By Mick Dillon / The Jambar
After being closed for nearly four years, Butler Café has reopened its doors under new ownership.
Chef Bill Prest was approached with the opportunity to take over the Butler Café in the summer of 2023 and was able to get the business opened back up within months.
“Where I’m at right now … as I’m getting older, I thought this would be a great way to finish out my career,” Prest said.
Prest’s passion for food dates back to his teenage years, when he worked at a butcher shop and prepared dishes using an electric skillet.
“I really just studied cookbooks like I was going to school for a medical degree,” Prest said.
Since Prest has also been working with Julian Gray’s catering, he decided to bring in his own staffer, Brittney Canning, to manage the Butler Café.
Canning has been along for the ride with Prest and shares the same vision for the future of the cafe.
“I kind of just do a little bit of everything,” Canning said.
Prest said he is proud that the Butler Café uses fresh ingredients and has an inventive menu.
“We don’t do anything out of a freezer,” Prest said. “We make it homemade and from the freshest ingredients.”
Prest looks forward to revamping the cafe with a new fall menu that will feature a wide variety of weekly specials, including Burger Tuesday and Comfort Food Thursday.
Along with its specials, the fall menu will have daily items such as Reubens, grilled ham and Swiss sandwiches, gyros and a wide variety of seasonal soups.
Canning hopes to see more Youngstown State University students coming into the cafe in lieu of these new specials.
“It’s a good little spot for them to come and get a quick little bite,” Canning said. “We’re definitely open to suggestions. I’ve thought about doing a suggestion box. We want to cater to the people around and make what the people like.”
Students can also expect to see some promotional flyers being passed out on campus in the coming weeks. YSU students are encouraged to submit menu recommendations to the Butler Café either in person or on its Facebook page.