As the holiday season rolls around, the owners of Elke’s Café have one thing on their minds… bringing homemade food to your table. From delicious sandwiches and soups to cheeseboards, fruit trays, warm breakfast casseroles and sweet bread platters this couple has thought of it all!
Their goal is to make life easier for those hosting guests at their homes, by delivering fresh food right to their doorsteps.
When Kim and Gregory Casale took over ownership of Elke’s Café 4 years ago, they knew instantly that it was the perfect opportunity to put their spin on this long-time family-owned community favorite restaurant. Gregory is a former corporate chef known for his famous cookie recipes that companies like Paradise Bakery and Panera have adopted, and his wife Kim is a certified wine educator with a passion for wine pairings and international travel.
Walking into the café feels like you’ve stepped into another world. To the left is a wine shop stocked full of both domestic and foreign wines. Wooden wine boxes used to transport these wines from across the world are positioned to display their selections and wire racks hold more choices with their colorful labels facing front, making choosing a favorite an easy task. It’s on these shelves that you would find “Wild Things” a bold and fruity zinfandel which pairs nicely with the rich flavor of their famous beef crostini. A bride to be recently chose this pairing for her wedding shower that was catered by Elke’s.
What’s truly endearing about this family-owned café is that the local community sees it as a second home. The owner, Kim, often notices that several of her customers come in daily to enjoy a home cooked meal in their open seating area. It’s quite the norm to see the same friendly faces daily at the counter ordering their latest obsessions like cilantro chicken salad, or the “other” nutty sandwich with a side of honey nut broccoli. To the left of the register is a
tempting collection of glass jars filled with cookies, the green pistachio and rainbow-colored sprinkle cookies are hard to resist as an add on to a delicious meal.
The owners have done an excellent job creating an inviting atmosphere in the café for both their customers and staff. The front counter is always tended to by a smiling employee and the prep area behind the register are pristine despite the constant flow of orders from customers and catering for local businesses. Kim and Gregory take pride in bringing high-quality dining experience to their quaint café. When they are not busy greeting customers and taking orders,
you will find them behind the counter preparing catered lunch boxes with high quality meats and cheeses placed delicately between sliced bread, fresh fruit, chips, and a homemade cookie. Preparing meals for local schools and sports teams is not just a task to be completed, but an art form here.
Elke’s is preparing their kitchen to deliver oven ready meats, macaroni and cheese, and savory vegetable sides to their customers during the holidays. They prepare it all, so customers can forget about cooking and cleaning and instead enjoy time with their guests. Elke’s has gone the extra step and has even thought about meals for the next day. As an add on to catered holiday
meals and sides, customers can order apple French toast casserole or ham, mushroom and Swiss cheese quiche, along with sweet breads with whipped butter and cream cheese that can be served for breakfast.
Elke’s Café continues to earn their spot on Google as one of Allen local’s favorite places to dine. The accolades are well deserved considering the quality and uniqueness of their menu after 20 years in business. If you are near this local gem, you must stop by!
Visit Elke’s Market Cafe. 105 N Greenville Ave #11, Allen, TX 75002. elkesmarketcafe.com
“Customers come to grab a quick lunch to take to their office. Our apricot chicken salad and
roasted jalapeño soup seem to be a crowd favorite.” - Kim
“Everything is made in house, so you don’t have to make it. Holidays are more fun when you
don’t have to worry about cooking and can focus on time with your family. We want to make any
occasion with us, an occasion to remember!” -Kim