By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

HARPERSVILLE—When you walk in to the Coffee Shoppe restaurant, you’ll likely be greeted with a friendly hello from owner Richard Maddox Jr. or his father, Richard Maddox Sr. The two are regular fixtures behind the counter, cooking up burgers or chatting with customers.

The restaurant is more of a family diner than a traditional coffee shop, serving hearty helpings of scratch-made comfort food.

“Everything is made from scratch, nothing’s frozen,” Maddox Jr. said.

Fresh sweet tea is brewed every day, hamburger patties are made to order by hand, Philly cheese steak rib eye is sliced in house and cornbread is fresh from the oven “like grandma made it,” Maddox Jr. said.

Every day, customers can choose from a new meat-and-two special. Some past favorites have been country fried steak, meatloaf, catfish nuggets, hamburger steak—eight ounces of meat piled high with sautéed onions and gravy—and chicken fried chicken—traditional southern fried chicken covered in gravy.

The restaurant’s menu also features breakfast and lunch classics, such as western omelets, pork chop breakfast platters and a large selection of hamburgers, but what’s not on the menu is just as good.

“If you don’t see it on (the menu), ask us and we’ll find a way to make it,” Maddox Jr. said. “I don’t judge you (for what you eat). If you want it, you’re getting it!”

Customers often customize breakfast orders, requesting omelets topped with home fries or grits mixed with gravy, Maddox Jr. said.

The menu has no rules, customers can order breakfast or lunch items at any time. A popular all-day breakfast item is the messy melt—a 4-ounce burger patty topped with two slices of cheese, sautéed onions and any style of egg, sandwiched between two slices of Texas toast.

All meals—breakfast, lunch and even salads—are generously portioned.

“We give them a lot of food,” Maddox said. “Let me put it this way, the double cheese burger is 1-pound.”

Customers who save room for dessert will not be disappointed. The Coffee Shoppe’s selection of fresh, homemade treats include banana pudding, pecan pie, chocolate pecan pie and cake.

With a long counter and booth seating, Coffee Shoppe is a family friendly neighborhood joint. In fact, the restaurant is truly a family affair. In addition to working next to his father behind the counter, Maddox Jr.’s mother, Lynne, and sister, Leigh, both work at the restaurant. His two daughters are also regulars at the restaurant.

“Some people just dream about working with their dad, I do it every day,” Maddox Jr. said. “We kind of work off each other…I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Coffee Shoppe opens at 5 a.m. for breakfast and is located at 5275 U.S. 280. For more information visit the Coffee Shoppe Facebook page or call 672-2278.