About Us


"Cafe" An unpretentious restaurant 

helping you to Celebrate life's moments since 2001’

We are a small 36-seat, family, scratch kitchen boutique-style restaurant and it is our desire to bring you a warm and welcoming dining experience. Circa June 2001.

We strive to keep our menus fresh and updated for every season, while rotating customer favorites as well. It is our belief that real food is the best food and we cook what we love to eat.

Dinner features various entrees including wild salmon, Certified Black Angus steaks, and varying starters, salads and desserts.We like to take old school food and bring in a new twist to entice those childhood memories. There is also an emphasis on both Italian and French fare, along with our love of comfort food.

We do our best to provide wines that are of good quality, are affordable and approachable for those with a great wine vocabulary and those who are just starting to explore the world of wines. We have also added craft cocktails and now have a service bar available for your cocktail pleasure! No patron bar seating is available. 

We are located in the heart of the historic St. Helen’s area in the Historic Passages Building, once the first Opera House in Tacoma. In fact our space in the building was once the back stage. Historically our street was called Court C, and now has been renamed Opera Alley, as a testament to the history of Tacoma, as well as the developers and pioneers of the revitalization of Downtown Tacoma.

Please say hi and let us know how we are doing!


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RECENT PRESS

Tacoma News Tribune
Chef participated in the roundable presented by the TNT Diner with Kristine Sherrard to discuss local dining with EnRama Executive Chef & Owner of the Mule Tavern presented at Odin Brewery October 18th 2022

KING5
Featured on New Day Northwest KING5 cooking segment with Saint Bryant March 2020

November 2023 King5 Evening, voted Best Cozy Restaurant in Western Washington

OpenTable.Com, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Diner's Choice Award Winner as voted by our guests

OpenTable.Com 2022, 2023 & 2024 Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in the USA as voted by our guests

Sue Kidd, Tacoma News Tribune Food Writer, "Tacoma's Most Romantic Restaurant"

South Sound Magazine Voted 2024 Best Fine Dining Restaurant in the South Sound.

LEAD STAFF

Deanna Bender
Owner/Executive Chef

Danielle Bender
Front of House Manager

Servers Jennifer, Ali & Georgie

Behind the scenes staff d’jour Wyatt

Sous Chef, Michael