Kelli Lageson
NORTH MANKATO — A new café in North Mankato is trying to support the downtown area, local businesses and artists.
Mark Levitt and Carmen Christy just opened Christys Café in August in the old Del’s Café location. The restaurant is their first, but Christy has experience in the business.
“Carmen was a sous chef, which is the person under the head chef,” Levitt said. “She learned as she went for 15 years, and restaurant owners told me she has the best palate.”
Levitt and Christy moved from Cape Cod, Mass., and have been enjoying owning Christys because they get to meet so many people. They’ve also had fun renovating the space and choosing the decor, as well as opening up the space to artists to display work.
But they said the food is their main focus.
“Food is what we’re about here,” Levitt said. “We’re a success if they come back for the food.”
Christys Café is a sit-down restaurant with additional counter seating. The restaurant serves American fare along with gourmet and vegetarian choices. They make all their own baked goods and soups, which Christy has been enjoying creating for the new menu.
“I do a vegetarian soup and another soup every day,” she said.
Everything on the menu is available for takeout, and Levitt confessed he hasn’t even eaten everything yet.
“I haven’t eaten my way through the menu, but the Cuban sandwich is very good,” Levitt said.
Levitt is open to suggestions and said their menu will probably change.
“About four guys have asked for burgers, and maybe someday we will (have them),” Levitt said.
The couple did quite a bit of renovation work to the space to bring the building up to code. They began work in February when they bought the space. Christy and her mother were in charge of picking the colors and carpeting, but Levitt found a way he can help decorate.
“We’re getting black and white photos of North Mankato, and we want to do some sort of display,” Levitt said.
The couple also inherited some display items, and most of the artwork on the walls was made by their friends and some of their waitresses.
“We want to support arts,” Levitt said. “Even if people don’t buy anything they can come look at the walls.”
Levitt also wants to support other businesses downtown because he believes they can all help each other.
“We use a local farm for our pork products called Prairie Pride Farm, and it tastes wonderful,” Levitt said.
Levitt tries to buy local when possible. One customer said the community needs that kind of place.
“I want to support a place like this,” Linda Hachfeld said.
Next-door neighbor David Mutch of Mutch’s Hardware had similar thoughts.
“Obviously we wish him well,” Mutch said. “We know they’re hard workers.”
