A knitting circle is always a good sign when you walk into a community cafe. Its presence means you've entered a place appreciated by the locals – a place where they can relax and converse over a hot cup of coffee while knitting a new winter sweater for their nephew or niece.
It was odd to find such a place in a gleaming mixed-use development in Deerfield Township. Mixed-use developments, with their assortment of restaurants, shops and apartments, are turning into the new Main Streets of suburban communities that formerly lacked them.
Cafe Patachou was not born of this place. It's part of a small regional chain of restaurants based out of Indianapolis. It was founded in 1989 by Martha Hoover, whose mission was to offer farm-to-table dishes customers
could feel good about in a casual cafe ingrained in community. In a 2018 interview with Vogue, Hoover called it, "a student union for adults." I like that.
In the more than three decades since it first opened, Cafe Patachou has received shout-outs from some of food media's most influential publications. Gourmet (RIP) called it one of the healthiest restaurants in America. Food & Wine placed it on its “19 Great Restaurants to Work For” list, and it's praises were sung by The Wall Street Journal, Eater and Bon Appetit, among others.
That's mostly why I wanted to visit when Cafe Patachou opened in the District at Deerfield development earlier this year. More than three decades after opening, the cafe, now a regional chain throughout Indiana, is long past its scrappy phase. It is now a part of Hoover's Won't Stop hospitality group, whose mission is to "create Sacred Spaces, intentionally designed environments where people feel seen, welcomed, respected."
And I did feel seen, welcomed and respected when I visited on a sweltering Wednesday afternoon. No fewer than three employees greeted me cheerfully before I was seated inside the bright pastel-saturated dining room. Aside from admiring the knitters, I tried to eavesdrop on two women discussing Jane Austen novels and two old friends who were speaking in whispers. Maybe they were on to me.
The menu notes the provenance of its ingredients. The turkey on the roasted turkey sandwich comes from Bowman & Landes farm, in New Carlisle, Ohio; the chorizo from Old Major meats, in Indianapolis.
Since Cafe Patachou is known for its French omelets, I ordered the "Hippie with a Benz." A great name and a great omelet filled with umami-packed mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and feta. The cafe is also famous for its cinnamon toast, but I opted for the sliced, buttered sourdough, which was so good that I wondered why it wasn't equally as famous.
I was in a rush, so I didn't stick around too long. Next time, I'll try the tomato artichoke soup they've been serving since 1989, or the Cuban Breakfast with eggs, black beans, rice and cheddar or a broken egg yolk sandwich. While I'm not much of a knitter, maybe I'll bring a book so I can sit down and stay a while.
Cafe Patachou is located in the District at Deerfield complex, 5200 District Park Drive, Mason, 513-370-5764, cafepatachou.com. Hours: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Popular Indianapolis cafe finds home in Cincinnati suburbs
