Antelope Cafe & Store

The Antelope Cafe is located on Main St., which is Hwy. 218 (Oregon Journey Through Time Scenic Byway), in the middle of the beautiful, tiny and historic "living" ghost town of Antelope, OR (population 36-40, depending on who's counting). It's the only full-service (breakfast, lunch and dinner) eating establishment for about an hour in any direction.

Rod and Alaia are the proprietors and they're really friendly folks.  They recently moved to this town and started up the cafe in May of this year, which had been closed since Fall of 2011.  The establishment is more cafe than a store, but they do sell various snacks,candies, ice cold drinks and ice cream, among other things.  They plan to sell gasoline in the near future, which would make this place the ONLY gasoline stop for about an hour in any direction, as well.  Very important to know if you're travelling out in these parts.  

The location is next door to the RV park/campground and right across the street from the City Park, lush and green with picnic tables/benches and shaded by tall gorgeous poplar trees. Plenty of parking out front.

The cafe itself is an older building, a local landmark.  Nothing fancy or flashy about it.  It's clean, charming, homey and has all of the quaint things you'd associate with an old-time eatery.  A lot of folks stop by on their way through to Madras/Bend, to/from Young Life Washington Family Ranch or Shaniko/The Dalles.  I've learned that some people from Europe have also eaten there.  I think the owners are going to put up a map with pushpins for that reason.

While the prices are what you'd expect in a rural out-of-the-way setting like this, the food is pretty darned good.  I've eaten there several times.   The hotcakes are big and thick, served with plenty of bacon.  They have different kinds of omlettes and thick French toast, both of which are really good. The popular breakfast dish is their biscuits and gravy, which is pretty tasty and quite big (they do have a "one biscuit" order to suit lighter appetites).  For lunch, there are a variety of sandwiches, chilis (including a chicken chili with green onions, cheddar and Montery Jack cheese over tortilla chips), soups, salad, etc. Different kinds of burgers are served through lunch and dinner.  Their mushroom burger is to DIE for (if you're so inclined, DO ask for grilled onions and garlic...it's the BOMB), complete with fries.  Pizza and is available, too.  Oh yes...I would amiss if I didn't mention their yummy MARIONBERRY COBBLER.  Get it warm with vanilla ice cream!  To round out the cold treats, they serve shakes, root beer floats and slushes.  There's more on the menu and apparently they keep coming up with new stuff all the time.  The serving portions are good-not too much or too little.  

Stop by and say "hi" to Rod and Alaia.  I think you'll be just as pleased with their cafe as much as I have been.