“I’m most proud of opening our doors,” says Sarah Baker. “It took so much to get here.”
Growing up in Coeur d’Alene, Sarah got her first taste of the restaurant industry while in high school and quickly discovered her love for the service industry. In 2000, while in college, Sarah was hired as a busser at Europa, where she remained for eight years, working her way up to serving, bartending, managing and bookkeeping. She left Europa in 2008 to work at Cottage Café until 2015. “Between those two restaurants, I learned everything about the industry and what it takes to make it,” she says.
After years of hard work and perseverance, it was time to fulfill her dream of opening her own restaurant. “You have to work insanely hard to get people to believe in you and your vision,” Sarah says.
After renovating the old farmhouse in the serene setting of Stoddard Park, Sarah opened the doors to Chomper Café in April 2015. Once inside guests will experience an inviting atmosphere that is very unpretentious; a casual place that is comfortable and warm, with antique red chairs complemented by hand-painted murals and old local farm photos adorning the walls.
On the menu you’ll find favorites like the Reuben, unbelievably delicious and loaded with corned beef, sauerkraut, house Russian dressing, Swiss cheese and thick marbled rye. The corned beef is slow braised for 10 hours, incredibly tender and full of flavor. Enjoy it in not only the Reuben but hash and Irish benny as well. They’ll soon be adding smoked pork hash to the menu! The chicken fried steak is their pride and joy, with its hand-pounded steak, breaded, fried and smothered in their house sausage gravy.
At Chomper Café, they only utilize the best ingredients to pour into every item they serve, from the rice bran oil and 100-percent fresh butter to homemade strawberry jam and fresh potatoes sliced in house. And for guests with food intolerances, they are happy to accommodate those needs including providing gluten-free buns and breads.
Open daily 7am to 3pm, Sarah and her team are ready to bring high-quality, delicious fare to the table paired with a memorable experience.
Chomper Café
Hayden
2345 W. Prairie Ave.
208.719.0441