Robbie’s Café expands in midst of pandemic

Back, L-R: Tyler Gibson and Jimmy Stansel, Front: Owners Cindy and Robert Gibson
-Photo: Submitted

By Tami Stevenson

Live Oak, Fla., – Robbie’s Café, a family-owned and run restaurant in Live Oak, has been a favorite lunch and dinner spot for many locals and the surrounding area since 2010. And it’s no wonder with their hand-cut French fries, hand-breaded and freshly made-to-order everything!

When the pandemic hit in 2020, like other restaurants, they weren’t sure what was going to happen. They had poured their blood, sweat and tears into this restaurant, and were forced to close their doors and do take-out only for weeks. Then when they were finally allowed to re-open with in-person dining, it was only at fifty percent capacity. Sadly, many restaurants were forced to close their doors for good, never to re-open.

Robbie’s survived, and locals say it’s because of their food! It keeps you coming back! Their food is known for its consistency and quality. Their hand-breaded Big Fish Sandwich, which is huge, is still their number one sandwich. Many customers say their Rueben is the best they’ve ever had, not to mention their hand-breaded grouper and shrimp baskets.

“We aim for consistency and try to provide a good product. We don’t do freezer to fryer, we make everything fresh. It’s made to order, it’s not in a box. Everything we do is hand-done,” said Co-Owner Cindy Gibson. Their salads – potato salad, macaroni salad and coleslaw, for instance, are all made from scratch, along with the dressings.
Once they re-opened, Cindy said, “We saw business pick up slowly. Every week is a little better.”

During lunchtime, Cindy told the Times, as they began to get busier, “People were waiting and standing outside and we would lose some of them, they would go somewhere else. So when this unit next to us became available, and it was vacant for a little bit, we decided, you know what? Let’s bite the bullet and expand.” So they did. They put in 10 new tables and gained about 44 more seats. They opened the new section on November 29, 2021. “So we’re probably right at about 100 seats now, and it has helped considerably.” No more long lunch lines.

The warm and inviting new expansion also features two cozy alcoves for added privacy.

When they say this is a family-owned and run business, they mean it. Cindy and Rob are always there. Their daughter-in-law, Shannon Gibson, works out front or in the kitchen, basically wherever she is needed, and their son, Tyler Gibson, works in the kitchen. Another server, Amie Tyre, has been with them almost since the beginning.

“It’s a family run operation, so if we’re not here, we’re not open,” Cindy added.

Another thing customers can look forward to is their parking lot upgrade! It is supposed to be re-surfaced this March. They are really looking forward to that.

“We want to thank the community. These local people are a godsend. If it weren’t for the local people supporting us, we wouldn’t be here. They came back! They all did!” She added, “We just want to thank them.”

Robbie’s Café is nestled at the other end of the Winn Dixie Plaza, near the schools, at 803 Pinewood Drive in Live Oak. Their current hours are M-Th 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday 8:30 am to 8:00 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

L-R: Shannon Gibson and Amie Tyre -Photo: Submitted

Robbie’s Café expanded to add 10 more tables and approximately 44 more seats to their family-owned and run restaurant. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson

Robbie’s Café, of Live Oak, has expanded their dining area and can now seat approximately 100 people. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson

Alcove one

Alcove 2