Cafe at 407 is a café with a cause, a community-focused café and coffeehouse in the village in Liverpool that was launched in 2009 to help raise money for Ophelia’s Place, a non-profit organization that provides support, education and outreach for individuals and families affected by eating disorders, disordered eating and body image issues.
In addition to offering breakfast, lunch and supper, Cafe at 407 hosts local musicians a couple nights a week. There’s WiFi, so some people use the café as study and work space, as well. There’s also a resource area and a community meeting room.
The café calls itself a “community creating change.” In recent weeks, the café has gone through some changes of its own, thanks to a crowd-sourced fundraising campaign, and unveiled a new look in late August after closing for a couple days of renovations.
Coffee lovers will notice a big change. There’s a separate coffee bar, with stools, where you can get everything from a basic cup of coffee to espresso drinks to pour-over coffee. The café still uses beans from Forty Weight Coffee Roasters, but has expanded its coffee offerings.
The makeover opens up the kitchen area, giving staff a more spacious and efficient area for preparing food (as well as brand new commercial appliances).
The café’s menu, meanwhile, hasn’t changed. It’s a simple menu, with soups, sandwiches, salads, smoothies and a variety of baked goods. Everything is homemade and features ingredients sourced locally whenever possible. This time of year, the café uses a lot of produce from Hartwood Farms and its own Community Growth Garden.
If you haven’t been to Cafe at 407 lately—or if you’ve never been—stop in and see what’s new.
Cafe at 407 is at 407 Tulip St., Liverpool. Hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For information, call 451-5855 or go to Cafe at 407. In addition to food, Ophelia’s Place/Cafe at 407 offers a community room that is available for such diverse activities as private business meetings, baby showers and to bridge clubs. Call for information on reserving it.
Margaret McCormick is a freelance writer and editor in Syracuse. She blogs about food at EatFirst.typepad.com Follow her on Twitter at @mmccormickcny.