Diane's Cafe is known as the heart of Hawkeye
By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 03/18/2010 10:39 AM
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Diane's Cafe
Location: 105 E. Main, Hawkeye, Iowa
Hours: 4:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays, and 4:30 to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Known for: "Great food, homemade soup, and wonderful baked goods including kolaches and sugar free pies," say customers. The cafe goes through a lot of roast beef. Hot beef sandwiches are available every day. Cost is $6. A senior meal is $5.
Contact Diane's at (563) 427-3315
HAWKEYE, Iowa —When the Rev. Harold Peterson and his wife, Dolores, moved to Hawkeye, someone told them that Diane's Cafe was the heart of Hawkeye.
"After being here four years, we've found that to be true," said Pastor Pete, as everyone refers to Peterson. "If you can't make it for coffee, you better call because everyone will wonder where you are."
Diane Ungerer, owner of Diane's Cafe, starts her day at 4:15 a.m. with the first customers arriving at 4:30 a.m. There's usually a card game underway a little after 5 a.m.
Ungerer makes breakfast "whenever" just like she'll prepare a burger at 6 a.m. if that's what a customer wants.
The food is made from scratch. Her eggs come from a nearby farm. She uses the produce from her vegetable garden, and many customers bring her fruits and vegetables.
She bakes her own bread, rolls, and desserts, and makes her own noodles and jam, which diners can purchase and take home.
She always uses real potatoes, "never instant."
In addition to the daily hot beef, Ungerer serves another special that changes every day. She has a soup selection as well.
Ungerer describes her menu as "down to earth food." There are eggs, hash browns, pancakes and French toast for breakfast. There are burgers, sandwiches, soup, salads, fries and desserts for lunch. Dinners range from fish to shrimp to chicken to steak.
She offers a choice of meat and potatoes with salad bar and dessert on Friday nights and Sundays at noon for $7.50. The Sunday before holidays starting in October and continuing through Easter, she serves a duck dinner. The ducks are locally raised.
Ungerer has owned the cafe for more than 29 years. She worked at the Red Vest in Calmar for 8 1/2 years before that.
"I brought my Chrysler to Hawkeye to get it fixed, and the dealer told me the cafe was for sale," Ungerer said. "I've been here ever since. I met my husband, David, in here."
David helps before and after work and the couple's daughter, Dana, also helps when she isn't working as a trainer for Goodwill.
The only other help Ungerer has is Betty Morse. She works on Wednesdays when Ungerer runs the food concession for the Fort Atkinson Hay Auction and prepares supper for the confirmation class at Zion Church in West Union. Ungerer also prepares food for specialty sales, and often has baked goods orders to deliver wherever she goes.
Ungerer sews table cloths to match the season. Currently, the tables are dressed in a St. Patrick's Day motif. Customers have donated plants in the front window. She has a party room in the back with a long banquet table, and she'll prepare evening meals for groups.
In addition to cooking, which she learned from her mother "who was a super cook," she likes to sew and embroider. Her sewing machine is set up in a corner of the banquet room, and she has been known to patch jeans for customers.
"I just love it here," Ungerer said. "People are so good to me. It's a big family."
--Jean Caspers-Simmet