The Wild Grain Cafe, Bryan, Texas - A Community Gathered
- takinthebackroads
- Dec 10, 2025
- 4 min read
Tanner Purdum’s story starts far from the cozy hum of The Wild Grain Cafe, in Bryan, Texas. Before he ever thought about running a cafe of his own, Tanner went to culinary school in Dallas and finished at the top of his class in 2012. That’s when the spark happened, in the kitchen of a tiny pizzeria. Something about cooking, about creating with his hands, and watching people enjoy something he made, he was hooked. From there, he followed the pull wherever it led: into pop-ups, catering, restaurants, cafe culture, and spaces that valued simplicity, craft, and farm-to-table honesty. Along the way, his wife, Carlee’s work brought them to Bryan, and suddenly the idea of building something of their own didn’t feel so far away. He soon opened a wood-fired pizza pop-up and mobile catering company, The Wild Garlic. After a few years in the pizza business and some transitions with facilities, Tanner closed The Wild Garlic and moved to the next step in his journey.
The Wild Grain Cafe’s beginnings weren’t the polished, dreamy cafe origin story folks like to imagine. Their first location, a tiny, downtown backroom space tucked behind a coffee shop, required more imagination than square footage. They hung drying racks on the wall, squeezed every ounce of life out of a kitchen that barely qualified as one, and made it work anyway. When they realized they’d outgrown the space (and the old building wasn’t exactly cooperating), they made the tough call to close it. For a minute, they weren’t sure what came next. But friendships, timing, and a little bit of faith led them to their current spot. With the help of friends in the industry, a supportive landlord, and Carlee, who, according to Tanner, is fully responsible for “the vibe”, they rebuilt The Wild Grain into what it is now: warm, intentional, and a place where community gathers. Tanner even built the bars and refinished the chairs himself, making sure every detail felt comfortable and well-loved.
Today, Tanner sees The Wild Grain less as a business and more as a living, breathing part of
the community. What he loves most isn’t the menu or the growth, though both of those matter; it’s the people who show up every day. The people who grab their morning coffee, the regulars who’ve become friends, and the little kids who sneak off to the play corner while their parents rest for a minute. Tanner carries a great pride in creating a place where people feel welcome, seen, and unhurried. He dreams of growing the cafe someday, maybe even expanding, but only when it makes sense, only when they can keep the heart of what makes The Wild Grain special. For now, he’s focused on filling this space with good food, good people, and a kind of hospitality that sticks with you long after you’ve walked out the door. The menu is small, and because of that, you’ll find that breakfast and lunch are made from local ingredients and held to five-star standards. Everything is fresh, made from scratch, and full of incredible flavors and intriguing textures.
Boog and I tried several sandwiches and a couple of the most popular drinks, and we were blown away by every bite.
The breakfast sandwich, The Rise and Shine, is made on house-made Focaccia, spread with sriracha mayo, then layered with egg, bacon, and cheddar cheese. It’s a warm, savory start to your day. The egg is light and fluffy, the bread is herby and has a nice “chew”, and the sriracha mayo gives it the kick to bring everything together.
The Cure sandwich had a smear of fresh whipped ricotta pesto spread, layers of prosciutto, arugula, and pickled red onion, then a drizzle of balsamic on that lovely focaccia. I really could just use the bread and the whipped ricotta pesto as a dip and be happy in life. It was served with a side salad that was perfectly dressed and tossed with homemade, toasted, seasoned breadcrumbs. Why aren’t more places making salads like this?
The Purple Grain sandwich was a little heartier. It was filled with oven-roasted turkey, chili crisp pickles, red cabbage, and avocado, then served on the house focaccia, with a salad on the side.
The Orange Cornmeal Donut was a dream! It was not as sweet as a typical donut, with savory notes from the cornmeal shining through. The hint of orange and the sweet glaze drizzled on the top rounded out and balanced the flavors to perfection.
The sausage roll was everything that I dream of in a breakfast pastry. Warm, flaky, buttery pastry, wrapped around a thick, coarse-ground sausage link, which was nestled up with gooey cheddar cheese. I’ll take 42, please!
Out of all the amazing foods that we tried that early, Sunday morning, Boogie and I agreed - our favorite was the Cinnamon Focaccia Bread. Think cinnamon roll, but more cinnamon and more nooks and crannies for all of the cinnamon and sticky glaze to snuggle up in. Soft, pillowy, and decadent; this will be your new Saturday morning obsession!!
The Stormy and Dark is a play on the cocktail “Dark ‘N Stormy.” It’s a beautiful mix of house fruit berry tea with lemon juice, ginger beer, and pressed fresh mint. It was fresh, bright, and bold!
But, you know, I went hard on the Iced Latte. The coffee was smooth, low-acid, and sourced locally from Polite Coffee. Tanner guarantees a perfect cup every time by using a refractometer to measure the Total Dissolved Solids to assess the extraction quality. And just like that, I’m in love a latte with The Wild Grain. (See what I did there? Hah!)
If you’re looking for a scratch, farm-to-table cafe with the community vibe, then this is the place and the people for you. Take the backroads for a drive, then come on back in to town to The Wild Grain Cafe. Tell Tanner and the crew that I said hi, and make sure to grab an extra cinnamon bread to take to-go, you’ll be glad you did!
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📍 3409 S Texas Ave, Bryan, TX 77802
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