A Parkton woman who spent 25 years working in the food service industry has opened a café in Hereford.

Tina Cliffe began serving customers May 15 at Martina's Gourmet Café. It is at the intersection of York and Mt. Carmel roads, in space that was formerly home to That Funky Monkey Café.

Martina's is open Tuesday through Sunday. Although the hours aren't definite, for now Cliffe is open from 7:30 a.m. to late afternoon.

She is selling breakfast items like bagels, croissants, English muffins and scrambled egg sandwiches, as well as a long list of lunch specialties like gourmet sandwiches, grilled panini sandwiches, salads and sides.

A childrens' menu includes pizza bagels, grilled cheese panini and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

"The bottom line is we're serving fresh, simple food that is done well," Cliffe said. "Sometimes the word 'gourmet' scares people, but it's really just good food with some interesting ingredients like smoked Gouda instead of American cheese and chipotle mayonnaise on some sandwiches instead of regular mayonnaise."

The café has seating for a dozen people inside, plus several tables on a rear deck and one table out front on York Road.

Roland Miller and his daughter, Elaine, of Monkton, were the first two customers May 15. They sat out front eating a Tuscan chicken sandwich and Rachel panini (like a Reuben but with cole slaw instead of sauerkraut).

"The sandwiches are awesome and huge," Elaine Miller said. "I couldn't finish mine."

Roland Miller works for Randy Shelley, who owns the building in which the café is located. After That Funky Monkey left, Shelley gutted the interior and planned on renting it as office space.

"Tina was very persistent," Miller said. "She wanted this location and she basically talked us into it. I couldn't wait for her to open."

Cliffe worked for a caterer at night and on weekends when her children were small. When they went to school, she started a 9-to-5 job as a wholesalers' food broker.

"I'm pretty well-rounded with all the years I've been in the food business," she said. "I understand how much work is involved in owning your own place, and I'm ready for it. We need someplace local where you can get good food. I got tired of going down to Hunt Valley for something to eat."

Her oldest daughter, 18-year-old Amanda, is working at the café this summer. Her two other children, Elise, a 10th-grader at Hereford High School, and Christian, just finishing eighth-grade at Hereford Middle School, will be on hand to help out, too.

Cliffe said she will eventually add soup to the menu when it turns cold and she plans on having daily specials.

"It will take a while to see what people like," she said. "I can experiment with specials and if they sell, add them to the regular menu. I'll let the customers decide."

Martina's Gourmet Café is located at 16949 York Road, Hereford. For more information, call 443-491-3062.

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