Coming from a family of business owners, Audra Knisely has always wanted to have her own business. Her parents own Knisely Shredding in Lock Haven and Michelle’s Dog House in Bellefonte. Her family also owns Ingram Fuels in Howard. When the owners of Village Eatinghouse in Pleasant Gap decided to sell their café, located at 105 South Main Street, Knisely jumped on the opportunity.
Knisely, who has a degree in business management and marketing, opened the Corner Café & Grill in June 2015.
With recipes from Knisely’s mother and grandmother, the Corner Café serves breakfast and lunch. Knisely is determined to cater to the tastes of the local community by offering an eclectic combination of Pennsylvania Dutch classics and a variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches.
“I have grab-and-go salads, fruit platters, cold sandwiches, and breakfast parfaits,” says Knisely, who had worked at the State College Borough Water Authority prior to opening Corner Café. “In addition, my mother comes in and makes all the homemade desserts like the apple dumplings, coconut cream pie, S’more pie, and peanut butter pie.”
Pies are sold by the slice or purchase six- or eight-slice pies for $20 and $26, respectively.
Other than the desserts, the most popular items include the tomato spinach frittata, baked quiche, homemade ham pot pie, and chicken noodle soup.
“I make all the homemade noodles in the chicken noodle soup and the ham pot pie as well as the rival noodles that are served with the pot roast,” explains Knisely. “My stepmom is from Thailand, so I started making authentic Thai spring rolls as a side dish, and that has become very popular, as well. I can’t wrap them fast enough!”
For lunch, the strawberry salad and the chicken and roasted pepper Panini are some favorites of customers.
A unique breakfast item on the menu is the spelt waffle. Spelt, an ancient cereal grain, is a distant cousin of wheat.
“Most people don’t know what spelt is, but a lot of people who do try the waffles really like it,” says Knisely.
Look forward to seasonal changes to the menu, including homemade strawberry shortcake, blueberry buckle, and picnic-style sides such as antipasti salad and deviled eggs.
The Corner Café & Grill also is available for catering and for private parties and bridal and baby showers for up to 30 people.
For more information on the Corner Café and Grill, call (814) 548-7380 or visit cornercafe.co.
More Spot 4
View all Spot 4
Taste of the Month: Featuring freshly-made wraps and melts – and a variety of ice cream flavors – Happy Wraps has found a home in Bellefonte
There’s usually a reason why people pass through a small town and never leave. For some, it’s the charm of walking down the street and knowing everyone who passes by, […]
Neighbor to Neighbor: Adapting, and Adopting
Life during COVID-19 takes some adjustment. When the pandemic began, we were all staying home as much as possible, no longer going to the movies or restaurants, even ordering groceries […]
Creativity at the Wheel: For Scot Paterson of Aaronsburg Pottery, art begins with a pile of clay and an appreciation for his customer
You can find Scot Paterson on any given mid-morning strolling out to his self-renovated backyard workshop, finished off with reclaimed barn siding. The reflective bright blue hues of glazed mugs […]
