Mark Hopkins opened the local lunch eatery, Hop’s Kitchen, six months ago. “I wanted to do something different for Gainesville,” Mark said. “I try to make everything from scratch from house made bacon to making my own bread.” Hop’s offers a traditional, yet unique take on locally sourced food. A variety of sandwiches, soups and salads are the main menu items, as well as, some sweet treats. Everything at Hop’s is made to order to ensure the quality and freshness, but also is quick and easy to take to-go.
Some of the menu items you will want to check out are the Cuban sandwich, the Pork-etta sandwich topped with sauteed greens and momo sauce, the Bahn Mi and many more!
When Mark isn’t serving up sandwiches, he enjoys eating out at other restaurants, watching movies and cooking nice dinners for his girlfriend.
“He always has an amazing special on the chalkboard and every single one is unbelievable. Hop’s is the best kept secret in Hall County,” Abernathy Cochran Realtor Chris Romberg said.
We’d like to thank Mark for adding a great lunch spot to Hall County and for sitting down with us to answer a few questions about his life here and his local business.
Question: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
Answer: “I went to culinary school in Los Angeles where I fell in love with the farmers’ markets and organic food. And, I worked at the restaurant, Canele in L.A. — both of which prompted my desire to open Hop’s Kitchen.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County, and what do you love there?
A: “Natural Juice Café, they have tons of good sandwiches and I love their Zippy Lemon Juice.”
Q: How long have you lived or worked here?
A: “Born and raised here, so most of my life.”
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Hall County?
A: “My father. He has a ‘never give up’ kind of attitude and he’s one of the smartest people I know.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: “Spain, because of the food and culture. Spanish food is not something I’m familiar making but I really enjoy it.”
Q: What is the first movie you remember seeing in a theater?
A: “’Terminator 2.’”
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “‘Get a good job son,’ that’s what my dad always said, so I’d say to find something you love to do every day.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “I think I’d like to BASE jump in one of those squirrel suits.”
Q: What is your favorite music/ bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: “The Who, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd the Wall tour”
Q: What local business makes you the most nostalgic about Hall County?
A: “El Sombrero; it’s a Gainesville staple, very consistent, and I always miss it when I’m gone.”
Q: Choosing anyone alive and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have dinner? Why? Where in Hall County would you have dinner?
A: “Bill Murray; he’s hilarious and seems really down to earth. I’d take him to dinner at Antebellum.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about Hall County?
A: “The people — it’s a small town where everybody knows everybody. Lake Lanier also is one of my favorite things.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five or 10 years?
A: “Hopefully with another restaurant, perhaps one that serves dinner.”
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “I’ve always liked to draw.”
Q: What words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word ‘home’?
A: “Georgia, home sweet home.”
The Faces of Hall County is a project to showcase the amazing people that live or work in our community. If you would like to nominate an interesting person to be featured please email babernathy@gonorton.com.