Civilization

Nice place, chill vibe.. Waiting time was at least 15 min to sit, 10 min for drinks, and 30 min for food. Great menu and options, fresh & local food (drink pretty small) The service was fine, serving without too much effort. Overall seems like designed to sell food, good food, but less of a restaurant experience.

Food was outstanding, however the service was awful. We had 4 waters brought out for 5 people. We didn't get a waiter/waitress for 40 minutes, finally the hostess was nice enough to help us, she was great. We ordered coffees that they forgot to bring us. I can understand being busy, but this was bad. That being said the food was so good you almost forget the service. Easily 5 stars if we had a waiter/waitress.

When we visit Gainesville two or three times a year we make a point of having a meal at Civilization. It has become one of our favorites! The ingredients are fresh and the recipes are innovative such that these dishes are not offered in our area, for sure! We began with an order of Lemon Ricotta Bengiets - which I highly recommend. Someone at the table will always have Swamp Eggs; we feel it's the best thing on the menu! Whoever came up with the idea of collard greens, potatoes and eggs is a genius. This time we added grits Florentine and the Challah French Toast. There were multiple orders of Applewood bacon on the table- all expertly prepared. The service is attentive without hovering and the atmosphere is delightful. Everyone is relaxed and enjoying themselves!

Get there early for brunch so you can get a table! We arrived a few minutes before open and got the second to last table. The food was delicious, the service was okay. Was not offered coffee refills and servers not very friendly, but they were also very busy! Picture shows avocado toast with poached eggs and grits. So good! Beignets and the croissant sandwich in the background.

The food is really good, and there are 2 or 3 vegan options just so you know. It is a co-op so everyone who works there has a vested interest in your dining experience. Once in a while there was a weirdo working there, but overall, they provide excellent service from start to finish, even though there's often a wait. I enjoy the Pakora Pancakes which are made from chickpea flour and come with a cilantro mint Ginger chutney, and the avocado & sweet potato burrito was divine with their home-made hot sauces. Wow!

Civilization is a great place to get brunch in Gainesville. They have a wide variety of brunch options all very unique. Pictured is the black beans and rice breakfast. In addition to the black beans and rice it includes two poached eggs, avocado, cheese and fried tortillas. The other item pictured is the frittata that included red and green peppers, manchego cheese and green olives. Finally if you have a sweet tooth check out the Lemon Ricotta beignets with a rasberry dipping sauce. The service is fast here and they do a good job making sure your drinks are full and bringing anything you need quickly.

Kind, informative service with delicious and unique dishes. Happy to answer all my questions as a first time visitor. I didn't have any of the issues listed on other reviews. I spent 45 minutes total here from when I entered the cozy establishment until I left with a satisfied belly. I had a lot of questions but my server was patient and gave me his favorite recommendations. I had the curry chicken pita with fries and an espresso brownie. Omg it was great! The chicken had a unique flavor. It was similar to pulled chicken BBQ only with curry and house made pickles ( don't skip them! It was my favorite part ). Highly recommend coming here. It is cash only so please don't complain about that. This place needs better reviews not based on the mistakes of others.

Because i had a burg on my mind, i headed over to Civilizations & ordered their Hemingway burger. A little greasy (i assume 80/20 ground beef), but delightfully seasoned, fresh toppers, good bun, and the best fries in this town. Thats right, best fries in Gainesville, hands down. Sometimes the service can be slow, but always worth the wait