Great news for café lovers. The space on the 4300 block of Locust Street that used to house Café Clave will soon be reborn. Its new name, fittingly, is Café Renata (“reborn” in Latin).
The café will begin a soft opening next week and have an opening celebration on Friday (more on that next week). Co-owners Kate Steenstra and Yasser Aiq, both West Philly residents, will run the show. Café Renata will serve a wide selection of coffee along with a wide selection of food, including Mediterranean, South American and American fare with “a little more emphasis on breakfast,” said Aiq. Another welcome addition will be a rotating selection of soups. Down the road Steenstra and Aiq hope to add brunch.
Stay tuned for more from Café Renata.
Yasser Aiq and Kate Steenstra.
January 25th, 2013 at 5:33 pm
Yay!
January 25th, 2013 at 5:57 pm
Is there still a study room in the back?
January 25th, 2013 at 7:20 pm
Not sure, Td, but they do have chalkboards.
January 25th, 2013 at 8:02 pm
Wonderful news! Was hoping that someone would take over and keep it running as a coffee shop!
January 25th, 2013 at 9:06 pm
Awesome! I hope they will offer some gluten-free options! 🙂
January 25th, 2013 at 9:33 pm
Please keep the empanadas, they are terrific.. the reason why I ever went to Cafe Clave. Also, don’t lose your latin flavor in the process of bouging it up.
January 26th, 2013 at 10:55 am
That’s great!!
January 26th, 2013 at 5:10 pm
This is great news! I hope this place leans more towards a “sit down and eat” place and less like another greenline/ earth cup/ milk & honey. We really do need more brunch options in West Philly. I’m tired of having to leave the island of West Philly for brunch.
January 27th, 2013 at 8:59 am
Yes, good news! I’m glad that it’s still going to be a café.
January 28th, 2013 at 1:15 pm
yay!!! and now I have a place to go while I’m waiting for my laundry 🙂
January 28th, 2013 at 1:19 pm
If the owners are reading.. perhaps for “south american” flavor you could include arepas on the menu?? I’ve been waiting for a place to start serving these delicious corn cakes!
January 28th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Yassar has been a chef around Philly for several years now. This is very exciting! The food will be amazing – no doubt.
January 29th, 2013 at 6:10 am
I am South American. My husband, North American (from Atlanta, Ga). I would love to go to a cafe where my husband can eat his glorious pancakes and maple syrup (boring!)…while I order some empanadas, tamales, arepas or the ever popular peasant dish “arroz blanco con huevos” with a side of avocado. Holy Mary Mother of God…what if Cafe Renata had the Colombian “pan de bono” or “chicharon” (some of us South Americans love that swine!)! Cafe Renata could keep it simple and also offer some Cuban toast- yummy (assuming you can get your hands on some real Cuban bread- a little tough in Philly). And the last of my recommendations- can I hear a “Whoop! Whoop!” for some high chairs???”
January 29th, 2013 at 9:27 am
I am thrilled to have the space filled so quickly, and at the prospect of breakfast! But just to be nitpicky, “renata” does not, to the best of my knowledge, mean “reborn” in Spanish, at least not in modern Spanish. Someone else may be able to correct me…
January 29th, 2013 at 11:36 am
Paul is right. “Renata” means “reborn” in Latin, but in Spanish it’s just a woman’s name. Spanish for “reborn” would be “renacido/a.” Looking forward to the new cafe all the same 🙂
January 30th, 2013 at 7:44 pm
I hope they continue to have the excellent homemade chai and cafe cubano. Sounds exciting…
February 7th, 2013 at 8:41 am
It’s open! I had the pita with hummus and kefta, it was very good. Nice and cosy inside, too.