The Beautiful Gate Cafe owners Eric and Anita Mull holding an acai bowl. Photo by Rachel Mills
Customers clap their hands on open mic night at The Beautiful Gate Cafe in Ormond Beach. Photo by Rachel Mills
Siblings Leyanah Watkins, Alliyah Watkins, Leijash Watkins, Jezreel Watkins performed a dance and song for open mic night while older sister, Leticia Watkins and father Leon Watkins supported them. Photo by Rachel Mills
A young customer enjoys a smoothie at The Beautiful Gate Cafe in Ormond Beach. Photo by Rachel Mills
Co-owner Anita Mull hopes that customers can come and feel peace at The Beautiful Gate Cafe in Ormond Beach. Photo by Rachel Mills
Co-owner Anita Mull hopes that customers can come and feel peace at The Beautiful Gate Cafe in Ormond Beach. Photo by Rachel Mills
A couple gives a testimony and performs a worship song at The Beautiful Gate Cafe for open mic night. Photo by Rachel Mills
Customers watch and react to a performance at open mic night at The Beautiful Gate Cafe.Photo by Rachel Mills
The Beautiful Gate Cafe in Ormond Beach has new ownership with a new menu and new ideas, and they’re bringing people together with the words on their menu: “Coffee, Community, and Faith.”
The cafe features healthy versions of food and drinks, including, coffees, lattes, teas, milkshakes, lemonades, açai bowls, and breakfast and lunch sandwiches
Co-owners Eric and Anita Mull have continued with a faith-centered theme and are building on it in their own special way. They feel that they have been led to this opportunity for ownership at this time with a purpose.
“We didn’t intend to be cafe owners or restaurant owners,” Eric said. “It’s something that the Lord put on our heart to do.”
Anita wants every aspect of the restaurant to give people peace when they visit.
“It’s just such a blessing to have the fellowship here,” Anita said, while customers gathered in the cafe for an open mic night. “[We hope] that they feel the presence of the Lord through us, through the food, through the drink, just the atmosphere.”
The open mic night was a unique experience, different than what you might normally see in a cafe setting.
“The event we’re doing tonight is just fabulous,” Eric Mull said. “This is a Christian open mic night. So [customers] do worship and testimonies and prayer and poetry.”
The first performer of the night was a Christian comedian.
“We’re hoping to get kind of younger people that don’t want to go out to the bars and stuff to be able to come here,” Eric said.
There seemed to be a group of people looking for exactly what was being offered at the cafe. The open mic night was almost a full house.
“It’s definitely a nice space where they share verses, and you can do prayer requests, and, you know, have a lot of resources for grief and comfort,” customer Julie Petruzzella said. “It’s just a really great resource for people in the area, for anyone who’s struggling with anything.”
The Mulls have also been intentional about the ingredients to their foods and drinks.
“We have organic coffees,” Eric Mull said. “We do a lot of organic ingredients. We source our ingredients from regenerative farms when we can. We want to create a place where, you know, people are comfortable.”
The Beautiful Gate Cafe is located at 142 N. Nova Road, in Ormond Beach, and hosts Bible studies, men’s and women’s improvement groups, and other support groups.
The hours are Monday thru Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and closed on Sundays.
For more information, visit www.beautifulgatecafe.com or call 386-243-9730.
