Backwoods Bistro

The Backwoods Bistro is located the little town of Sopchoppy, right next to city hall. It is approximately 30 miles south of Tallahassee. To get there simply take 319 south from Tallahassee. Make sure to veer right in Medart. The bistro is in the heart of Sopchoppy.

From the menu:

Backwoods Bistro is currently housed in the old
Sopehoppy Drug Company which was built in 1912
and was home to a full blown pharmacy soda
fountain and doctois office in the 1940s.

The business continued until the 1950s when
Corine Hedge opened up a dress shop, kept the
soda fountain and sold over-the-counter goods.
This was a favorite hang-out for the young folk.
The first ice cream in the county was served from
this location. It was also an Emergency Alert Cen-
ter during World War II

The historic brick building sat vacant for over a
decade until Nelson Martin bought the building
and renovated it to it’s current status, complete
with the unique alligator tile counter. In 2002,
Martin and partners Robert Seidler and Dave
Pierce opened up Sopchoppy Outfitters and Back
woods Pizza. The restaurant was a welcome addi-
tion to the town and brought new life into the
downtown. In Jan. 2006, the owners closed the
restaurant and moved onto other endeavors.

In Nov. 2006, the Rice family re-opened the res-
taurant with a fresh look and a new name, Back-
woods Bistro. Randy and Winky and their three
sons are running the operation. Sons, Jesse and
Tyler both wOrked at the restaurant over the years
fulfilling all the various duties from dishwasher to
chef~ Jesse, now the head chef, interned at several
five star restaurants in Nashville TN

Everyone’s favorite pizzas, sandwiches, entrees
and salads are still being served-everything
homemade and fresh, Chef Jesse is continually
adding new desserts, appetizers and entrées.

Other enhancements include wireless Internet
café and live music on Saturday nights. The res-
taurant plans to serve as a community venue for
local musicians and artists. Plans are also under-
way for special movie nights, youth nights, and
competitive cooking events.

Call ahead and your food will be ready to take out
or dine in with us!



The Backwoods Bistro is definitely worth the drive. The pizza and burgers are good. The salads are excellent. The portions are ample. Fancier dishes are available as well, although I haven't yet ordered one. Entrees include Blackened Grouper, Alfredo, and Lasagna. See the menu to the left. Bands play on the weekend and internet access is available. There is outdoor seating street side and in the back on a deck. The inside decor is interesting with the highlight being the gator counter top.


The Backwoods Bistro gets 4 skillets out of five.