Steady Eddy’s Café has been a much-loved Flint institution for years. When it was located on the second floor of the old Flint Farmers’ Market, the line of hungry patrons would wind up the stairs, all waiting for a taste of Steady Eddy’s healthy and delicious offerings. Now located at the new Flint Farmers’ Market Downtown, the cafe changed hands about two years ago and is now owned by former longtime employees Chris Veihl and Nichol Albiar. Chris is the cook, along with his brother, Matt Veihl. “Matt is the ‘egg’ guy,” Chris laughs, “and everybody loves his cheeseburgers.” The business has continued to grow at the new location.
“We try to treat everyone like family and serve consistently good food.”
Nichol Albiar
Steady Eddy’s is well-known for yummy breakfast fare, satisfying lunches and healthy options. While the new owners kept much of menu intact, they’ve added a few new items to please the contemporary Farmers’ Market crowd. Breakfast is served all day and includes a delicious South of the Border Omelet, which is stuffed with vegan or turkey chili and Monterey Jack cheese, then topped with fresh avocado, cheddar, tomatoes and sour cream. And don’t forget to add a side of Chris’ house-made salsa, Nichol advises. “It’s the bomb!”
Other breakfast favorites include the Sweet Nut French Toast, topped with warm syrup, nuts and bananas – a taste sensation and Steady Eddy’s menu staple for 20 years. “Our pancakes are also very popular,” says Nichol. Customers on the go often stop by to grab a breakfast sandwich, and the breakfast burrito is another favorite, according to the owners. The homemade biscuits and gravy are also devoured on a regular basis.
For lunch, many hungry market-goers enjoy the grilled chicken club sandwich: grilled chicken breast topped with crispy bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo on a grilled onion roll. The Sean is another popular choice – a BLT topped with avocado and a fried egg on grilled sourdough bread. The cafe’s
award-winning soups are hearty and satisfying, especially the vegetarian chili and turkey chili. Also on the menu is a Soup of the Day that Chris makes fresh every morning – they include a creamy tomato basil, roasted red pepper, chicken noodle, mushroom barley, a hearty potato chowder and Italian Wedding Soup. Chris spends several hours hand-rolling the little meatballs for the Italian wedding soup, “He puts a lot of time and effort into it,” Nichol says.
The new owners have added appetizers to the menu, including pretzels and beer cheese, and spinach-artichoke and Buffalo dips. “The dips are starting to get popular,” Nichol admits. Another new favorite is the homemade Koegel corn dog. And, you don’t have to wait for a hot summer day to enjoy a variety of refreshing, fresh-squeezed lemonades topped with fruit. For those wanting a meat alternative, dishes made with jackfruit have been added to the menu. “Our healthy BBQ sandwich made with jackfruit looks and tastes just like pulled pork,” Chris boasts. Customers also enjoy daily specials such as the very popular (meatless) falafel waffle sandwich. “It’s very good,” Nichol says with a smile.
Sometimes, you just have to have something sweet. You can’t leave Steady Eddy’s without a slice of one of the scrumptious pies brought in fresh from McCarron’s Orchard, located in Flushing. On the menu are warm, Dutch apple pie (so good), blackberry-rhubarb, cherry, blueberry, and Dutch all-berry, to name a few.
(L-R) Serving up fresh fare with a smile are co-owner Chris Veihl, Matt Veihl, co-owner Nichol Albiar & Stephanie Bills.
The long-standing success of Steady Eddy’s Café isn’t just about the food, it is also about the comfortable, homey surroundings, the quick and friendly service – and the customers. “We try to treat everyone like family and serve consistently good food,” Nichol says. “We have a long list of regular customers – on some days, we know the names of everyone in the restaurant!”
Photography by Eric Dutro
