Since moving to GVL two years ago, I have constantly heard about the Swamp Rabbit Trail and the Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery. The Swamp Rabbit Trail is 19.9 mile multi-use greenway system that runs along the Reedy River. There are several places across town that you can hop on and hop off. You can run, walk or ride a bike. The Swamp Rabbit Café is a cute spot right off of the trail that has pizza, a café and a grocery store.
We stepped into the Café and Grocery on a Saturday morning about 11:30am. It was bustling but not too crowded. As soon as we pulled up, I admired everyone enjoy the beautiful day. There were bike riders, people chilling on the outdoor benches, kids playing in the small playground area. It was exciting to see a safe place that encourages people to get out and enjoy the fresh air. In the midst of the parking lot there is a Bike shop that allows you to rent all types of bikes and hop on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.
There is such a local “front porch “feel to the spot. Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery makes pizza, pastries and sandwich’s fresh. The prices are reasonable. They pride themselves on their fresh-made Stecca bread. I had an Egg, Cheese and Bacon sandwich on their fresh Stecca bread. The bread was delightful. It was light and buttery. We can toss Panera out the window right now. It was actually cheaper and it takes on a whole new meaning when you know you are supporting your community. I grabbed a coffee on the side. The coffee was typical. It was hard to get it sweetened to my liking without using a pound of sugar. My husband had the Veggie Quiche that came with a side salad. It was a cute choice. Their choices don’t make you feel bad. I tried to keep my eyes off of the pastry section so I have no input there.
I was pleasantly joyful when I found out that this genius haven was created by two women. A biologist and an engineer took their love for shopping at the local farmers market and took a chance on providing it to the community on a greater scale! They use over 250 local farms. They put their all into it and built its popularity while raising families . They literally worked with their babies strapped to their backs. Serious Determination. They have built something beautiful. They support the community by using local farms to contribute to the goodness they sell back to the community. The true circle of buying local. It is crucial to our survival as a community. After opening in 2011, it may have started off slow but it has grown popularity and significance in the Greenville Community.
To learn more about Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery as well as the amazing women that built it up, check out Inside the Local Food Revolution
