New Cafe Opens for Carry-Out on Mount Vernon Road in Cedar Rapids

It's official! The popular Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market vendor "The Salsa Guy" now has his very own cafe!

Back in late June, the Salsa Guy, aka Tim Palmer, put a sign outside of his market booth announcing that he would be opening the Salsa Guy Cafe this summer. The Salsa Guy has been selling "fresh, high-quality, locally produced salsas, guacamoles, salad dressings and BBQ sauces," as well as delicious breakfast burritos for years now, but this is the first time the business will have a permanent location. A Facebook post from the Salsa Guy Cafe on Facebook reads:

"Well, for almost 2 decades you’ve been asking me when I would be opening a restaurant! And my standard reply was “NEVER!” Well, never is now officially Tuesday, August 13th at 10:30 a.m."

The Salsa Guy Cafe is located at 2874 Mount Vernon Rd SE in Cedar Rapids, the former home of Sweet Basil's Pizza. The hours are listed as Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., but for the time being, the restaurant will be carry-out ONLY. The post says:

"For the first 30 days MINIMUM, we will conduct business as a Carry-Out restaurant only. There’s just no possible way to accommodate in-person dining along with the crush of new people wanting to squeeze in the door and try our delicious food! Parking is limited (7 spaces in the back) however we have consent from the neighboring property owner for our guests to park on the lot next door (think west, toward the Dairy Queen) and they have 17 spaces for your convenience."

If you want to try the burritos, burgers, sandwiches, and salads on the menu at the Salsa Guy Cafe, the only way to do so right now is in-person. There is no online ordering or delivery available. Customers who visited for the grand opening on Tuesday (August 13th) recommend the Very Berry Salad, the Alfalfa’s Sandwich, the Brisket Burrito, and the Conquistador Burger (pictured below). Guests can also pick up their favorite Salsa Guy sauces and dressings while they're at the cafe.

For the latest updates from the newly-opened Salsa Guy Cafe, check out the official Facebook page HERE!