Cape Roots Market & Café

When Gabe and Brooke Leidner envisioned opening a new business in the heart of downtown Harwich Port, they never anticipated that coronavirus would be a stumbling block. Despite a surging number of fall cases, the couple elected to forge ahead and opened the doors to Cape Roots Market & Cafe in October of 2020. The rollout has for sure had a different feel due to Covid, but the couple believes that the current climate has given them an opportunity to listen and focus on what the customer really wants.

The Leidners have transformed an airy 5000 square foot space at Harwich Port Commons on Main Street into a market and cafe that showcases a plethora of products from foodstuffs to retail items. Reclaimed woods, vintage signage and lighting paired with exposed pipes and lofty ceilings partners farmhouse style with industrial flair. Gorgeous artwork by local artist Lauren DiFerdinando contributes to the overall ambience. Treasures garnered from Gabe’s forays to antique shops in Fall River, New Bedford and Lawrence are interspersed throughout the bright space and offer unique backdrops for both food and product displays. One eye-catching vignette features a historic Glenwood stove laden with an assortment of baking essentials, from flours to cupcake toppings.

The cafe area beckons shoppers with the delectable aroma of freshly-roasted coffee supplied by Snowy Owl Roasters in Brewster. The Leidners credit Snowy Owl’s Manuel Ainzuain with guiding them through the process of designing a working floor plan along with the purchasing of equipment necessary for a successful coffee bar. Whether your taste runs from espresso and latte to cappuccino or americano, a smiling staffer will be happy to serve your favorite hot or even cold brew. Tea lovers will rejoice in a selection of MEM teas or perhaps a chai or matcha latte. Do not pass by the tantalizing fresh baked goods, some sourced off site from The Bashful Tarte in South Yarmouth, others crafted in house by various local bakers including Brooke’s own mother (who happens to make a killer baklava). Egg sandwiches, avocado toast and breakfast pizzas are among some of the savory choices. You can grab your joe to go and bask in the fresh air at an outside table, or sip, snack and connect to house WiFi inside if you prefer. A stool at the storefront counter provides a prime view of the comings and goings along picturesque Main Street.

Cape Roots Market & Cafe is more than a coffeehouse. You’ll find Boar’s Head deli meats and cheeses, and breads available for sandwich construction include artisanal varieties from Pain d’Avignon in Hyannis. Glass-front cases also reveal locally-sourced fresh seafood selections courtesy of Chatham Fish & Lobster and Cape Fish & Lobster (Hyannis) and premium meats like steaks, sausage and ground beef. There are house-made stuffed quahogs (Hot Stove Saloon recipe) and seafood cakes (a mix of salmon, swordfish, cod, and scallops).

Dry goods abound on the neatly organized open shelves, and those searching for organic, gluten-free or vegan items will find many options from which to choose. Brooke is looking to expand on these and other specialty product lines and is open to requests from customers. In addition to pantry essentials, retail items make Cape Roots a one stop shop. Looking for a thoughtful thank you or hostess gift? How about a box of MEM teas paired with local honey from Not Enough Acres Farm in Dennis or perhaps a soy candle partnered with a super soft Cape Roots logo T-shirt?

At the rear of the store are refrigerated units brimming with beverages, gourmet cheeses, Dom’s steak tips, Cape Cod Creamery ice cream and prepared foods including salads, sides and entrees. During a recent market visit, choices included chicken cutlets, eggplant parmigiana, stuffed shells, meatballs, calzones, potato skins and sesame noodles. The Leidners have hired a local caterer to assist staff in whipping up many of these “grab and go” items that have already proven to be a big hit. Brooke, an elementary school teacher and military veteran Gabe also own the popular Hot Stove Saloon, and the proximity of the market to the Hot Stove gives them the advantage of access to the full restaurant kitchen in addition to Cape Roots’ prep kitchen.

In the coming months, Brooke and Gabe plan to make more improvements at Cape Roots. Made-to-order sandwiches will be available at the counter. Sweet, briny oysters farmed by the Joly Oyster Company in East Dennis will be introduced to the summer seafood lineup. The Leidners intend to build on the relationships they had started cultivating last winter with local farmers and look forward to showcasing even more of the Cape’s bounty in their market space. Although there are currently no retail liquor licenses (as of publication time) up for grabs, they hope to garner an on-premise license which will enable them to serve draft beer and wine by the glass.

Brooke explains that the name Cape Roots has a dual meaning for them. “I moved to the Cape when I was seven and Gabe was born here. He moved around to various posts with his military family, eventually returning to Cape Cod where we met the last week of our senior year at Dennis Yarmouth High. Gabe joined the Air Force and so for part of our marriage we lived in various places and we had two sons during this period before coming back to the Cape when his military stint ended. Our business name reflects not only the connections we intend to keep growing with the local farming community but our personal roots we have established here as a Cape Cod family.” Based on the positive customer feedback, it looks like these roots will continue to strengthen and become more firmly entrenched well into the future.

Cape Roots Market & Café
557 Main Street, Harwich Port
Open 7 days – check Facebook for current hours