Tag: cafe

Saugus Café to Reopen Under New Owners After 140-Year Run

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The oldest restaurant in Los Angeles County closed on Sunday but is coming back with new owners

Los Angeles County’s oldest restaurant, the Saugus Café in Santa Clarita, closed on Sunday after nearly 140 years. Today it was announced by KHTS Radio that the venerable dining spot would reopen soon under new ownership. “The incoming managing owners of the Saugus Cafe, speaking with KHTS on the condition of anonymity until the ownership transition is finalized,” the station posted on Instagram. “Said they are eager to carry on the legacy.” The station noted that renovations would include “updating” the kitchen, dining area and adjacent bar.

Like the The Ship of Theseus, the Saugus Café has been rebuilt many times. The business began as the Saugus Eating House inside the new Southern Pacific Railroad station when it opened in 1888. Eleven years later, it was sold to new owners and renamed Saugus Café. There are stories of characters like President Theodore Roosevelt and Los Angeles water czar William Mulholland enjoying the restaurant around the turn of the century.

The Saugus Cafe in 1929
Credit: Security Pacific National Bank Collection/Los Angeles Public Library

In 1916, the business moved across the tracks to a new building close to its current location. Silent film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford are said to have enjoyed a meal here when filming nearby. The café was rebuilt in 1941 after a truck ran into the building and that version was demolished in 1952.

Today, the core interior elements, like the counter stools, pie cases and booth configuration, appear to date from the 1950s version, while most of the historic fabric inside has been swapped out by a parade of operators over the last 75 years. The closure leaves Cole’s French Dip (which itself is on the verge of closure) as L.A.’s oldest restaurant. Downtown legend Philippe The Original rounds out the pack. Still going strong with 118 years under its belt.

Saugus Cafe in 2013
Credit: Photo by mr. rollers

The new owners of the Saugus Cafe tell KHTS that their new chef has been following around the old one to ensure consistency and that they have plans to trim the menu, lower prices, and expand hours. The restaurant was once known for being open around the clock. The new owners plan to reopen in a few weeks and perhaps they will again draw the massive crowds that flocked to the legendary café in the weeks leading to its closure.

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Chris Nichols

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January 6, 2026
This Oregon Cafe Takes Orders In Sign Language. It’s Cherished By The Deaf Community – KXL

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People attend a weekly meet up called “Sign Squad” at the Woodstock Cafe on June 10, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (Allison Barr/The Oregonian via AP)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon cafe that takes orders in sign language has become a cherished space for the Deaf community, providing a unique gathering place as well as employment for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

American Sign Language, or ASL, is the primary language at Woodstock Cafe in Portland, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Non-ASL speakers can use a microphone that transcribes their order onto a screen.

People have moved from across the country to work at the cafe because it can be hard for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to find jobs, Andre Gray, who helped open the cafe, told the news outlet in sign language.

“So the cafe becomes their stable place. It’s their rock,” he said.

The cafe — owned by CymaSpace, a nonprofit that makes art accessible to the Deaf community — also hosts weekly ASL meetups and game nights. Sign Squad on Tuesdays is a popular event, drawing people like Zach Salisbury, who was born with a rare genetic disorder that causes gradual loss of hearing and sight and uses a cochlear implant, and Amy Wachspress, who started learning sign language nine years ago as she lost her hearing.

The hearing spectrum among attendees is diverse, with deaf people signing with students taking introductory sign language classes and hard of hearing people reading lips and communicating with spoken word and hand signals.

“What I just love about it is that there’s so many different people that come,” said Wachspress, who classifies herself as hard of hearing and primarily reads lips to communicate. “It’s so eclectic … just many different kinds of people from all different backgrounds. And the one thing we have in common is that we sign.”

Wachspress loves to tell the story about a deaf toddler born to hearing parents who wanted him to be immersed in Deaf culture. When they brought him to the cafe, he was thrilled to see other people sign.

“He was just so beside himself excited when he realized that you could communicate with people using sign,” she said. “We were all so touched. … That’s the kind of thing that happens here at the cafe.”

Gray, who helped open the cafe, said there were plans to acquire adjacent vacant buildings for a Deaf Equity Center but that much of the funding was cut following the change of presidential administration. However, CymaSpace hopes to find funding from private organizations and a future crowdsourcing campaign.

“It gives power to the community as opposed to a fear of signing. We, as a community, are so proud of who we are,” he said.

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Jordan Vawter

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January 5, 2026
La La Land Kind Cafe to Open Reserve Location in Beverly Hills

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The new outpost marks its first reserve concept

The team behind La La Land Kind Cafe traveled the world to prepare for the opening of its Beverly Hills location.

Debuting Dec. 13, this cafe says goodbye to the brand’s signature, welcoming yellow for a refined, tranquility-encouraging aesthetic that answers LLLKC leadership’s exploration of what the greatest coffee shop in the country looks and feels like if nothing was off limits.

Credit: La La Land Kind Cafe

Credit: La La Land Kind Cafe

The result is a neutral-toned café cozy, calming and intimate with warm lighting, an abundance of curved edges, a touch of sage green on tabletops and a bit of fun with a back-of-space pool table. Having traveled the globe for inspiration, LLLKC married Spanish, Italian and Japanese craftsmanship patterns that manifested as sculptural minimalism, a focus on stonework and ritual-driven hospitality.

“[LLLKC Beverly Hills is] the culmination of years of quiet experimentation,” says CEO Francois Reihani. “Nothing here is casual. Nothing is accidental.”

Credit: La La Land Kind Cafe

Credit: La La Land Kind Cafe

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In the quest to develop LLLKC Beverly Hills, the team tasted more than 800 espresso roast profiles to find its right Italian-style match. For the perfect ceremonial grade matcha (poured from a hand-engineered tap system), it surveyed more than 700.

Credit: La La Land Kind Cafe

The specialized menu features beverages you can scoop up and take with you on the go or sit and linger with for a while. Only a limited allotment of iced only salted brown butter lattes (a cosmopolitan mix of French butter, brown sugar from Okinawa, Japan) are served each day and the vanilla beat latte — which can be made with matcha or espresso — dazzles with vanilla bean imported from Madagascar.

Credit: La La Land Kind Cafe

Meanwhile, the Yellow Rose (matcha or espresso) intrigues with its combination of saffron and rose water imported from Iran and the in-house crème made with bourbon vanilla bean. Other signature crème-topped beverages include matcha and Americano options and the Einspanner made with Brazilian sugar cane, vanilla and flaky sea salt. The latter two also come in mini sizes.

La La Land Kind Cafe Beverly Hills marks the seventh LLLKC in the Los Angeles area, but its first reserve location. Since arriving in L.A. in 2021, the Dallas-born concept has touched down from Santa Monica to Glendale.

Credit: La La Land Kind Cafe

La La Land Kind Cafe Beverly Hills is located at 341 N. Canon Drive in Beverly Hills.

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Haley Bosselman

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December 10, 2025
Michelin-Starred Galit Unveils an All-Day Cafe in Lincoln Park

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The team behind Michelin-starred Galit will open an all-day cafe next to their award-winning restaurant. Chef Zach Engel and partner Andrés Clavero plan to debut Cafe Yaya this winter at 2431 N. Lincoln Avenue, sandwiched between the Biograph Theater and Galit.

The counter-service cafe will debut with morning pastries and an al carte dinner menu, but there are plans for lunch, brunch, and takeout, according to a news release. It’s a walk-in cafe with reservations available for parties of four or more. Cafe Yaya’s second floor will be available for private events, and ownership hopes to work with local artists, teachers, and entrepreneurs.

Engel and Clavero feel the new project is a natural extension of Galit, and that the new cafe will further nurture the Lincoln Park community. Mary Eder-McClure, Galit’s longtime pastry chef is baking pastries like walnut baklava; fig, goat cheese, and zataar-stuffed challah, potato bourekia (a savory hand pie) with everything spice; and a vegan apple puff with sahleb (a Middle Eastern milk pudding).

Beyond the more casual setting, Cafe Yaya’s wine program will diverge from Galit with bottles from overlooked regions, including Chinon, France; and South America. There will be plenty of wines by the glass with the selection curated by Scott Stroemer, Galit’s bar director.

Galit set a standard for food with Israeli and Palestinian influences, and Engel is a James Beard Award winner. Cafe Yaya’s dinner menu with a blend of French, Jewish, Southern, Middle Eastern, and Midwestern touches. They’ll pour coffee from Sparrow Coffee Roastery, a familiar sight at many local fine dining restaurants.

News of Clavero and Engel’s project broke in the spring 2023, and progress has inched along. Meanwhile, Galit has continued to star with a family-style multi-course meal. Construction is still far from completion, so expect more details as 2024 comes to an end.

Cafe Yaya, 2431 N. Lincoln Avenue, scheduled to open in winter 2025

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Ashok Selvam

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November 1, 2024
Unbelievable facts

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In Japan, you can visit Soineya, a co-sleeping cafe where customers pay for platonic cuddling or…

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October 10, 2024
Lula Cafe Will Celebrate 25 Years in Logan Square With Star-Studded Pop-Up Series

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The summer season kicked off with a bang for chef Jason Hammel, who in June took home a James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality at his iconic 25-year-old farm-to-table restaurant Lula Cafe in Logan Square. It was the sole medal awarded to a Chicago restaurant this year, but Chicagoans’ outpouring of joy over the win has taken Lula Cafe to new heights of popularity.

Rather than resting on his laurels, Hammel and his wife, singer and songwriter Amalea Tshilds, are preparing to unveil their hotly anticipated new project, Loulou. Located a short walk from Lula in the long and narrow former home of Mini Mott and Second Generation at 3057 W. Logan Boulevard, Loulou won’t be a traditional restaurant, Hammel says. The couple have long dreamed of a space that blends food with other art forms like literature and music, where they can host pop-ups, special meals, chef and vendor panels, and other gatherings.

Lula has been a linchpin in the community since ’90s and used to host similar events several nights a week. Hammel admits there was some fear when retail chains and others began arriving along Logan Boulevard, but the neighborhood has kept its spirit. “Logan Square remains fiercely independent. owner-operated, and new things are opening all the time,” Hammel said during a June interview with Eater.

Loulou marks a bit of a return to those roots with performers and visiting chefs holding court while the kitchen prepares food based on the event. “That’s why we’ve been thriving for 25 years, because we really care about the stories and the depth of experience,” he added. “We want to do that for the public [at Loulou].”

Now, as the opening approaches, Hammel and Tshilds are setting the stage for future collaborations with 25 for 25, a series of five pop-up dinners featuring some of the city’s most celebrated chefs to raise funds for local nonprofits. Slated to run over the five days leading up to Lula Cafe’s 25th anniversary – Monday, August 26, through Saturday, August 31 – the Resy-sponsored events will feature a distinct menu with a portion of proceeds from the $250 per person tickets going to a different charitable organization.

Check out the lineup below.

Monday, August 26

Chefs: Erick Williams (Virtue), Lee Wolen (Boka), Jonathan Zaragoza (Birrieria Zaragoza), Paul Virant (Gaijin), and Stephanie Izard (Girl & the Goat).

Menu items: Wolen’s bluefin tuna marinated in strawberry, black garlic, and tomato; and Zaragoza’s smoked potato taco with ceviche a la Mexicana, jocque, salsa roja, and peanut salsa matcha.

Charity: Virtue Leadership Development Program

Tickets available via Resy.

Wednesday, August 28

Chefs: John Shields (Smyth, the Loyalist), Sarah Stegner (Prairie Grass Cafe), Giuseppe Tentori (GT Prime), Sarah Gruenberg (Monteverde), Joe Frillman (Daisies) and Leigh Omilinsky (Daisies).

Menu item: Tentori’s wagyu beef with miso pomme puree and fennel.

Charity: The Evolved Network

Tickets available via Resy.

Thursday, August 29

Chefs: Jason Vincent (Giant, Chef’s Special Cocktail Bar), David Posey (Elske), Anna Posey (Elske), John Manion (El Che, Brasero), Diana Dávila (Mi Tocaya Antojería), and Sandra Holl (Floriole).

Menu items: Vincent’s eggplant lahmacun with phyllo, tomato, onion, parsley, and grated bresaola; David and Anna Posey’s cured tuna with smoked tomato, sunflower, and marigold.

Charity: The Abundance Setting

Tickets available via Resy.

Friday, August 30

Chefs: Carrie Nahabedian (Brindille), Joe Flamm (Rose Mary), Paul Kahan (The Publican, Avec), Oliver Poilevey (Le Bouchon, Obilex), and Mindy Segal (Mindy’s Bakery).

Menu items: Flamm’s rabbit mortadella tortellini in brodo; Segal’s Ode to Lula carrot cake.

Charity: Impact Culinary Fund

Tickets available via Resy.

Saturday, August 31

Chefs: Matthias Merges (Mordecai, Billy Sunday), Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill, Topolobampo), Zach Engel (Galit), Andrew Zimmerman (Sepia, Proxi), Tim Flores (Kasama), and Genie Kwon (Kasama).

Menu items: Bayless’ camote blanco tamal with Oaxacan green mole, confit fennel, and grilled chayote; Engel’s cucumber salad with melon, ramps, shmaltz, gribenes, and kaluga caviar.

Charity: Pilot Light

Tickets available via Resy.

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Naomi Waxman

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July 26, 2024
Lula Cafe Wins Chicago’s Only James Beard Award

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After years of near-misses in various categories, Chicago’s 25-year-old farm-to-table icon Lula Cafe took home the 2024 James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality — not to mention the only Beard medal staying put this year in the Windy City.

The James Beard Foundation Awards, one of the highest honors for hospitality professionals in the U.S. — known to many as the Oscars of the restaurant industry — returned Monday evening to the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The annual black-tie gala is a special opportunity for chefs, bartenders, bakers, and restaurateurs to see and be seen by their peers and make strong sartorial choices to show off their personalities on the red carpet.

Founded in 1999 by chef Jason Hammel, all-day favorite Lula Cafe is a cherished neighborhood institution and welcoming haven for new American cuisine. It’s been a long haul to the Beards stage for Hammel, who was a nominee for Best Chef: Great Lakes in 2019, 2020, and 2022. The restaurant has earned legions of fans not only for its food and wine but also for its emphasis on the well-being of its workers and community.

Lula Cafe chef and owner Jason Hammel (center left) and his family.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

“We truly believe at Lula that hospitality is love and it’s a love with conditions, and we believe the conditions can be just and fair and kind,” Hammel said in his acceptance speech. “I hope that everyone… especially those with power will enact policies that protect and ensure that these conditions can be met and maintained for everyone.”

It was a tough evening for Chicago, which began the night with a formidable clutch of four finalists. In a significant upset, chef Hajime Sato of Sozai in Clawson, Michigan, took home the award for Best Chef: Great Lakes, beating out Chicago nominees Sujan Sarkar of Indian tasting menu spot Indienne and Jenner Tomaska of artsy avant-garde destination Esmé. It’s the first time Chicago has fallen short in the category since 2015, when it was bestowed on chef Johnathon Sawyer, then of the Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland (he has since relocated to — surprise — Chicago, where he helms Kindling inside Willis Tower).

In what proved a prescient moment before the ceremony began, Tomaska endorsed a notion that Chicago’s hospitality community has pondered for several years. The Foundation, he argued, should break out the Windy City into a separate regional category: “There’s a long list of chefs that I really respect that haven’t had a win,” Tomaska says. “I’m humbled to be recognized in this category, but I think Chicago is a staple and we often get [overlooked].”

This year, many embraced the glitz of the occasion, shimmering through the media gauntlet in sequins, glitter, stones, metallics, and other shiny eye-catching designs. Celebrity chef Art Smith walked the carpet in a peacock green silk jacket adorned with a snarling dog made of crystals (the logo of his newish collaborators at professional rugby team the Chicago Hounds); James Beard Award-winning chef Sarah Grueneberg opted for a slightly more subtle sparkle on the bodice of her black dress, paired to great effect with bold red lips and statement earrings reminiscent of angel wings.

Celebrity chef Art Smith (right) and husband Jesus Salgueiro.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also returned for his second Beards gala, following the tradition set by his predecessors Lori Lightfoot and Rahm Emanuel. In addition to thanking the Foundation for holding the gala in “the greatest freaking city in the world,” Johnson ribbed ceremony co-host Marcus Samuelsson for multiple shoutouts to New York City earlier in the evening. “Marcus, don’t you mention that other city any more times tonight,” he intoned. The gala will remain in Chicago until at least 2027.

Despite the splashy fanfare, however, the Foundation is still finding its footing after several years of controversy which cast a pall over the affair. The 2024 awards mark its third ceremony following an extensive audit that resulted in new key protocols designed to make the institution more self-aware, transparent, and diverse. Last year, the drama centered around the Foundation’s attempts to investigate nominees accused of being bad actors (as dictated in said audit), a procedure that rapidly proved to be complex, challenging, and mostly conducted away from public scrutiny. Ultimately, one chef was disqualified from winning the category he was nominated in and at least two judges quit over the Foundation’s decision.

A full list of awards is available on Eater.

Disclosure: Some Vox Media staff members are part of the voting body for the James Beard Awards. Eater is partnering with the James Beard Foundation to livestream the awards in 2024. All editorial content is produced independently of the James Beard Foundation.

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Naomi Waxman

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June 10, 2024
Artisan toast, iced collagen lattes and fresh juices are coming to South End Charlotte

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Toastique is opening at Vantage South End in June.

Bryan Rowe

Toastique, an “all day micro cafe” specializing in artisan toast and juices, will open at Vantage South End in June.

As it will be the first Toastique location in North Carolina, its owners — a husband-and-wife duo from Weddington, Chris and Angela Bjorson — are already planning for additional locations in SouthPark and Ballantyne.

The Charlotte location is Toastique’s latest expansion for this Washington-DC- based restaurant, known for its gourmet toast, smoothie bowls, cold-pressed juices and espresso.

With 1,800 square feet, the location will open its doors seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“My wife and I were looking to get involved with an existing business and were blown away by the Toastique brand when we learned about the variety and quality of its products,” Chris Bjorson said.

Upon Toastique’s opening, you can expect to find artisan options such as its avocado smash toast and spicy crab toast, along with a wide variety of bowls including the popular PB&B bowl, which comes with açaí, peanut butter, banana and almond milk, and topped with chopped dates, blueberries, granola, peanuts and honey roasted peanut butter drizzle.

[GET OUTSIDE: Where are the best restaurant patios in the Charlotte area?]

Toastique is bringing its artisan toast and juice concept to the Carolinas with its Charlotte location at 1120 S. Tryon St., Suite 150. Bryan Rowe

This juice cafe also features freshly blended smoothies, such as its Green Machine, and coffee offerings including nitro cold brew and iced collagen lattes. And, if you’re looking for a to-go option, Toastique also offers cold-pressed juices on tap and in bottles, as well as grab-and-go salad options.

“Coming from the IT industry, I was ready for a new challenge. We’re looking forward to opening the first location in North Carolina and bringing these stunning and nutritious menu items to our community. We’re also going to be offering a vegan soft serve, not common at other Toastique locations and very hard to find in Charlotte,” Bjorson said. The soft serve will come in chocolate and vanilla.

Toastique

Location: Vantage South End, 1120 S Tryon St. Suite 150

Menu

Cuisine: Breakfast, lunch, artisan toast, smoothies, juice and coffee

Instagram: @toastique

Related stories from Charlotte Observer

Freelancer Mari Pressley was an intern on the Charlotte Observer’s Service Desk and CharlotteFive. She studies mass communication with a concentration in journalism, while minoring in writing and photography. Her previous experience includes interning for Credit Karma’s Editorial team and serving as Managing Editor at Winthrop University’s school newspaper, The Johnsonian.

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Mari Pressley

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May 21, 2024
Lincoln Square Taproom’s Owner to Open a Bistro in the Cafe Selmarie Space

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As Chicagoans prepare to say farewell to Cafe Selmarie, a cozy Lincoln Square favorite that’s preparing to close after more than four decades, news about its forthcoming replacement is beginning to surface.

Andrew Pillman, the owner of neighboring beer bar Lincoln Square Taproom, has applied for a liquor license under the business name Willow Cafe and Bistro at 4729 N. Lincoln Avenue. The restaurant is Pillman’s second takeover of a Lincoln Square institution, as in 2021 he opened the taproom in the former home of Huettenbar, one of the area’s last-remaining German taverns. In 2021, he opened a sister bar, Uptown Taproom. Pillman also runs Lakeview Taproom, which opened in July 2020. In November 2023, the space rebranded to add a coffee component.

In the case of Huttenbar, back in 2021, Pillman told Block Club that he intended to preserve the dive’s German charm. However, regulars say Pillman and his crews drastically changed the bar’s vibe including replacing a mural that helped define the space.

Cafe Selmarie owner Birgit Kobayashi announced her plans to retire and close Cafe Selmarie in September 2023 but has yet to share a closing date. The restaurant will remain open “through at least the end of April,” according to its website.

Pillman and Kobayashi did not respond to requests for comment.

A Lincoln Square pillar since Kobayashi and her late business partner Jean Uzdawanis founded it in 1983, Selmarie (a portmanteau of its founders’ middle names, Birgit Selma and Jeanne Marie) oversaw a transformation in the area from its perch on Giddings Plaza. It was home to the first espresso machine in the neighborhood and quickly garnered a following for its comfortable atmosphere, fresh baked goods made on-site, and an all-day lineup of soups, salads, sandwiches, and pasta. In 2017, Kobayashi became Selmarie’s sole proprietor following Uzdawanis’ death at age 63 after a battle with ovarian cancer.

While few additional details about Willow Cafe and Bistro are available as yet, Pillman seems primed for a busy year. He’s applied for a liquor license for another beer bar, Rogers Park Taproom & Coffee House, at 1615 W. Howard Street. The space previously housed indie coffeehouse Sol Cafe and in February, Pillman told Block Club Chicago that he aims to compensate for the cafe’s closure by serving Hexe Coffee alongside beer, cocktails, breakfast, and lunch.

Stay tuned for more on Cafe Selmarie’s closing date and more details on Willow Cafe and Bistro.

Willow Cafe and Bistro, 4729 N. Lincoln Avenue, Opening date is not yet available.

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Naomi Waxman

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April 1, 2024
Inside Chicago’s New Desi Bakery and Masala Chai Cafe

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Cafes in India often feel like French cafes with similar layouts. The differences stem from Indian bakers using croissants and other baked goods as vehicles for savory flavors like the spiced potatoes that fill a samosa or the tamarind zing from chutney used in snacks like chaat.

And though coffee is popular, especially in places in South India where kaapi, filter coffee made with chicory and cardamom, Indian customers have the patience to wait for a properly brewed cup of masala chai. Generally, there’s a void for cafes that feature teas for all varieties in Chicago, and while there are a few South Asian snack shops that feature desserts like gulab jamun or burfi, baked goods aren’t as easy to track down. Thattu in Avondale offers a puff filled with spicy beets, but there are more possibilities, especially when the authenticity police go off duty which can allow for more flavor mingling.

That’s the goal at Swadesi, a new cafe that recently opened in West Loop. It comes from Sujan Sarkar, the chef behind the city’s only Michelin-starred Indian restaurant, Indienne. Sarkar was also the opening chef at Rooh Chicago in West Loop and brought over Yash Kishinchand to manage the cafe. Sarkar is familiar with Kishinchand due to their time working at Rooh Columbus in Ohio.

Swadesi’s menu is more of a second-generation South Asian American feel that bridges Western and Eastern tastes. That creates inventions like croissants with samosa chaat or butter chicken. Jaggery, a cane sugar that’s used in South Asia, is used in a chocolate chip cookie. Beyond the baked goods there are breakfast and lunch sandwiches served on pav, a type of roll the size of a slider bun.

They’ll eventually serve wine and beer, but it’s mostly a daytime affair. There are rumblings about hosting pop-up events in the evenings. As far as the tea, it’s imported from India and staff will take their time brewing. Other drinks include an oak smoke vanilla latte, malted milk chocolate mocha, and turmeric & ginger latte.

Tour the space and check out some of the food below.

Swadesi, 328 S. Jefferson Street, open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays.

Butter Chicken Croissant

Jaggery chocolate chip cookie

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Ashok Selvam

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March 28, 2024
Chicago’s Ukrainian Community Can’t Get Enough of This New Lincoln Park Cafe

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When Ukrainian couple Artur and Iryna Yuzvik opened their first U.S. coffee shop in late January in Lincoln Park, they tried to moderate their expectations. Their brand, Soloway Coffee, was a new entrant in Chicago’s dense and competitive coffee scene, and they weren’t sure if local caffeine aficionados would embrace their approach.

Whatever fears the couple — also behind roastery and cafe chain Karma Kava in their hometown of Ternopil, Ukraine — harbored were put to rest almost immediately after the doors swung open at 2275 N. Lincoln Avenue. “We learned about long lines in Ukraine, but that’s nothing like here,” says Artur Yuzvik. “It was crazy, six or seven hours of a nonstop line.”

Soloway Coffee owners Artur (left) and Iryna Yuzvik.
Soloway Coffee

Chicagoans aren’t the only ones beating a path to Soloway. One woman drove to Lincoln Park from Pennsylvania to get her hands on a Dotyk dripper, a sculptural ceramic brewing device sold at the cafe that’s made with clay from the city of Slovyansk in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, an area decimated by Russian military actions over the past two years. Ukrainian Americans are visiting the cafe from states like Wisconsin, Connecticut, and New York, with some “driving for five or six hours to refresh their memories of home [in Ukraine],” Artur Yuzvik says.

The Chicago area is home to the second-largest Ukrainian American population in the U.S., with 54,000 people identifying as having Ukrainian ancestry. The community has dwelled in Chicago for more than a century, and recently, a fresh crop of Ukrainian American chefs has brought new attention to the country’s cuisine at spots like Anelya in Avondale and Pierogi Kitchen in Bucktown. On the East Coast, another Ukrainian coffee entrepreneur is putting down roots. Maks Isakov owned a coffee company in Vinnytsya, Ukraine, but was forced to abandon his business and flee the country when the Russian military invaded. He’s since founded Kavka Coffee in Camden, Maine.

In Chicago, the enormity of the response from customers has prompted the Yuzviks to accelerate their expansion. They plan to soon sign a lease for a second location but aren’t yet ready to announce the address or neighborhood, divulging only that it will be “nearby” the original. They also say that it will be an all-day affair that transitions from morning to evening and will feature a large selection of sweets.

Soloway now only allows computers at two tables near the windows.
Soloway Coffee

At the original cafe, the couple has partnered with Chicago carb whiz Dan “the Baker” Koester on a menu of pastries like chewy cinnamon knots, flakey croissants (strawberry, lemon, and almond), and impossibly creamy burnt Basque cheesecake (“ugly outside but pretty inside,” Artur Yuzvik says). There’s also a selection of savory items including sandwiches and avocado burrata toast, though they plan to expand that lineup significantly and add more fresh produce. An outdoor patio, which the owners call “summer seating,” will open in May or June with more than two dozen seats. It’ll kick off with a borscht pop-up that aims to evoke memories of the traditional Ukrainian soup with a contemporary culinary flair. They’ve held numerous pop-ups in Ukraine and hope to continue that practice in Chicago.

The first few months have been instructive for the Yuzviks, who say they were surprised to discover that their American customers tend to avoid sugary treats in the morning, instead ordering croissants and cheesecake around 2 p.m. They also hadn’t expected demand for iced drinks in the winter, but say they’ve seen entire families order cold brew on some of the chilliest days of the year.

The cafe’s design is sleek and minimalistic.
Soloway Coffee

Iryna Yuzvik designs and sells coffee-themed jewelry.
Soloway Coffee

The most significant lesson since the cafe’s debut, however, emerged from a conversation the couple overheard among customers waiting in line. The group mentioned that employees at Chicago’s lauded Metric Coffee had praised Soloway and encouraged them to visit. The Yuzviks are friendly with Metric founders Xavier Alexander and Darko Arandjelovic and leaned on them for beans when they unexpectedly sold out weeks before the next shipment was due to arrive. Still, the idea of a coffee shop directing their customers elsewhere was entirely unexpected.

“We were shocked and surprised,” Iryna Yuzvik says in Ukrainian, which her husband translates into English. “In Ukraine, it’s a bit different. In the U.S., it’s more about good relations and more friendly business.”

Soloway Coffee, 2275 N. Lincoln Avenue, Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m daily.

Soloway Coffee founder Iryna Yuzvik.
Soloway Coffee

Soloway Coffee

Soloway Coffee

The cheesecake is made with a Yuzvik family recipe.

Ham sandwich (Swiss, parmesan, basil oil).
Soloway Coffee

Avocado burrata toast (guacamole, scrambled eggs, arugula, cucumber).
Soloway Coffee

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Naomi Waxman

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March 11, 2024
Chatham cafe closing its doors after 7 years

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CHATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Main St. Goodness, located at 20 Main Street in Chatham, is closing after seven years. Owner Christopher Knable told NEWS10 that the cafe’s last day is on Sunday, February 11.

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Knable said he had no intention of closing the cafe, but he was offered a position to run a company overseas that he couldn’t refuse. He also used to own Pieconic, a dessert shop in Chatham, but Knable sold it in November.

Knable said he is keeping a house in Chatham so he can visit. “I loved serving this community,” he said. “It’s been a wonderful time. I can’t wait to come back.”

Chicken wing chain opening new location in Albany

Main St. Goodness serves breakfast and lunch items. For its final days, the cafe is open 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

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Sara Rizzo

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February 6, 2024
Coffee And A Cuddle With Piglet At This Cafe

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Life can be hard – but wouldn’t it be easy if you can just sip coffee and cuddle with a Pig? His café is making it happen!

Life has its hard moment and sometimes you just need a full escape. According to the data, 37 percent of respondents in the U.S. indicated that they were more anxious in 2023 than they were the year before. This is a decrease from 2020 when 62 percent reported being more anxious than in year 2019. Sometimes you just need a little coffee and a cuddle with a piglet at this cafe. What started as a rough idea has turned into an opportunity for people to have a squealing good time. And to relax and smile.

RELATED: Behind Our Desire To Squeeze Cute Puppies

Cuddling with a dog, cat or even a piglet leads to the release of the oxytocin, the happiness hormone, The hormone relates to feelings of trust and empathy and can contribute to a strong human-animal bond. Both the animal and human receive benefits from the interaction.

Piglets have gained a lot of popularity, especially with celebrities adopting them as pets. In fact, they’re even a growing niche about bringing the cuties home. But in Japan, piglets have been considered in a different light, so this group decided to offer something new. In 2019, they decided to embark on a journey to introduce cuddling with pigs to the public.

“We would like Japanese people to feel more familiar with the animal and eventually become a beloved member of the family,” shares the founder. The idea of the cafe started out as a Camp-fire proposal, a crowdfunding site similar to Kickstarter, which pulled in over twice the amount of money that was initially asked for.

Since their first cafe, they have opened opened 9 additional MiPig Cafe locations. People are loving it and is growing similar to the kitten cafés in North America. Japan is one of the leading countries when it comes to animal cafes, having spots where you can have a coffee surrounded by owls, dogs, hedgehogs and stuffed animals.

Though they have a few different names (micropigs, miniature pigs, teacup pigs), they aren’t really miniature, rather they are different bread of pigs. Most are simply potbellied pigs that are naturally smaller than domestic farm pigs. The latter can weigh several hundred kilos. Micropigs when young, however, usually weigh around 30 kilos

Studies have suggested pigs can outsmart dogs and even chimpanzees. They’ve been observed completing mazes and recognising symbols, and they have excellent long term memory.

They’re also empathetic animals which learn from one another and have complex social lives, with some studies showing them play fighting with one another in much the same way as dogs do. So why not try?

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Maria Loreto

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January 21, 2024
Dunedin Council pays Side-on cafe to end lease in CBD amid fears of sinkhole – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

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A popular Dunedin cafe was paid almost $700,000 by the council to close its doors.

Side-on announced its Moray Pl business was coming to an “abrupt end” after more than a year of negotiations with the Dunedin City Council.

The council needed the business to close before starting critical repairs to water pipes amid fears of a sinkhole.

A council spokesman told the Otago Daily Times yesterday it had paid out $695,000 to the cafe’s owners to end its lease.

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The council paid $1.775 million to buy the building last year, for the purposes of connecting pipes between Bath St and Moray Pl.

Side-on had a lease until 2034, and the council had purchased the remainder of that lease, the council spokesman said.

“We recognise Side-on is a much-loved cafe, and we worked with the owners on various options for an alternative venue during our negotiations.

“While the cafe will now close instead, we wish the owners well for any new venture in 2024.

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“This agreement allows for work to proceed as quickly as possible on the replacement of old and failing pipes under Bath St,” the spokesman said.

The project had been particularly challenging from an engineering perspective, and time had been an important factor, he said.

It had investigated alternative pipe routes as part of its planning, but “almost all routes” had to pass under private property in Bath St at some stage.

The only other option was to run the new pipe along…

Original Author Link click here to read complete story..

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MMP News Author

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December 13, 2023
First Watch Elevates Brunch With New Restaurant in Lower Heights, Houston, TX

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The new location serving a full menu of breakfast, brunch and lunch opened its doors on Monday, Oct. 10, in Houston, TX

Press Release
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Oct 12, 2022

HOUSTON, October 12, 2022 (Newswire.com)
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First Watch, the leading Daytime Dining concept with more than 445 restaurants nationwide, announced Monday it has opened a new location in Lower Heights within the Greater Houston Area. The new breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant, which features an expansive dining room and bar, is located at 2799 Katy Fwy Suite #110, Houston, TX 77007 and employs approximately 30 people.

First Watch’s curated menu takes an elevated approach to traditional and innovative offerings that are made to order using farm fresh ingredients. The menu includes crave-able items such as Avocado Toast, Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict, Farm Stand Breakfast Tacos and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. The new restaurant will offer healthy, flavorful favorites like house-made granola and pico de gallo, organic greens, house-roasted vegetables, cage-free eggs and 100% fresh-squeezed orange juice as well as more indulgent, traditional breakfast, brunch and lunch offerings.

First Watch Lower Heights will also offer options from the restaurant’s juice bar – including the best-selling Morning Meditation (made with orange, lemon, turmeric, organic ginger, agave nectar and beet) – juiced in-house daily using only the highest quality fruits and vegetables. The new restaurant features First Watch’s rapidly expanding alcoholic beverage program, which allows guests to enjoy refreshing cocktails featuring its fresh juices like the Vodka Kale Tonic (gluten-free vodka, fresh juiced kale, Fuji apple, English cucumber and lemon) and signature creations such as the Cinnamon Toast Cereal Milk (coconut rum, cold brew coffee, coconut milk and agave nectar).

The concept also offers a revolving seasonal menu, following the sun to source the highest quality ingredients, wherever and whenever they are in season, which has included items like the Barbacoa Quesadilla Benedict, Pumpkin Pancake Breakfast and Million Dollar Breakfast Sandwich, among many others.

To celebrate the opening of the new Lower Heights location, customers who dine in-restaurant during its first five days in business will receive free coffee with their meal. In addition, the first 120 customers to visit the new restaurant will also receive a custom, reusable travel mug.

The interior brightly builds upon First Watch’s Urban Farm design prototype with the addition of warm blue tones, quartz countertops, and a subway-tile backsplash. A grab-and-go retail area will showcase Sweet Street’s new line of GMO-free, additive-free desserts for purchase and the concept’s socially responsible and award-winning Project Sunrise coffee, grown by independent groups of female farmers in Colombia, called the Mujeres en Café. Communal tables as well as patio and bar seating make First Watch a great place for guests to work remotely in an approachable atmosphere.

First Watch serves its entire menu seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. for pickup, delivery and dine-in service. The restaurant also offers customers free Wi-Fi Internet access.

For more information about First Watch, its menu offerings or to find the nearest location, visit firstwatch.com.

About First Watch
First Watch is an award-winning Daytime Dining concept serving made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch using fresh ingredients. A recipient of hundreds of local “Best Breakfast” and “Best Brunch” accolades, First Watch’s chef-driven menu includes elevated executions of classic favorites along with First Watch specialties such as the protein-packed Quinoa Power Bowl®, Farm Stand Breakfast Tacos, Avocado Toast, Chickichanga, Morning Meditation (juiced in-house daily), Vodka Kale Tonic and its famous Million Dollar Bacon. In 2022, First Watch was awarded a sought-after MenuMasters honor by Nation’s Restaurant News for its seasonal Braised Short Rib Omelet, and, for its culture, was recognized with ADP’s coveted Culture at Work Award and named a Most Loved Workplace® in Newsweek by the Best Practice Institute. In 2021, First Watch was recognized as FSR Magazine’s Best Menu and as the fastest-growing full-service restaurant chain based on unit growth. There are more than 445 First Watch restaurants in 28 states, and the restaurant concept is majority owned by Advent International, one of the world’s largest private-equity firms. For more information, visit www.firstwatch.com.

About Mac Haik Enterprises LTD (MHE)
MHE includes commercial real estate development entities that develop, own and manage office buildings, medical buildings, retail centers, outdoor billboards and hotels. The Mac Haik Automotive Group is the largest independent automotive group in the state of Texas and the 15th largest in the United States with 17 new car dealerships plus seven stand-alone used car dealerships. MHE subsidiaries also are majority owners in three rapidly expanding fast-casual restaurant brands, Original ChopShop, Bellagreen and Slapfish A Modern Seafood Shack. MH Outdoor Media LLC is an outdoor advertising media company with over 1100 digital and static signs in Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida and Alabama. MHE was one of the founding partners and maintains an equity and chairmanship interest in Acuity Healthcare Inc, the largest ESOP-owned LTAC in the country with hospitals in New Jersey, West Virginia, and Ohio. The overall MHE companies employ over 3,000 employees nationwide. For additional information regarding MHE, visit machaik-enterprises.com.

Source: First Watch

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October 12, 2022