Two iconic eatery names in our area are joining forces, somewhat… sharing a location in Woolwich NJ are Tollman Joe’s (previously S. Philly) and Coffee & Cream (previously W. Deptford).
Earlier today I caught up with Sonia of Coffee & Cream, and Lori of Tollman Joe’s.
The ladies explained they will continue to operate as separate entities while sharing the end unit at the Woolwich Center… which includes indoor dining, outdoor seating, and a drive thru.
It’s a smart move for a variety of reasons… advantages of splitting the rent, they should each pick up new customers from the other’s respective loyal fanbases, and the menu selections of both eateries will perfectly compliment each other…
Coffee & Cream will focus mostly on breakfast items, while Tollman Joe’s will take the hand-off for lunch and dinner.
While they are still setting up the inside of the restaurant(s), I saw today that it’s already configured as two distinct counter areas with Coffee & Cream’s counter positioned on the right closest to the drive-thru window, and Tollman Joe’s counter along the back, with the kitchen behind it.
If you are unfamiliar with the location, the center is also home to Center Square Tavern, and is located caddy-corner to the new ShopRite. The unit they are taking over was most recently a Yogo Factory.
While the ladies are still getting the inside dining area ready, Sonia tells me that she expects the Coffee & Cream drive-thru window to be open tomorrow (Saturday, June 17)!
Oh, and before we get too far into this let me clarify that Tollman Joe’s Woolwich does not have a liquor license and will operate as a restaurant only.
Keep scrolling and reading for more but be sure to like their Facebook pages for latest info on their opening plans; Coffee & Cream Facebook Tollman Joe’s Facebook
Coffee & Cream III – Woolwich
Sonia is calling the Woolwich location Coffee & Cream III… but it’s one location, operating in it’s third address.
She originally started out in nearby Swedesboro, moved to a West Deptford on Route 45 a few years ago, and now has moved Coffee & Cream back home to Woolwich.
Sonia loved the Route 45 West Deptford location but it did not have a drive-thru, which is the main reason she started looking for a new location.
Basically, in the coffee business having a drive-thru is a must because so many morning customers don’t want to get out of the car for their order!
So it was Sonia who first made the move to take over the Woolwich space.
Have I mentioned yet that all of the Coffee & Cream products are all handmade? In Woolwich she’ll have delicious pastries, dessert sweets and even fresh fruit smoothies!
Imagine a delicious fresh egg omelet breakfast sandwich served on a croissant that Sonia and her team made right in the store!
And all of that baking, making and serving is a lot on it’s own… let alone trying to fill out a menu for the rest of the day.
So one thing that Sonia won’t bring over from West Deptford is her Southwest Grill menu.
She wanted someone else to take over the core lunch and dinner menu items…. someone who put the same level of pride into their food creations, as what customer’s were used to from Coffee & Cream.
And that perfect match is Tollman Joe’s!
Both Lori of Tollman Joe’s and Sonia of Coffee & Cream strive to offer delicious food items made from the freshest ingredients, handmade with their own special recipes.
High quality and delicious.
So while Coffee & Cream is expected to be open beyond the breakfast hours, their menu leans more towards breakfast (plus smoothies), and Tollman Joe’s kicks in for lunch and dinner.
Seems like a smart pairing to me!
Right now as they get restarted again in Woolwich, the Coffee & Cream menu highlights delicious breakfast baked goods such as blueberry scones, cheese Danishes, chocolate chip brownies, chocolate chip cookies a variety of croissants and an ever changing daily specials menu!
Coffee & Cream offer bagels with a choice of toppings, and they can also make an omelet breakfast sandwich on the bagels or the handmade croissants.
And of course they’ll have delicious and fresh coffee brewed throughout the day which is supplied by D and L Coffee Service (Catch D and L owner Donato on the popular podcast “Small Bites“!)
Sonia is excited to start serving delicious fresh coffee to the Woolwich community and take advantage of her new drive through window… so she’s going to start with drive-thru service only, starting tomorrow (Saturday June 16) and both her and Lori believe they’ll be ready in a few weeks to open up the inside.
Tollman Joe’s Woolwich
The new Tollman Joe’s location is owned by Lori who is a Woolwich Township resident.
She most recently operated a larger restaurant and bar location of Tollman Joe’s in South Philadelphia, but it has closed about 2 years ago.
The opportunity to pair up with Sonia to take over a portion of the eatery space… in her own town… well it’s like the Universe was telling Lori it was time to jump back into the game.
The Woolwich menu will feature burgers, sandwiches, salads, small bites and of course their amazing wings and homemade wing sauces.
Basically upscale bar food, without the bar. And if you missed that earlier, there will be now bar at this Tollman Joe’s.
And yes, the wings offered in Woolwich will use the same delicious homemade wing sauces that they had when Tollman Joe’s was in Philadelphia. In fact Chef Artie will be lending a hand with Woolwich to get them started, but will continue to prepare batches of his secret recipe sauces just for Tollman Joe’s!
Plus, the drive-thru window will be available for Tollman Joe’s order pickup which are placed via a phone app preorder. (Similar to the Chipotle pick-up window)
So if you aren’t familiar with Tollman Joe’s, let’s just step back through history.
Most recently Tollman Joe’s was a large restaurant and bar on Oregon Ave. in South Philadelphia, located directly across from Tony Luke’s.
After several years of operating successfully and gaining thousands of loyal customers, Tollman Joe’s unfortunately had to close at the start of the pandemic.
Also for a few years they also operated a Tollman Joe’s bar and restaurant in the Wildwood area, in the Shaw Crest development.
So the name and the food have loyal followers from a wide swath of the Philadelphia metro area.
But what about the name itself? Who is Tollman Joe?
Tollman Joe is Joseph Paul, who was from Bellmawr NJ. He really was a toll booth worker for the PA Turnpike… and he is Lori’s Uncle!
The Tollman Joe nickname though was earned from his years as a competitor on WIP’s Wing Bowl competition.
What started as a small radio station event grew over the years into being an internationally known wing eating contest… and in 2000 Tollman Joe won the Wing Bowl crown!
Sadly, Joseph Paul passed away in 2012, but the family keeps his legacy going with the Tollman Joe’s Restaurant.
Lori also expects to have her Tollman Joe’s eatery open in July, but is currently hiring for a line cook and part time kitchen prep staff.
She tells me the menu has been created and wing sauce guru Artie will be working with the new cook to fully learn the menu and preparation techniques, to ensure delicious success for everyone.
But those special wing sauces… yeah Arty is still keeping them secret! But at least you’ll be able to get the delicious Tollman Joe’s wings and sauces right here in Gloucester County New Jersey.
Toll Man Joe’s Woolwich Twp is seeking an experienced Line Cook to join our team. Head Line Cook position is approx 40+ hours per week, up to 6 shifts per week. Also seeking Kitchen Support/Prep Staff. That role is 25+ hours per week. We will be opening in July 2023 for takeout, indoor and outdoor dining. Compensation is based on experience and skill level. Email resume to Tollmanjoes@gmail.com
Tollman Joe’s Woolwich
Links and Locations
Coffee & Cream, Tollman Joe’s
120 Center Square Road, Suite 101
Woolwich NJ