Bellefonte Cafe, a staple of the community since the '90s, gets new owners
The Bellefonte Cafe, a staple of the community for nearly 30 years, has changed hands for the third time since its opening in the mid-1990s.
New owners David Lattomus and Patrick Atkinson purchased the funky cafe at 804 Brandywine Blvd. in Bellefonte, on Friday, Feb. 23, from Dave and Donna Farrar.
The pair planned to reopen Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 4 p.m.
"It's so, so exciting for us," Lattomus told Delaware Online/The News Journal on Tuesday afternoon. "I grew up in Bellefonte and lived here my whole young adulthood."
Lattomus, a chef who has been a culinary arts teacher for the last eight years at St. Georges Technical High School, said he and Atkinson were not "actively looking" for a restaurant, but they became intrigued when a friend told Lattomus he saw a listing that the cafe was for sale.
Lattomus said he and Atkinson were the first potential buyers. "We loved everything we saw. Dave, the previous owner, enjoyed our vibe. He said 'You guys are it.'"
The name of the cafe will remain the same. Lattomus said plans, for now, are "to keep changes pretty low-key."
The Bellefonte Cafe was founded by Donna Rego in the mid-1990s. She transformed her resale/antique shop that she bought in 1995 into a cafe focusing on organic vegetarian and vegan meals. Rego, a former music promoter for Virgin Records, made most of the meals herself, and the Cuban black bean soup has been on the menu since she opened the cafe.
In 2014, Rego was ready to retire and sold the business to Dave and Donna Farrar of Brandywine Hundred.
On the Bellefonte Cafe Facebook Page, the Farrars posted a goodbye message.
They thanked "the staff and customers, present and past. You have contributed so much to the success of the cafe (and survival through hard times). A huge thanks also goes to the talented musicians who have graced the cafe stage and provided so much entertainment. We are grateful, too, for our relationship with the Bellefonte community over the years. So many memories!" they wrote.
Lattomus said they will be increasing the hours and will open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday and offer Sunday brunch and dinner. The new owners plan to offer live music every night from about 8 to 10. They are hoping to also have solo and acoustic acts perform at the cafe.
"We're really gearing to have music all the time," Lattomus said.
He said his goal is to make the cafe more of a "food-focused restaurant." Lattomus has worked in kitchens ranging from the Westin Hotel at the Wilmington Riverfront to downtown Wilmington's Hotel du Pont for more than 20 years. He also has worked at the DuPont Country Club, the former Union City Grille, the Columbus Inn and Harry's Savoy Grill.
The previous Bellefonte Cafe menu will remain in place for about a week, and then the chef plans to increase the menu adding more items than just salads and sandwiches.
Lattomus is keeping classic cafe dishes like the black bean soup and the nachos, he said, but plans to "freshen them up."
New menu items will include sirloin steak, chicken thighs, a vegetarian filet of eggplant, pan-seared salmon, vegetarian bowls, crab cake sandwiches and grilled cheese.
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The cafe will be open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner from 5 to p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Sunday brunch is from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and Sunday dinner will be from 5 to 8 p.m. The cafe will be closed on Monday.
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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Bellefonte Cafe gets third owners since its start in mid-1990s
