Mikey's Cafe Going Strong After More Than Two Years

Mikey Gallina, a 40-plus-year resident of Cliffside Park, grew up around homemade food. He always found himself cooking with his maternal grandfather, a chef and baker with his own catering hall in Hoboken. Gallina also baked with his grandmother, who worked in bakeries all of her working years.

With food preparation essentially in his blood, Gallina, who attended Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island and graduated as a chef with his A.O.S. degree in culinary arts in 1985, worked in the industry for a couple of years before deciding to "find a career with benefits and vacation time," he said.

In 1987, Gallina became a letter carrier for the Fort Lee Post Office. He left the post office as a supervisor of customer service in 2007.

"During my 20 years in the Post Office, I still used my cooking skills," Gallina said. "I taught cooking classes in Hoboken at the Urban Kitchen. I cooked for many benefits and charities; for Saint Francis Church on Jefferson Street in Hoboken, as well as working many weekends cooking at restaurants and catering. After the post office there was a void in my life, and I knew I had to go back and do what I love to do--cooking."

During his 20 years working in Fort Lee, and with his father, an optician, being in town for over 40 years, Gallina said, "I learned to love the borough and decided to open my own place."

That place was Mikey’s Café, which opened on Dec. 22, 2008.

Gallina, who serves breakfast and lunch with fresh bread and freshly brewed "Mikey's Own" coffee, supports the community as much as he can.

"I donate trays of sandwiches every year to the Fort Lee Finance Club graduation, [and] I purchase ads on the Fort Lee High School sports schedule and on high school posters," he said. "Any student, faculty and staff of the Fort Lee schools get a lunch special discount. I offer lunch platters and provide corporate catering, all with free delivery with no minimum. I also used to donate bread to the Fort Lee Welfare Committee.”

Gallina describes his menu as "basic," but says the café's specials are quite diverse.

"I make many different specials from different cuisines," he said. "I love food and culture, and I try to share that with my customers."

Every day Mikey's offers two specials and a soup of the day.

Gallina said, "Anyone who has tried my catering will tell you my gourmet sandwiches are not your average sandwich."

He added, "I have my own coffee brew which I am told is the best coffee in Fort Lee."

He also gets his variety of breads delivered fresh every day and says he's gotten "great reviews" on his burgers.

The ambition and constant will to do good for the community brews inside of Mikey Gallina.

"I am married and have two children, ages 14 and 8," he said. "That serves as my motivation to work every day."

On doing business in a challenging economic climate, Gallina said, “The economy has affected everyone, but as a business owner, I try to do my part by keeping my prices very reasonable."

"Even though I have low prices I still provide high quality food with big portions," he said. "I also make sacrifices. A lot of jobs  that I would hire someone else for, like paperwork, finances and cleaning, I do myself. Doing these extra jobs takes away time from my family and friends. I do make sure to take one week off a year to spend time with my family as I know time does not wait for anyone, and before you know it, my daughters will be grown up. I could never have gotten where I was if not for my family and good friends who have always been there to support me."

In 2008, Gallina said, he started out with one dishwasher. Now he has three employees.

“Helping each other,” is Gallina's advice to other business owners for coping and not losing faith in tough economic times.

“We have to cross-market ourselves," he said. "I ask anyone who I do catering for to put their business cards in my café. If we share our customer base, we can help each other in these times. I also like to shop at local Fort Lee stores to support the community.”

Loving the borough, cooking and owning his business, Gallina’s plans for the future are positive.

“I have seen my business grow in the past two-and-a-half years," he said. "I am in a great building--the Polygon Plaza at 2050 Center Ave. I feel like I know my customers, many of whom work in the building. I have many corporate accounts--one being for the South Pole Company next door, where I deliver 40 to 50 sandwiches daily. My catering has increased. I cater for the mayor occasionally, as well as local real estate agents. I may not be visible as I am located in a lobby, but the word is getting out and more and more people are finding Mikey’s Café. My goal is for customers to experience food with only the freshest ingredients in a clean café."

Mikey Gallina is the brother of Paul Gallina, owner of in Fort Lee.

Mikey’s Café--located in the Polygon Plaza at 2050 Center Ave.--is open 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday though Friday. Supply Gallina with your fax number, and he will send you the daily specials. His phone and fax number is 201-346-5600.

Check out his menu on Mikey's Cafe's website.