Tucked in the corner of a strip mall, it is almost impossible to see from the main road. At first glance it may seem like an ordinary cafe, but inside is a full-blown restaurant. Gracious Plenty is a little-known restaurant located just off Highway 42 in Prospect.

When you enter, you are greeted warmly by friendly employees. Just above the register is where the daily food specials can be found. To the right are refrigerated drinks such as Coke products, Gatorade, bottled watered, iced and hot tea and coffee. 

Gracious Plenty also provides a limited bar selection, including beer, red and white wine, mimosas, and bloody marys. Food items include soups, salads, sandwiches, side orders of fries or chips and desserts. They are open for breakfast on weekends.

One of Gracious Plenty’s unique characteristics is their family-sized pre-made dinners. Some of the selections include chicken enchiladas, meatloaf, hot brown casserole and turkey Tetrazzini. These pre-made dinners only need to be heated in the oven for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, and they are ready to go.

Of the pre-made dinners, a repeat Gracious Plenty customer said, “The chicken enchiladas are really, really good. I popped the lid off, popped it in the oven for 20 minutes, and served it out on two plates. You would have thought I had been cooking for several hours.”

I spoke to a new customer who said she tried and enjoyed the pimento cheese on the focaccia bread and a side order of truffle fries with parmesan seasoning.

She said, “The bread was something different, and it actually made the sandwich. The fries were a little soggy.”

When asked about the price, she said the fries were a little pricey, but the sandwich was well worth the money.

The repeat customer usually gets the chicken enchilada dinner if it’s available. When it isn’t, she likes to order one of the specialty salads. She went on to say she has not gotten anything that she did not enjoy, and the prices are reasonable.

The restaurant’s simple layout allows for efficiently seating the most people, and still allows the servers room to reach all the customers’ tables.

Despite the floors being a little sticky, the restaurant was neat and clean, and the bathrooms were tidy. Along with a few wall-hangings, the furniture was basic but comfortable. The simple decor obviously helps keep the prices down.

The atmosphere at Gracious Plenty is family friendly and great for small get-togethers. If you are not able to stay and dine, take home one of their pre-made meals.