Dr. G’s Specialty Foods in Carriere has added an indoor coffee and beignets cafe as the latest step in owner John “Dr. G” Gardner’s ongoing renovation of the property.
The expansion gives Carriere-area residents another close-to-home place to meet and grab coffee, filling a gap in an area with few sit-down options.
Gardner said he bought the building in May 2023 and began converting it after it had previously operated as a formalwear shop and later as a space filled with overstock items. He said he first focused on selling off inventory, then built a kitchen and started offering takeout food.
Over time, Gardner added a patio, a pavilion and a rear deck for dinners and brunches. He said the newest change opens the front indoor space for coffee service, with day-to-day operations supported by his manager.
“Don’t ask me how to make the coffee, because when you’re a submarine sailor, all you drink is black coffee,” Gardner said.
A Navy veteran, Gardner said he joined the submarine service in 1967 as an electronics technician. After retiring in 2017 following a career in higher education and business consulting, he said he started the project to stay active.
“I came out of retirement to open this because I was bored,” Gardner said.
Gardner said he chose to add the coffee after seeing limited coffee options on the Carriere side of Picayune.
“On this side of town, on the Carriere side of Picayune, there are really no coffee shops like this,” Gardner said.
Inside, the restaurant includes airplane-themed decor. Two airplanes outside also drew attention from passing drivers, Gardner said.
“I get probably as many people who come by just to look at the airplanes as they come in,” Gardner said.
Gardner said the menu includes coffee and beignets, along with items such as shrimp pasta salad, crawfish bisque and other recipes tied to his family and his wife’s family.
Gardner said he is weighing additional ideas for the property as he continues to shape its next phase.
Contributor to article: Ashlyn Joyner
