Spurnpiker's Journal: The history of the Ala Carte Cafe
PORT CLINTON — My search for a good ma and pa eatery ended on a balmy June morning when I walked through the front door of the Ala Carte Café. It was everything I’d hoped for and more. It had the look, smell, characters, and feel of the iconic local restaurant. If I were scouting movie locations for such a place, this would be it. Complete with extras and maybe a few stars.
I wanted to learn more about the place − its history, the owners, the clientele. Having worked in the restaurant business in the ’70s, I knew better than to pester the help and owners at peak time. Which for Ala Carte seemed to be much of the day.
So I saved my research for later. I planned to approach it online and make a return visit there to speak personally with the owners. (Which would afford me an opportunity to visit an old friend — Lake Erie.)
I posted a request for general information on a Facebook page called “The Talk of Port Clinton (uncensored).” The response was overwhelming. And quite touching.
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'Go-to breakfast spot' in Port Clinton
I’ll share a few of the comments here.
“It's been the go-to breakfast spot around here for me since I've been a little kid,” Cody Salyers posted. “I'm 35 now and it's still going strong. Great place.”
“I am with a group of ladies ... who have met there every Saturday morning for at least 30 years!” Judy Crosser commented. “Great service, great food, great owners!”
“We stop in often after church on Sunday, last couple of times they were very busy,” Pete Johnson posted. “We were very impressed that the bus boys were helping the servers, checking on the customers, and pouring coffee. Never had a bad meal!”
Elaine Durrence Heim’s comment gives you a feel for the type of place it really is.
“We enjoy their food as often as we can,” she posted. “My husband and I stay in PC (Port Clinton) for the summer. We’ve brought many friends and family there to enjoy it with us. Even playing a prank on my mother-in-law, having them say she was the 10,000th visitor and making (a fuss) over her. She was so happy. We told her later it was planned. Going to Ala Carte is like Cheers, everyone knows your name! Friendly owners and never a poor choice on the menu. We’ve even visited in the winter just to dine and visit the owners.”
Back when it was Tony's
It was through the Facebook inquiry I came to know one of the owners, Lisa Black. She later texted me with a little background. I’ll let her tell it in her own words:
“I get many memories from people that ate here when it was Tony's back in the ’50s and ’60s. They all say the same thing; they would walk down for lunch from high school. The jukebox was up front by the window, and Tony would cook your food on a grill right behind the original counter and booths that are still there.”
Lisa and her husband Bill Black bought the place in 2014 from her Uncle Denny and Aunt Ellie Carte. The name Ala Carte is a play on her aunt’s name. The Cartes had owned the restaurant for 25 years. Prior to it was called Town & Country. (Not sure of the spelling.)
“We have not changed much to the interior because of the nostalgia people feel when they come in,” Lisa went on to say. “We changed nothing on the menu but did add some things.”
As one customer pointed out, the place was so popular that, on weekends, people lined up outside waiting to get in. So, in 2020, the Blacks bought a one-time bar/pool hall next door and whipped it into shape. They dubbed the addition Ala Carte After Hours.
“Originally, we did that just for overflow seating on weekends but then decided to add lunch and dinner,” Lisa said. “People always said we needed to break through the walls and expand, so we listened. We are very proud owners as well as working owners. We both still work 10-14 hours cooking on grills, hosting on weekends, and making soups, specials, and desserts. We also have my mom, mother-in-law, and uncle who make pies, breads, coffee ... ”
Ellie Carte turned 80 in June. She still helps out at the restaurant, working at one of the grills four days a week.
“Lisa told me when she bought it, ‘You’ve got to stay and help me at least for the first five years,’ Ellie said during a brief interview with the family. “I said OK and now it’s been going on 11 years and I’m still here.”
On weekends, Bill greets customers waiting outside to maintain order and make them feel welcome — even before they set foot inside the restaurant.
For Lisa, food service has been a way of life. Her first job was waitressing at the age of 18 at her uncle’s truck stop out on U.S. 20. She’s also taught food service classes for special needs students.
“When I talk to students I tell them I don’t feel like I chose food service; I feel like food service chose me,” Lisa said.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: The heart of the Ala Carte Cafe in Port Clinton, Ohio
