When Bill Bernard said he was opening a café, they said he was crazy. They said he was over his head. They said he was “off his rocker!”

But those who know this tireless “retiree” also said that he was determined, passionate and as energized as ever about his newest project, Coffee Beans & Bagels. Bill Bernard, a longtime resident of Warwick and well-known figure in the community, now extends an invitation to hungry diners everywhere to come share his enthusiasm and the outstanding homemade food served every day at his now year-old restaurant on Sandy Lane.

As soon as you walk into Coffee Beans & Bagels, you are surrounded by the aroma of the home-cooking of Bill’s step-daughter and head cook, Carolyn Davenport. Carolyn creates the kind of meals that remind you of home ~ wholesome, comforting, familiar and just outright delicious. Using the freshest of ingredients, she prepares classic dishes that evoke memories of the days when everyone gathered to eat around the family table. Simpler days. Softer and kinder days. There is nothing fancy or new-fangled about this food. It is old-fashioned cooking done the old-fashioned way, with love.

Coffee Beans & Bagels serves up a varied menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner fare. Begin your day with a cup of one of its freshly-brewed, richly-flavored coffees. The coffee beans herald from Providence’s own Mills Coffee. If you are feeling adventurous, try their Sumatra Dark Roast or their popular Snickerdoodle flavors. Add to this a tasty muffin, an egg sandwich or one of their bagels, hand-delivered daily from Krazy Korner Bakery in Seekonk. Spread your bagel with a smear of handcrafted, flavored cream cheeses and you will be in bagel heaven!

If you are lucky, you can even get some of Rhode Island’s famous Allie’s Donuts, straight from its bakery in North Kingstown (better hurry, they go fast!!)

For lunch, indulge your appetite on one of Carolyn’s savory Meatball Grinders with her perfectly seasoned meatballs and traditional red sauce. The Reuben’s are out of this world with corned beef that “melts in your mouth.” There are many other sandwiches to choose from, including one made with their house-made Chicken Salad. On a chilly January day, treat yourself to a bowl of soup, including Carolyn’s outrageously aromatic Portuguese Kale Soup or French Onion Soup.

There are many other lunch and dinner options to choose from, including these enduring classics: Chicken Pot Pie, Swedish Meatballs (with 8 meatballs!), Macaroni & Cheese, French Meat Pies, Stuffed Peppers and the old-time favorite, Meatballs and Penne. It doesn’t get any better than this.

The best part of Coffee Beans & Bagels is its LOW prices; for example, all the meals above are an unbelievable $5.95. Bill’s goal is to make everything here affordable and family-friendly.

Coffee Beans & Bagels is found on 1001 Sandy Lane. Hours are Monday – Saturday, 7:30am – 6:00pm. Open Sundays from 7:30am until 1:00pm. For take-out, call 737-0080.