Cafe Bishco is one of the best non-sit-down type places to eat in Gloucester. They are located right on Main Street and also deliver all over Cape Ann (Rockport, Gloucester and even Manchester). The place is owned by a really friendly woman named Derya who moved to the states from Turkey 15 years ago. She and her husband have owned several food spots over the years from Boston to Salem but their sole focus now is on Cafe Bishco. The place is small and isn't a sit-down type restaurant but there are some tables and couches if you did want to sit, especially if you're a tourist visiting Gloucester and aren't close to home for takeout. The place totally gives off the feel of family. Everyone that works there seems to be related,bthey are very loud & funny and seem to love what they do. After I ordered today, I sat down near their couch where a couple of their small children were playing. I've never met Derya (owner) before but she came out from behind the counter to sit with her kids and make conversation. She was super friendly and we we talked about where they delivered to, where the family came from and now lives, how she and her husband met etc. We talked about the food and I told her how amazing the chicken salad was. She then told me exactly what was in it and how she made it. It's pretty cool when people share that type of info instead of pretending everything's top secret. Her story was really interested and we also connected on mothers as we both have moms that are battling cancer. I love the food and she won me over even more so after speaking with her.
So how about the food? We've had a slew of things on their menu but their chicken salad is phenomenal. It's not over loaded with mayo and has both a great flavor as well as consistency. The menu is HUGE and a little overwhelming at first but I love that you can always be satisfied no matter what you're in the mood for since there are endless options to choose from. Today we ordered the "California" but added grilled chicken. This wrap consist of avocados, olives, provolone, tomatoes, mesclun mix, sprouts, cucumber, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Like every sandwich at Cafe Bishco, it's huge. Everything was extremely fresh and had both a great crunch as well as great flavor. It wasn't swimming in dressing either so the other half (yes, they give you that much food) will hold together for later or tomorrow. We also ordered the Smoke Turkey & Swiss melt which was delicious. Smokey turkey, swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing packed onto delicious toasted white bread and boom, you have one hell of a sandwich. My wife loves Russian/Thousand Island dressing so I knew this would be right up her alley. We also order 3 soups that are always on point: beef chili, clam chowder & lemon chicken. This was the first time I'd had their chili and it was different, but really good. It had more of a sweet taste to than a spicy kick. I like spicy food so I normally would prefer some heat but the sweet taste was actually really tasty. I'm not sure if they add brown or white sugar but it was awesome either way. Oh and again, all three soups were gigantic. They give you some really great toasted Italian-type bread for dipping that was also a score. I grabbed a couple of drinks out of the cooler and with the 2 sandwiches, 3 soups and 2 drinks, my total was about 39 bucks. A little expensive for takeout but when you think about the quality and quantity of the food, it was well worth it.
If you come to Gloucester you should really stop in for a sandwich or take some soup home for later. The place is a total gem and the people are great. read more