Walk along the south side of Liberty Park and you’ll see a quaint little restaurant so popular that people gather outside in the cold to wait for a table. This restaurant is Park Cafe, and it’s popular for a reason.
The restaurant itself has been around since 1952, but it was purchased by Sean Miller and his family in 2004. When Miller took it over, he did very little to change the physical aspects of the old restaurant. Aside from a completely remodeled kitchen, the building looks generally the same as it did before.
Despite its small size, Park Cafe has an open feel. Its décor is simple, but it is far from lackluster. Vintage style posters line the white walls and the single red wall. There’s a counter reminiscent of 1960’s style diners. The cafe looks and feels like a modern take on those classic diners.
The menu keeps up with the atmosphere of the place, as it’s primarily breakfast food.
“Breakfast is more about getting it right than it is trying to wow somebody with anything fancy,” Miller said. “That’s the reason we wanted to do breakfast. It kind of fits my personality. I’m not really a flashy person — I’m more reserved.”
The staff also reflects the down-to-earth demeanor Miller and his restaurant both possess. Because of this and its proximity to campus, a significant portion of the customers are college students.
“The youthful, energetic feeling is what sets us apart from other places,” Miller said.
Though he’s always wanted to own a restaurant, Miller didn’t always want this to be the type of restaurant he owns. In fact, he never knew what kind of restaurant he wanted to run until he bought it. Since high school, Miller has worked in various restaurants, and he’s always loved cooking. As time went on, he began to realize he wanted to run his own restaurant and that he wanted to do something simple with it. He didn’t want an extravagant or overly lavish bistro. When he bought what is now the ever-crowded Park Cafe, his vision came to fruition.
From the time they first opened their doors on April 1, 2004, Miller did the bulk of the cooking. However, as it got busier he had to hire more kitchen staff. He currently holds a supervisor position, but his love for cooking is still very much alive.
“My passion in the restaurant business has always been creating food, so I do still cook some weekday mornings when I can,” he said.
Park Cafe is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is definitely worth a wait in the cold.