Nestled right along the Katy Trail is a place where people gather in the company of like-minded health foodies and friends for their version of comfort food — dishes made with local and organic ingredients, grass-fed meats and gluten-free alternatives.

On the patio at the Company Cafe, strands of glowing lightbulbs overhead and rustic wooden tables create a cozy, charming atmosphere. Inside, the neighborhood restaurant has a warm, coffeehouse vibe.

The restaurant will please those who enjoy clean cooking with quality ingredients and anyone else who likes to eat. A new location recently opened on Lower Greenville, and it radiates the same intimate and
casual environment.

Breakfast, lunch or dinner, the Company Cafe offers food that will nourish a healthy palate and satisfy comfort food cravings.

The Beat, a simple breakfast dish, came with two cage-free eggs served any style with avocado, tomato and bacon and a side of toast (with a delicious berry jam). The Personal French Press coffee made it a well-balanced breakfast. The Company Migas came with tender strips of chicken breast with bell peppers and onions, served in white corn tortillas over a bed of black beans, scrambled eggs and feta. The menu also offers buttermilk pancakes and gluten-free pancakes and waffles.

The pulled pork sandwich meat was smoky and juicy, and topped with pickle slices and a homemade barbeque sauce. The gluten-free bun wasn’t as moist as a regular bun (also available), but otherwise it didn’t detract from the meat and would be a pleasing option for someone who is gluten-intolerant. All of the smokehouse sandwiches and tacos come with a choice of chopped brisket, pulled chicken or pulled pork.

The Baja Tower starter dish came with guacamole, pico de gallo, seasoned sauteed shrimp and homemade corn tortilla chips. Served in a bowl, it was a great portion size for sharing.

The main dinner menu is where one can really see the subtle genius behind the concept of this restaurant. The beef short ribs and pesto-risotto were two particularly savory and filling dishes, and anyone can enjoy chicken-fried steak that is grass-fed and gluten-free.

The braised short ribs were fork-tender and fell from the bone, yet the high-quality beef was relatively lean. The meat had an excellent flavor and was complemented with barbeque sauce and crispy fried onions on top. It was served over a bed of sauteed spinach and also came with a sweet potato mash.

At the Lower Greenville location, the shrimp risotto was a rich and savory dish that was perfect for the first cold night of the season. The herbed risotto had the flavor of basil and parmesan, and the sauteed shrimp tasted fresh and flavorful. Underneath was a bed of raw spinach that had started to wilt from the warmth of the pesto, blending perfectly with the creamy consistency of the rice. It made the dish.

The Company Cafe has a refrigerated case stocked with freshly baked gluten-free cakes, cookies, brownies and a few other pastries. The strawberry cake was wonderfully moist and luscious, but the peanut butter cake tasted slightly dry until it came to the addictive peanut butter frosting in the middle.

Not only is the Comapany Cafe excellent with handling gluten-free restrictions, but they will also happily accommodate other dietary restrictions, such as dairy-free.