By Melanie Marshall

It’s a coffee shop — no. It’s a restaurant — no. It’s a late evening gathering,— no. It’s Galileo’s.

Mark and Anne Dixon had a dream to create a comfortable atmosphere, combining both of their previous experiences into one. Mark had been the manager of a bar and Anne had been the manager of a coffee shop. They had planned to use food to tie the two atmospheres into a single gathering place.

Owners Mark and Anne Dixon opened Galileo’s on June 22 after nine months of renovations to the King Street building. Photo by Melanie Marshall

On June 22, that dream became a reality in Galileo’s on King Street in Boone. The restaurant has a coffee-shop setting, with nightly drink specials and events.

“We have had a wonderful reception from the community, especially during meal times,” Mark said. “Now, we hope to expand into the in-between times.”

The Dixons met while working together in politics in Boston and later moved to Washington D.C. to continue political work and explore non-profit work.

“We always kept this dream of owning our business in the back of our minds,” Anne said. “But we wanted it to be in a smaller town. We were getting tired of the city.”

The Dixons visited Boone on vacation in 2006, saw potential to call it home and build their dream. They moved to the area in September of 2007. By October of last year, the couple began renovations to their future home, both business and residential.

They purchased the property at 1087 King Street, the brick building that formerly housed Austin City Limits. Galileo’s occupies the lower level and the couple resides in the upper level.

“We met while working together, so we knew what it would be like,” Anne said.

The Dixons describe the menu as salad and sandwich heavy, but with a twist. Anne created most of the recipes and sandwich combinations through a process of experimentation.

“The menu is made interesting using a variety of fruits, nuts and cheeses,” Anne said.

“We wanted to make the menu a little more complex, but still keep the prices down,” Mark added.

In addition to sandwiches and salads, homemade soups are created by Anne. The soups will vary, with several recipes in rotation. There are small plate combinations available, intended to served as light lunches, or to pair with a glass of wine or beer in the late evening or nighttime hours. Breakfast consists of croissants and breakfast breads.

The Dixons don’t want to restrict their customers, though. Galileo’s welcomes patrons who only want to enjoy coffee or tea while using free Wifi Internet or watching the news.

Galileo’s serves Counter Culture coffee, a Durham-based roaster that utilizes direct trade dealing with farmers. Direct trade is a process by which a roaster deals directly with the farmers to negotiate fair prices.

“We chose Counter Culture because they are leading the way in the coffee trade,” Anne said. “And it tastes really good.”

Galileo’s is fully licensed to served beer, wine and liquor. The Dixon’s are kicking off some evening events this week. Beginning Thursday, an open-mic night will held every week at 8:30 p.m. Monday nights will be trivia nights, also beginning at 8:30 p.m.

For family oriented relaxation, Saturday mornings will be dedicated to cartoons, with a children’s play area set up. Parents are welcome to enjoy a cup of coffee, breakfast and mingle with other families.

Galileo’s is open 7 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. The Web site is currently under construction at www.galileosboone.com. For more information, or to place a pick-up order, call (828) 355-9591.

The Eat Beat is a periodic feature highlighting local restaurant news in the High Country including new businesses, major renovations and ownership changes. To submit an idea for the Eat Beat, contact editor Jason Reagan at (828) 264-3612 or e-mail reagan@mountaintimes.com.