CLAREMONT, N.H. – A friendly, determined, and multitalented group of women have joined forces once again to bring life to a cozy cafe tucked beside a church on a one-way street in downtown Claremont. And Claremont has welcomed them back with open arms.
Cardinal Cafe, at 10 Glidden Street, is the fourth restaurant from chef Sandra Lefebvre, and another business she shares with her longtime friend and collaborator Debbie Richards. Most recently, the two operated a successful food truck called East & West LLC, but the first time they met was in 1989, when 12-year-old Richards walked into Lefebvre’s original establishment, Dusty’s Cafe, – Dusty being Lefebvre’s nickname – and introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Debbie. Do you have any work I could do?”
A third friend, a local singer named Heather Marcott, joined the team soon after and quickly became Lefebvre’s assistant chef.
After Lefebvre sold the restaurant in 1994 and moved to California, the women lost touch for a bit. Marcott left New Hampshire for Washington state, while Richards remained local.
Richards is very open about sharing the ups and downs she has experienced over the past three and a half decades, and how her decision to get sober coincided with Cardinal Cafe’s grand opening and put an exclamation mark on her life’s new direction.
Richards learned Lefebvre had returned from California when she unexpectedly ran into her at a local market. Lefebvre said she had had enough of traveling and California, and was ready to come home to where she felt at peace. The two women reconnected, meeting up to walk Lefebvre’s dog every Tuesday, and reestablished their early bond.
Richards and her boyfriend of 14 years, Shane Taylor, attended an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at The First Congregational Church, next door to what, at the time, was a bakery. When that bakery shut down, it was Lefebvre’s sister Jennifer who forwarded a Facebook post announcing the space was for lease, prompting, “Just thought you might be interested.”
Lefebvre and Richards learned the church owned the property and was looking for a new business to take over the cafe. Out of a long list of applicants, the church chose Lefebvre and Richards, and Cardinal Café, as the next tenants.
Richards said it took a month to revamp the space, and they really made it their own. She credits Taylor with supporting her along the way. “Shane really has been a big part of getting all of this going.”
There is a corner full of colorful merchandise like coffee mugs and T-shirts. One sign at the door reads, “Have a great day!” Another welcomes everyone to a “politics-free zone.”
Lefebvre wanted a traditional counter, so they took out a bakery display case and put in a tidy luncheonette counter with barstools. Lefebvre uses a grill for most menu items, so that was another addition. The kitchen is an open design – a small but efficient space – and the women work together seamlessly, never skipping a beat. Between the three of them, they prep, cook, bake, clean, service customers, come up with clever Facebook videos, and take it all one day at a time.
Kara Kennedy and Payton Harding round out the cafe staff, and the young women are bright additions to the cafe’s warm, inviting atmosphere. Lefebvre said they were two of the first people to respond to an online ad, and she knew right away they would each be the right fit.
Lefebvre reportedly “runs her staff like a three-star general,” but with a sense of good humor. Everyone seems willing to do what it takes to make the cafe a success, and the feeling goes both ways. Sitting at the counter, one really gets the feeling that the entire community is cheering them on and looking for ways to support the cafe’s success.
What about the food? Well, East & West LLC was famous for “bangin’ burritos” and homemade sliders, and customers will find those on Cardinal Cafe’s menu as well. Lefebvre uses chuck roast to make her Philly cheesesteak and French dip sandwiches more tender and flavorful. She said her favorite dishes to make are the omelets, and the most time-consuming menu item would be the home fries, made from scratch.
Richards said her favorite is the gyro, made with lamb and ground beef, picked onions, and tzatziki, served in a warm pita. The corned beef hash with two eggs over easy and home fries was quite the comfort meal, with the hash wonderfully crispy-edged, and the eggs perfectly cooked. As one customer said, “The portions are as big as the place mat!”
Cardinal Cafe is open Monday-Saturday, from 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. Visit them on Facebook, or stop in and check them out in person. The cafe’s mascot, a feisty cardinal holding a sandwich and a cup of coffee, accompanies the ladies’ ironic take on New Hampshire’s state motto: “Eat Well or Die.” What are you waiting for?