Restaurant Bridges Gaps with Breakfast

, which opened this past January, touts all the necessities of a good diner; it’s got good coffee, countless regulars and a friendly wait staff. It has, of course, the essence of a café—a nice seated area with lounge chairs, a coffee table and bookshelves that are slowly becoming home to a lending library. And it boasts the menu fodder and feel of both an upscale deli and a casual restaurant.

And maybe it’s that atmosphere, or the mismatched coffee mugs or the novelty salt and pepper shakers, or just the general excitement of everyone under its employ that makes the Conshohocken Café such a well received dining spot on Fayette Street.

 “It’s sort of the place to be,” co-owner Mike Oraschewsky said of his establishment as he loaded buckets of sliced potatoes onto the griddle to prepare for the weekend’s brunch rush. Every day he sees a mix of seasoned neighbors, businessmen, young professionals, after-service church goers and more frequent his door.

“I like that we truly get a mix of what I would call old and new Conshohocken,” he said.

But he has always been able to draw a Conshohocken crowd. Oraschewsky and Tim Mulvey were the previous owners On a Roll, the former take-out and delivery spot that sat next to the Conshohocken Café’s present location at 521 Fayette St. But the two wanted space for seating and a way to incorporate more to their menu. So they started the café.

The café still hosts a lot of the same food as On a Roll—sandwiches, wraps, and more, as well as a catering facility—but now there is an extended menu and the newly implemented and much loved weekend brunch.

“It’s our new favorite thing,” Oraschewsky said of the brunch. And with a special brunch menu featuring all the breakfast staples and added specialties that change weekly, from stratas to eggs and crabmeat, the café tries to keep their options fresh and varied.

And the baked goods, made by staffer Kristin Piece, are also lauded for their quality.

“We have the best scones in the Philadelphia area,” Oraschewsky said.

But it’s not just the food that keeps regulars coming back. The casual vibe of the diner and their rapid evolution keep people coming back for more. Oraschewsky hopes that the lending library will expand into an informal book club that will meet in the café. The dozens of varied novelty salt and pepper shakers came from Impact Thrift Store in Norristown, which donates its proceeds to charity. And anyone with their own set can bring them to the café to trade them out with another set on the premises—once the staff votes for approval, of course.

The café also recently began hosting Monday night open mics, which are open to anyone who wants to come  sing and play while the kitchen hosts a limited sampler menu.

“It’s been wildly successful,” said Oraschewsky, and he hopes to implement a movie night soon as well.

“It’s just a fun atmosphere,” said waitress Celeste Viggiano. “It’s like hanging out with friends.”

Viggiano knew Oraschewsky and Mulvey from their previous establishment, and was excited to get on board at the café this past March. “They have a different style of running things,” she said. She is also thrilled to have the chance to watch the café grow and evolve.

“We have the coolest staff around,” Oraschewsky said.

The Conshohocken Café is open seven days a week. Check out its hours and menu on its Facebook page.