The Waverly Cafe focuses on homemade food
Heather Thorstensen
Date Modified: 04/05/2012 1:58 PM
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WAVERLY, Minn. — Evie Hill has turned cooking into a long-term career, currently as co-owner of The Waverly Cafe with Sarah Larson.
The two have their own jobs to keep the business going. Hill loves being in a rush, cooking to prepare for the customers. Larson is the people person and handles scheduling, the wait staff and their second restaurant, Fat Matt's Firehouse Pizza, which they opened in Montrose in early 2011.
They also have a catering business that handles events within an hour drive, unless the venue has a kitchen.
Hill credits her cooking skills to her late mother-in-law of her first husband, Betty Olson. Betty was a natural cook, the kind who knew how to make a pot of soup with just a couple of ingredients she could find on hand.
At first, Hill catered at the VFW in Chaska with a friend. After running a restaurant in Jordan, she had a bowling alley in Waconia. Then she came to work for her sister, who at the time owned The Waverly Cafe.
Hill met Larson at the cafe while Hill was a cook and Larson was a waitress.
Today, the duo focuses on homestyle cooking by making their own baked goods, breads, mashed potatoes, gravy and dressings.
"It tastes better and it's better for you in the long run," said Larson.
Breakfasts are popular, as are their hot beef and turkey sandwiches. Their menu also has burgers, baskets, sandwiches and wraps, salads and desserts.
They have an endless bowl of soup that comes with homemade bread for $6.95 during weekday lunch or $7.95 for dinner and weekends.
They're also known for pies, says Hill. They usually have a large variety.
They help with fundraisers, get to know their customers and get involved with community events, such as pie-eating contests, human tractor pulls and parades for the Wright County Fair or Waverly Daze.
"We are part of this community," said Larson.
Regular customers like to leave their coffee mugs on a shelf by the door for the Coffee Club. If they bring their own mug, they drink coffee for $1.25 Monday through Friday. The club is so popular that Hill plans to build more shelves.
Larson and Hill like to try to save energy at their cafe. They are looking for more bio-degradable options than Styrofoam take out boxes.
Using resources wisely helps them do their part to improve the environment, said Hill.
"I think we all have to be in it together," she said.