It may be a chilly and overcast day in January, but the sun is still shining brightly in Cranston’s Character Café. Every seat in this cozy cafe is taken by diners who have ventured here from all corners of the city to escape the gloominess of the day with a heaping stack of pancakes or bowl of creamy chowder.

Scenes like this play out every day at this casual neighborhood eatery in the heart of Rolfe Square. Friends and strangers alike feel at home here at the café where the food is consistently delicious, the service is first-rate, the atmosphere is relaxed and inviting, and everyone is welcome.

The menu at the café is varied and full of showstopping breakfast and lunch classics, featuring ingredients from local vendors and farmers. Many start at only $5.95! In addition to the menu’s mouth-watering mainstays, there are also ever-changing seasonal specials ~ from variations to their omelets to their hearty soups, creative sandwiches and healthy salads. The food here is always fresh, wholesome, made-to-order and prepared in a newly-updated open kitchen for all to see.

Some favorites off the café’s expansive menu include dishes cleverly inspired by the café’s adjoining theater, Theater 82. These dishes include “The Sneaky Villain” (three eggs, bacon, sausage and two pancakes), “The Producer” (three slices of Texas-style French Toast sprinkled with powdered sugar), “The Understudy” (a salad of baby spinach, goat cheese, walnuts, cranberries and an egg) and “the Wardrobe Master” (a sandwich on a portabella mushroom stack with red onion, spinach, tomato and a creamy lemon garlic sauce).

Everything on the menu is available for take-out, from their rich, flavored coffees to their tasty Florentine Eggs Benedict to their lightly-battered, crunchy mozzarella sticks to their Chipotle Grilled Chicken sandwiches ~ and everything in between.

The café also has an exciting catering menu which has a varied list of options for your next unforgettable occasion, from Chicken Parmigiana and Pasta Salad Primavera to Meatballs in Marinara sauce and Sausage and Potatoes ~all served with garden salads and rolls.

Sunday is a day when fans flock to the café for their full-spread buffet from 8am to 1pm. There is even live music! There is always something happening at Character’s Café and at Theater 82, the multi-use performance, meeting and instructional space found inside the café which hosts many popular theater productions throughout the year.

Characters Café is a non-profit business that is proudly owned and operated by Gateways to Change, Inc., an organization that seeks to enhance the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities. The brainchild of Cathy McGillivray, Gateways to Change was incorporated to help integrate these individuals into their communities through the arts, theater, music and other activities.

Character’s Café & Theatre 82 are located at 82 Rolfe Square. For information, call 401-781-2200. The café is open Tuesday – Friday, 7am to 2:30pm, Saturday, 8am – 2:30pm and Sunday, 8am – 2pm. Closed on Mondays. Visit them at www.CharactersCafe.org.