The contrast of espresso walls, wood floors and dark seating against the natural light from an abundance windows at Paul’s Homewood Cafe in Annapolis is astonishing. Coupled with the bright light and decorations, the fresh Mediterranean food stands out exquisitely. The renovated upscale cafe does not lead one to think it has been around for over 60 years, but the food tells a different story. Paul’s offers food that’s been tasted, tested, and perfected. Here’s a short overview of what makes the food and ambiance so unforgettable at Paul’s Homewood Cafe.

The menu you’re kindly handed at Paul’s depends upon the time you visit. I went on a Saturday between breakfast and lunch. Our waitress handed my friend and I menus for breakfast and lunch, awarding us as many options as possible. On the breakfast menu, eggs were of course prominent, but included an interesting twist. There was smoked salmon benedict, a Greek omelette, and eggs served on an English muffin with crab piled on top. The lunch menu boasted of the same culinary blend of the Chesapeake and Mediterranean. Guests can order anything from homemade spinach ravioli, spanakopita, crispy calamari salad, to a grilled chicken sandwich with pesto sauce. The lunch and breakfast dishes cost around $10, yet dishes with crab or other seafood are a bit more costly.

The dinner menu at Paul’s boasts of the fresh delicacies of the ocean. Guests can order oysters rockefeller, mussels in wine sauce, clams baked in butter, battered calamari and plenty other seafood favorites. It wouldn’t be Paul’s without the Mediterranean twist, and the Greek flavor comes out in dishes like the tzatziki pita, spanakopita, pastitsio, and lamb shish kabobs. The portions are larger and therefore, the prices higher–most are around $20.

Since it was lunchtime, I opted out of wine. However, the wine menu at Paul’s is impressive. The cozy and stylish cafe offers white and red wines–anything from Shiraz to Pinot Grigio. For those who are new to this delicious drink called wine, Paul’s offers wine flights, which offers guests samples of wine. Paul’s can accommodate beer and liquor lovers too, thanks to their full service bar and brews on draft. In fact, Paul’s features beer from top notch breweries on the east and west coasts. In addition, the restaurant introduces new wines to their list as often as possible. Right now, Paul’s proudly serves select wines from Knob Hall Winery in Clear Spring, Maryland.

Moving back to the food, Paul’s has an incredibly appealing salad with shrimp and wilted spinach for both the stomach and the eyes. This dish truly combines flavors of the Chesapeake with Mediterranean style. Five plump, curled shrimp stood on a bed of wilted spinach mixed with kalamata olives, feta cheese, and a tangy vinaigrette dressing. The sweet shrimp melded perfectly with the salty feta and olives. The olive oil base of the dressing and the wilted spinach rounded out the meal as healthy, filling, and palate-pleasing.

For those who like to dine and drink early to get the night started (and why not?), Paul’s offers a few happy hour specials from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. During these hours, guests can please their taste buds with $5 appetizers, $5 glasses of wine and $4 craft beer. Make your meal during happy hour and get three courses for $18. The hip cafe treats dinner guests to specials the whole week too! The website, http://www.paulscafe-annapolis.com/, tells of dinner specials for certain nights. These specials can range from ahi tuna to black angus New York strip steak. If you forget to check the website before you go, a friendly member of the wait staff will gladly relay the specials.

For a quiet brunch or a late night glass of wine, Paul’s can accommodate your mood with its excellent service, decadent food, and lovely ambiance. Paul’s even caters and has ample space for large and small parties. Visit them on the link provided above or at the restaurant at 919 West Street. Their hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:15 to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Embrace the mix of flavors!