The conversation is as satisfying as the morning cup of coffee for the regulars at Town & Country Cafe in Corpus Christi. The renowned, homestyle diner has been a staple in this
Coastal Texas community since 1956.
“Sooner or later, everyone in town eats here,” stated restaurant manager Darlene Bodnar.
“They say it’s the place where people meet.”
It’s also the place in town where people eat, as evidenced by its recognition as a 2020 Finalist
for a prestigious award: The Corpus Christi Caller Times: Best of the Best Readers’ Choice
Award.
Town & Country makes its own biscuits and soups from scratch. It dishes out breakfast all day.
They serve the staples here including meatloaf, pork chops, chicken fried steak, and chicken
pot pie twice a week, but their comfort food does more than feed a family, it feeds the soul.
“I would like to thank the regulars who have been so wonderful over this trying, last year,”
Bodnar said with palpable appreciation as she reflected on the ability of Town & Country to
survive the COVID crisis because of strong patron support.
Bodnar also shared her appreciation for Richmond Advantage, their San Antonio-based
consumable provider, that supplied the restaurant with needed personal protection equipment
at a time when those supplies were difficult to obtain.
The pandemic forced Town & Country to close its doors temporarily in the spring of 2020. It
reopened on May 1st of 2020, and Bodnar says Richmond Advantage played an instrumental
role.
“They got us the correct sanitizing solutions for our menus and tables. They provided us with
masks for our employees. This all happened at a time you could not find these supplies in
Corpus. Had it not been for Richmond Advantage, it could have been very difficult to reopen
and stay open.”
Town & Country has been a customer of Richmond Advantage since 2014. Richmond delivers
the restaurant its order of paper products, floor cleaners and sanitizing solution during its once
month delivery run to Corpus.
“Everybody is so nice and accommodating, especially Paul the owner. If we get in a jam, he
manages to find a way to get us out,” said Bodnar.
No matter the challenge, Town & Country has come out ahead whenever hard times have hit
Corpus, as underscored by the photos lining the walls of the restaurant. Many of the historic
photos show city landmarks after they’ve been walloped by hurricanes storming ashore in this
city.
Once again, Town & Country appears well-positioned to thrive in the days ahead according to
Bodnar, who certainly ought to know the lay of the land at the restaurant. She has worked here
the last 18 years. She was a waitress her first 14 years at Town and County before she was
promoted to Manager.
“Town & Country is THE town diner. There are a lot of regulars here. They have kept us going all
these years,” said Bodnar.
