FLEMING ISLAND – The two best ways to find Clara’s Tidbits Restaurant is with your GPS or just looking for a lot of cars in the corner of the Fleming Island Shoppes parking lot on the corner of U.S. Highway 17 and Village Square Parkway.

Tucked in the corner of the strip center, the bistro has become one of the worst kept secrets, especially at lunchtime.

“We’re very lucky that people find us in this back corner,” said owner and founder Clara Tidbit.

That’s a good thing because the diner is generally bustling with regulars who are hooked on their freshly prepared sandwiches, soups and salads.

Clara started Tidbits on San Jose Boulevard in 1985. She specialized in the freshest chicken and potato salads, homemade soups and “staying in our lane.”

“I think our secret is just every day not taking it for granted and opening the doors and being ready to serve fresh quality food with a smile and good customer service,” she said. “We’re very blessed to have an awesome staff here at Fleming Island.”

Clara said staying in their lane means doing one thing well and sticking to it. That means focusing on a menu with light lunch options and not branching into breakfast or complicated dishes.

The family-owned business also has three cafés in Jacksonville. Salads, side dishes and desserts are all made in house. Bread comes from a local bakery. They offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and they get fresh-baked pitas delivered every morning.

Clara decided to expand away from Jacksonville, and Fleming Island was at the top of her list.

“We had a lot of customers out in this area. We would deliver here to the hospitals, all the hospitals and some of the offices,” Clara said. “We did a survey a while back, and Fleming Island was right on the top. We requested a location for us. We just kept looking for the right little spot. We got lucky with this little corner spot here at Village Parkway. We went for it, and it was just in time for us to expand to another location. We just love this area.”

Across from Baptist Medical Center Clay, a big portion of Clara’s Tidbits customer base arrives in scrubs.

One of the favorite selections are the five soups – chicken and sausage gumbo, broccoli cheddar, Clara’s chicken noodle, and Greg’s chili and veggie soup. Clara’s late husband, Greg LeBlanc, was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and the chicken and sausage gumbo recipe came from a true Cajun.

But the biggest favorite – and it usually sells out – is the chicken salad pita.

“It’s, by far, our biggest seller at this location,” Clara said. “They also love our soup of the week. This week, it’s potato soup. We also have bread pudding, peach bread pudding, a roast beef po boy and our chicken and sausage gumbo that sells out just about every day.”

So set your GPS or look for a lot of cars in the northeast corner of the parking lot for Clara’s Tidbits. It’s worth the search.