WILTON MANORS, Fla. – Local 10 News is shining a well-deserved spotlight on a place that’s not just spotless but serves up generosity and community spirit alongside great food.
Welcome to The Over Easy Café, a Wilton Manors staple located at 318 East Oakland Park Boulevard.
This cozy diner, owned by Cathy Cerniglia and her family, recently had zero violations on an unannounced food safety inspection.
“It’s a lot of work,” admits Cathy’s son, Michael. “We stay late every night—cleaning every booth, every chair, every surface. Our hood system is spotless, and even our grill from 1997 looks brand new.”
But cleanliness is only part of the story.
Cerniglia’s journey with the café began humbly in the ‘90s when she was a waitress who didn’t even know how to cook.
“My husband bought me the place, surprised me one day and handed me the keys,” she recalled. “I started cracking eggs and flipping them, and the rest is history.”
Now, 25 years later, Cathy has transformed The Over Easy Café into more than just a local diner. It’s a hub for the community, where customers are treated like family.
“We know their kids, grandkids, even their pets,” Cerniglia said, pointing to familiar faces at the counter.
But her impact stretches far beyond the café. Cerniglia runs Broward Gives Back, a nonprofit organization that stocks food pantries at local schools like Somerset Academy and Wilton Manors Elementary.
“We fill the pantry four or five times a year, all for free,” she shared. Donations, corporate gifts, and her family’s hard work keep the shelves stocked year-round.
Whether it’s providing Publix gift cards for families during the holidays or hosting fundraisers for customers facing hard times, the Cerniglia family’s spirit of giving is woven into the fabric of the café.
“There’s no reason to stop,” Cerniglia said. “It’s a lot of work, but we get to do what we love—serve the community.”
That commitment hasn’t gone unnoticed. Cerniglia was named Wilton Manors’ Businesswoman of the Year three years ago, and now she adds another accolade to her list: Local 10′s Clean Plate Award.
Back in the kitchen, Michael Cerniglia shows off the café's homemade bacon.
“I make it from scratch,” he said proudly.
The menu features comfort food classics like pot pies on Mondays, turkey and stuffing on Thursdays, and fresh sloppy joes on Fridays.
As Cerniglia places the Clean Plate Award proudly on the counter, she beams with excitement.
“This is great! I couldn’t have done it without my amazing crew—Astrid, Kevin, Terry, Dennis, and, of course, my family,” she said.
But Over easy Café isn’t the only place we will shine the spotlight on.
The Five Guys restaurant at 6365 North Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale recently had zero violations on its last two unannounced food safety inspections.
Antoinnette Smith, who has managed the location for two years, attributes this achievement to her team’s dedication and commitment to excellence.
“It is literally very hard because you have to worry about food and safety the whole time,” Smith said. “You have to make sure you clean your hands, make sure your food stays fresh—every single day.”
Smith expressed pride in her team’s efforts, saying, “My team here is awesome—hands down, they are awesome. We make sure we clean everything every single night.”
“I feel awesome. It is great to be recognized for actually doing the right thing. It’s an awesome feeling,” she added.