakfast meal. Pricing was very good and not through the roof. Overall, would definitely recommend! read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Pancakes (2) and traditional breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Really enjoyed breakfast here. People were very friendly with excellent service. French toast and Shrimp & Grits with fried green tomatoes were really good except the grits were not salted when cooked making it hard to get the seasoning up to snuff at the table. Shrimp had a nice Cajun seasoning. Will definitely go back but will ask them to salt the grits when they make them. read more

Found Hart & Soul Cafe traveling from Ashville to Norfolk by searching for a breakfast diner on Yelp. Having a 4.5 star rating made the decision easy. The food made it even better. Extremely filling and a good ol' home town value. Had me some grits! Yee-ha! read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Hart and Soul! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

Second visit. Should have already known better. First off, the cleanliness could definitely be leveled up. Literally a dead beetle bug of some sort next to my chair. Pieces of food under our table on the floor so we all rested our feet on the table legs instead. Sticky...sticky condiments, sticky/dusty flower vase, sticky spots on the table. Yuck. So my 6 yo loves sausage gravy and biscuits. She had already decided that's what she wanted before we even got there. She was super hungry and kept asking when our food would be ready, lol. We get our meals and after making sure everyone had everything they needed I notice shes picking at her food, moving it around her plate. I ask her if it's yummy and she says, "all I taste is the biscuit." I try it, and it's legit. Literally don't see sausage in the gravy, and, there's not the least bit of taste to the gravy. I ordered the shrimp and grits. The 2 shrimp I ate were delicious. Done perfectly. Took a bite of my cheese grits: the worst. These were the most flavorless grits I've had. But I'm glad because when I put my fork down I saw a long black hair laying in the grits on the other side of the bowl. You know...right under the two shrimp I'd just eaten. My son ordered a basic breakfast. Tried to get his and my daughters eggs done over-medium but both sets had yolk that had overcooked portions. My eldest daughter took one bite and nixed the eggs. She tried to give some of her French toast to my youngest, but between the two of them it still didn't get finished. It was completely smothered in the apple compote which pretty much ruined it for them. As most boys, my son ate most of his meal but did say he thinks they're the worst eggs he's ever had. Two times was two too many. Never again. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Blackened shrimp over cheese grits - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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This is our go-to breakfast spot for my husband and I before work. The eggs are flavorful the pancakes are huge and so delicious! Their French toast special is crunchy that has a pecan crust and can be served with different toppings. The bacon is always crispy. The service is excellent and everyone is always welcoming. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Hart and Soul Crusty French Toast with scrambled eggs and bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

If you are seeking a small-town diner experience where folks wave when you walk in the door, specials are still written in chalk on a blackboard, waitress wear retro tee's and great you with the secret smile and comfort food can be smelt from any angle coming from the open-faced exposed kitchen, then this is the place for you. They have all the options. Bennies, French Toast, Omelets, Eggs, Toast, Hash Browns, Crab Cakes, Black Bean Cakes, Pancakes, Hash (yes hash). This is what Western Carolina is about. Good wholesome comfort food Great prices Service with a warm smile. Let us not forget the great decor. They do have a thing for hogs and we loved it. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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Located on the corner, it is easy to find. Parking is plentiful with many spaces adjacent to the building and others in additional lanes nearby. The parking lot slopes toward the building a bit, so be aware when you open your doors or get out of your vehicle. There is handicapped parking in front of the door. As you approach the door you will notice a sign to watch your step. The step to watch is inside the building. There is a platform you step on when you first enter the seating area with a small (maybe 2 inch) drop to the restaurant floor. This is a handicapped access issue, so be aware. We found out after walking in there is a side door with no step. The parking for the side door is mostly behind the building, but not a far walk. Entering you see the counter/ bar and the seating area to the right. There is room for maybe 75, but that would be crowded. The seating is a mix of booths and tables, with a couple seats at the bar. We were greeted on entering and seated right away. The menu is not extensive, but what is there is pretty amazing. Read the item description as you will want to know everything they put into the items. The combinations are both familiar and unexpected, and the ingredients are fresh. The flavors are pretty much out of this world. The Hart and Soul omelet is excellent, and the sausage gravy on top makes it outstanding. The biscuits are opened and grilled(!) and the perfect consistency. They hold up the the gravy but they are not hard to cut with your fork. Some of the best I have ever had. The service is excellent, with attendant but unobtrusive staff making sure you have all you need, but leaving you alone enough to enjoy the meal. This is an amazing breakfast place. I sincerely wish I lived closer. I would probably eat here every day. read more

Hart & Soul Cafe - Looking from a booth to the counter and door - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Hickory, North Carolina

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Awesome find! A must visit local restaurant with friendly staff, tasty food and a great atmosphere for a relaxed weekend breakfast!

Went there today for lunch. Four of us had BLTs.. burger and a wrap. Several issues with our items. Missing certain condiments, etc. overall, it was OK. But nowhere near great. The prices are OK. Service was average. This was our second visit, and we will most likely not return. read more

Bright and friendly with great food. Service was top notch. Try the Belgian waffle with apples to top and add a side of kielbasa. Apple Compote is best. Traditional Breakfast read more

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We stopped at Cracker Barrel just off 40. It was a 35 minute wait. Nope, went to yelp and found this place. 5 minutes away and no wait. GLAD WE DID. Food was excellent, quick and the service was fantastic. Place has a local vibe neat little pics on walls and good parking. read more

First time here, arrived at 7:10 am, first customer of the day. Waitress was helpful in answering my questions about some of the unique items on the menu I have not seen before. The atmosphere is definitely a cozy, southern style cafe with a bar at which to sit. Prices for breakfast are always elevated significantly more than they are worth considering the cost of breakfast foods at the grocery. This place is no exception, but it is priced less than most places I've been for breakfast, so hats off to them for offering a reasonable price. I ordered the belgium waffle with compote and kielbasa, eggs benedict with hashbrowns, and the breakfast sandwhich (biscuit, eggs with cheese). Breakfast sandwhich was great in every way minus the biscuit itself. It was a little soft and soggy. The waffle with compote (forgot to attach a picture) was very good. Ask for compote or fruit on the side to keep the waffle crisp. The eggs benedict was the centerpiece of my meal. It was very well done. The poached eggs were perfect. The ham was tender, cuttable with a fork. The biscuit was a little soggy from the moist egg and ham, but still delicious. The hashbrowns were too soggy for my taste. I would ask for them extra crispy next time. The kielbassa was fine. Nothing spectacular, but a nice addition. I would skip it next time, honestly. I would definitely come back here to try the many other options on their menu. I'm very interested in trying an omlette, their french toast, their breakfast tacos, etc. It seems they have a great selection. I'm giving it a 4 star, but I'm very hopeful that my next visit will be better. I'm very interested in coming again! Great place! Highly recommend! read more

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Casual atmosphere where the owner is in the mix of kitchen and wait staff ensuring quality service. Prices were very fair.

Wonderful service and delicious food! We found this place by accident and it is a real gem! Will definitely be returning.

Found this little place by accident. Glad I found it. Food was great (breakfast). Service even better. Would definitely recommend and go back. read more

This isn't my first time here and honestly, I don't remember it being anything that stood out to me, but I wanted to give it another chance because a lot of locals like this place. The service and atmosphere were fine, although I feel like the seating is a little tight in the space given. The main reason I'm writing this review is because when we ordered our food, I received mine without the topping that I ordered and my sausage was barely cooked and was still slimy. My friend actually got a molded sandwich, which pretty much ruined the meal for us so I didn't even eat. read more

The staff is so friendly. Huge portions. I had the breakfast tacos and it was pure culinary genius. Will definitely be back!!!