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Good eating at Havana’s newest restaurant: Inez Kitchen

If you are looking for a platter of pancakes or a plate of smothered pork chops with a side of yams and mac and cheese, Inez Kitchen has your food cravings covered.

One of Havana’s newer restaurants, Inez Kitchen is owned by Patricia Mays and her husband, Keith. Mays took the inspiration of her homestyle-restaurant from her great-grandmother, Inez Hughes, who used to live in the Havana area.

“We looked at Havana and saw that there wasn’t much here – we want to help bring people back into Havana, where there is good eating and nice thrifting,” said Mays. “We want to get people back into walking down our streets.”

Mays is from New Jersey, but Inez – her great grandmother – was a native of Whigham, Georgia, who lived in Havana for some of her adult life. Inez later moved up to New Jersey, but Mays says her grandmother chose to return to Havana for a few years until her death.

The crew at Inez Kitchen are ready to serve the hungry breakfast, lunch and dinner crowds of Gadsden County. Pictured, from left to right, are: Keith Mays, Ethel Hughes, Patricia Mays, and Leisha Johnson.

The restaurant opened in July, but Mays says that it took her several months to finalize the details and officially open.

The building on Main Street was purchased in September 2019, but the Inez Kitchen crew kept having to postpone the opening. “We focused on getting it right and as soon as we had our papers and permission to open, we opened up that next day.”

Mays describes her restaurant’s menu as mouth-watering and affordable.

“We are very budget-friendly,” she says. “You walk in here with $3, and we will make sure you walk out of here with a meal. We are here to help anybody.”

Opening a business during COVID-19 can be difficult, but Mays says she and her crew are taking the new safety guidelines in stride.

“We are sanitizing and social distancing, but we understand that people have to take their masks off to eat.”

Mays adds that while opening a business during the pandemic was a risky move, she feels people are more than willing to leave home and grab a meal.

“Everybody has been cooped up inside for the last few months,” says Mays. “I know not everyone can get out, but the ones that can want something different than their own meals that they’ve been cooking.”

Inez Kitchen offers a dine-in and carry-out option for its customers. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served all day, so diners can choose to purchase a savory sausage and egg combo, a plate of fried ribs or a catfish platter any time of the day.

Inez Kitchen, located at 305 North Main Street, is open on Mondays from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m., Tuesday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. and Friday through Sundays from 8 a.m. through 8 p.m. Inez kitchen is closed on Thursday.

Those who want to call in advance and place a to-go order can call the kitchen at (850) 616-5017.

The restaurant can also be found online at their instagram account: @Inez_kitchen

“Spread the love!” concludes Mays. “If you can’t leave the house to go out to eat right now, let someone else know that we are here. We are not going anywhere.”