A welcome addition to the downtown Hammond food scene, Stella V.ie Café serves made from scratch soups, sandwiches, and sweet and tasty pastries, with a bit of Kentucky pizzazz.

In business for almost a year now, the intimate café is already a favorite of many locals.

Chef Virginette Fitzpatrick, the owner, admitted that the café wasn’t her original vision.  She initially was working on a plan to open a food trailer selling breakfast when the opportunity to open a café in the space she now occupies, opened up.  She accelerated her plans and jumped on the opportunity at the urging of her family and friends.

Food:
The menu, a mixture of comfort food, has some unique offerings and options for everyone including vegans, vegetarians, as well as those who are gluten-free.  Some of the unique creations like the Kenturckey sandwich pay homage to Chef Virgie’s Kentucky roots.  It features pimento cheese which is wildly popular in Kentucky and found on or in pretty much everything.

Kenturckey Sandwich

Chef Virgie’s favorite sandwich is the Cuban, but my heart belongs to the Amer-Itali-can: Ham, turkey, mixed greens, tomato, red onion, herbed vinegar, and giardiniera spread. So tasty!

The Amer-Itali-can

The Asian Pig is a close contender.  I’m on a Korean barbeque kick, and this sandwich delivers on flavor.  It’s a solid choice.

Asian Pig

Dagger Mountain, a roaster out of Valparaiso, Indiana provides the coffee.

Chef Virgie is also a pastry chef so make sure that you try her fresh-baked pastries, banana bread, muffins, cookies, biscuits, and triple chocolate brownies.  I tried almost all of them, and I don’t regret it one bit!

Atmosphere:
The small space allows for warm service as Chef Virgie gets to know and connects with her patrons such as the gentlemen who come in every day for one of her yummy chocolate chip cookies and a cup of coffee.

One thing that I appreciate about Chef Virgie is that she’s truly happy to see her customers and she values every one of them.  It’s evident in the friendly service as well as the way that she goes out of her way to accommodate her customers.  It truly stands out to me because unfortunately, you don’t get that everywhere.

Delicious sandwiches and excellent customer service make Stella V.ie café a winner.
Hope that you check it out the next time you’re in Hammond.

5246 Hohman Ave., Hammond, IN.