Joe Domscheidt doesn’t mind getting up early in the morning.
That’s very good news.
“I come in at 3 a.m. every morning and make the dough for our bread and rolls,” says the owner of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Cape Coral. “We’re the only German bakery in Southwest Florida that makes its own bread.”
Domscheidt, a Hamburg native, opened this quaint and charming bakery and bistro in early May in the Chelsea Place Plaza on Del Prado Boulevard.
Since then, he’s stocked display cases and racks with customer-favorite breakfast and lunch specials, plus German breads, cakes and pastries.
“We bake fresh bread every morning,” he says, “German cheesecake, sourdough, quiche.”
Cinnamon rolls, chocolate fillet rolls, German plum cake, doughnuts, fruit rolls, pastries, muffins, croissants, German chocolate cake and more line the shelves, and the aroma of gourmet coffee wafted through the air during a recent visit.
Rock ‘n Rolls is the second bakery to open in Domscheit in the past two years.
Less than a year after opening, the chain will close its first store, Bread Annette, on College Parkway in Fort Myers, in September 2023 due to troubles with its partners.
Now he’s perfectly happy in his tiny space in Cape Coral (1,000 square feet compared to Bread Annette’s 3,000).
“I was looking for something new,” said Domscheidt, who has worked in the food industry for 30 years, 12 of which were catering companies. “I live here, it’s a great location, and my landlord is great.”
German flavours are everywhere – schnitzel, bratwurst, leberkäse (meatloaf) and goulash – but the area also plays a big role.
“We pay tribute to Cape Coral, too,” he said, pointing to a map of the city on one wall and nostalgic photos of the area on the other.
Sandwiches named after streets in Cape Coral reflect that theme throughout the menu.
Bestsellers include the Del Prado Boulevard, which features New Jersey pork roll, fried egg and melted cheese on a Kaiser roll, and the Santa Barbara Boulevard, a breakfast sandwich croissant, while the Beach Boulevard features freshly fried schnitzel, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, ketchup and coleslaw on a baguette.
Breakfast is served all day and includes omelets, bagels, hash browns, bowls, egg sandwiches on croissants, baguettes and wraps. What Domscheidt doesn’t make himself, he sources locally, including farm-fresh eggs and aromatic coffee from Cape Coral.
In case you missed it: Cape Coral sandwich, hot dog restaurant closes less than six months after opening
“Everyone who comes in loves it,” he says, “and a lot of people tell us they’re really glad we’re here.”
The tranquil space is perfect for a leisurely breakfast, lunch, or coffee and pastry.
“It’s a really nice, quiet place,” Domscheidt said. “Please take your time. We want you to be here with us.”
The bread alone is enough for us to continue eating there.
3512 Del Prado Blvd., Suite 104, Cape Coral; open Tuesday through Friday 7:30am to 2pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am to 1pm, closed Monday. (941) 249-3384, rocknrollsbakery.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Rock’n Rolls is the newest German-owned eatery to open in Cape Coral this year, and we’ll give you a quick look at the other three.
Rustic Sandwich Deli
Dennis Friedman quietly opened the breakfast and lunch spot in American Plaza with his father, Martin, on Feb. 19.
“I love this neighborhood and I love the people,” he said shortly after the opening. “What I’m serving here is old-fashioned, authentic German food with an American twist.”
NY-NJ Par Baked Bread’s hearty sandwiches include house-made schnitzel and sausage, the Grilled Jeff (grilled chicken with mozzarella, roasted peppers, tomatoes and balsamic), and the Rustic, with German meatloaf, hash browns, Swiss cheese and mayo.
Breakfast is eggs, bacon, German sausage and steak on a kaiser roll. Salads including potatoes, German sausage, tuna, chicken and macaroni are made fresh, as is the coffee. 2924 Del Prado Blvd., Unit 5, Cape Coral; (239) 710-5835; the-rustic.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Hungry Captain
The family behind Holy Moly Ice Cream (temporarily closed, according to a sign on the door) and Raabery Ink Society also owns a Maine lobster roll place in northeast Cape Coral.
The store opened Feb. 26 behind the new Total Package Car Wash on Pine Island Road, just west of Del Prado Boulevard in the Pine Island Park Plaza.
“We only sell lobster joints and claws,” says Stephen Raab.
Lobster rolls come in a variety of flavors, from traditional New England and Connecticut styles to Buffalo spicy, garlic and truffle. Soups, salads, crab cakes, fried chicken, fish and lobster grilled cheese sandwiches are also on the menu. 1260 NE 8th St., Suite 111, Cape Coral, (239) 257-1705, thehungrycaptain.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Let’s make waffles
Nadine Fakes fell in love with Cape Coral after visiting Sanibel in 2014 and moved here in 2022. She opened this lovely little place on March 9 in the Santa Barbara Plaza, just off 10 Twenty-Five. In addition to its specialty sweet and savory waffles, it also offers build-your-own freestyle options with a variety of toppings, including sauces, fruits, candy, cheese, meats and veggies. 1031 Santa Barbara Blvd., No. 12, Cape Coral; (239) 898-1041; letswaffleflorida.com or follow them on Facebook
Robin George is a food and beverage reporter for The News-Press. He can be reached at rhgeorge@fortmyers.gannett.com.
