Cafe Europa expands with Union Hill restaurant

After 15 years in the Crestwood Shops, Cafe Europa is opening a second location.

Its longtime chef, Nate Feldmiller, and longtime general manager, Dan Weber, are taking a first-floor space in the new McGee Building at 30th Street and Gillham Road. They plan to open Cafe Europa Union Hill there in September. They also are buying the Crestwood location.

They had looked at ways to expand the 1,700-square-foot Crestwood restaurant, but their options there were limited.

The 3,100-square-foot Union Hill space allows for a bigger kitchen to take on more catering jobs, add box lunches and more bake shop items like danishes and croissants, and add a private dining room.

Customers on the patio will be able to watch the production of baked goods, including Cafe Europa’s ever-popular lemon cake, at large front windows looking into the kitchen.

The owners plan to offer a weekday “casual” breakfast, perhaps bacon/egg/cheese on a roll, grain bowls, and granola and yogurt with seasonal fruits. But on the weekends it might offer more labor-intensive items like eggs benedict.

“A more traditional, sit-down, lingering breakfast rather than a working breakfast,” Feldmiller said.

Cafe Europa Union Hill will seat about 45 people in the dining room, along with 24 people at the full-service bar, and 24 people in a private dining room. It will have about 30 full- and part-time employees.

Weber said the two restaurants will be close enough that the partners can easily travel back and forth, but Union Hill is also far enough away that it is not poaching on the Crestwood location.

Both restaurants will continue to offer chef-driven seasonal lunch and dinner menus.

The owners expect the Union Hill location to draw customers from area office buildings and hospitals, as well as the surrounding residential area, including nearby neighborhoods like Hyde Park, Coleman Highlands, the Crossroads, Valentine and the downtown area.

“It’s such a dynamic neighborhood. It’s very diverse, younger people, older people,” Feldmiller said. “A lot of activity where we can offer something to people throughout the day.”

Cafe Europa opened as Europa A Cafe at 323 E. 55th St. in 2001. Andy Atterbury and Gwyn Prentice purchased the restaurant about a decade ago and now live in Florida. Feldmiller became the chef in 2008 and Weber joined in 2010. They are purchasing Cafe Europa Crestwood for an undisclosed price in a deal expected to close next week.

Plaza’s Republica closing

Less than a year after opening on the Country Club Plaza, Spanish-themed restaurant Republica (pronounced re-poob-lee-kah) will change concepts.

The restaurant, at 4807 Jefferson St., will shut down at the end of business on May 28 and reopen under a new name and new concept in mid-June.

In a statement, chief executive officer and founder of Bread & Butter Concepts Alan Gaylin said, “Overall, it did not meet the company’s business goals.”

Republica will be replaced by an American tavern concept called The Oliver.

The Oliver will offer “time-honored classic cuisine” using fresh ingredients with a twist. So instead of a typical French dip, customers can order a signature smoked pork shoulder dip.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 10:43 AM with the headline "Cafe Europa expands with Union Hill restaurant."