This Belleville cafe wants you to know it’s still open, with breakfast, lunch, more
Sip & Chew Express opened in downtown Belleville on Dec. 26, 2019, just before the pandemic hit and the shutdowns began.
Owner Sandra Crockett wants people to know — They’re still here.
I met with Crockett again this week at 124 W. Main St. in Belleville. (We met last week at her other café, Tropical Breeze.) This time, she and I sat at the bar for a casual chat about some of the issues she’s facing with the business.
As with many new restaurants, it can take some time to establish the business and build up to a steady flow of people, eventually seeing some regular customers.
Crockett, who operates the café with her partners, her sisters Tracy and Stacy Baxton and nephew Antonio Baxton, said they didn’t have long enough for that to fully happen when COVID hit.
More than two years later, the café is still in its early days. And even now, people are just learning of Sip & Chew’s existence, according to Crockett.
She said some of the previous regulars, mainly older ladies, have come back to spend time socializing with each other over coffee or a bite to eat.
But it isn’t enough, according to Crockett. Sip & Chew needs to be reintroduced to the community.
Crockett feels that people employed in and near downtown Belleville can easily stop by Sip & Chew for some breakfast or lunch.
“I think it’s a really good place for small business meetings” or a “meet-and-greet,” said Crockett.
Customers can come in for some made-to-order breakfast items, including their popular avocado BLT, quesadillas and shrimp & grits. I’m told their eggs benedict is the best around.
Did I mention that breakfast is served all day?
Lunch also provides some great options with flatbreads, burgers, wraps and salads. Again, all made to order by chef Jesse Howard, who is also Crockett’s nephew.
Unfortunately, another result of COVID is the ongoing supply and food shortages, which resulted in a more limited menu than Sip & Chew would like.
Crockett said that menu items are heavily influenced by what’s available from suppliers week to week.
She joked that with the menu, they should just put “food” since what they can offer is based on what they have – or can get – in stock at the time.
She also said that ideally, Sip & Chew would be open early in the morning to provide a fully breakfast menu.
For now, with the ongoing supply shortages, as well as a too-small staff, Crockett is experimenting with different operating hours.
She believes that engaging the neighborhood in later hours might help them to see if there’s an uptick in business, which could help the café reestablish itself.
Some new features have also been added to help attract more business. Sip & Chew obtained a liquor license, installed outdoor seating and started a karaoke night on Thursdays.
Crockett is also planning to add the boba teas that are going over well at Tropical Breeze.
“I think it’ll be a missed opportunity” not to bring the boba here, said Crockett.
She said that ice cream may soon follow.
Something Crockett wants folks to remember is that Sip & Chew is a real café, not a fast food place. It may take a little longer to get the food out, and it may cost a little more, but they provide an experience to their customers.
“One thing about the people in Belleville – they’re pro-Belleville,” said Crockett.
She hopes the community remembers that every time they choose not to choose a small business, it makes it harder for that small business to stay open.
“Be kind and think about the smaller businesses more,” said Crockett.
Sip & Chew Express is located at 124 W. Main St. in Belleville.
Current hours are 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday (karaoke night!), and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
For information about Sip & Chew, call 618-641-9400, visit sipchew.com or find them on Facebook.
