NEWS

J.P. Spoonems for 40 years is now All Favorites Cafe

Adding French flavor and Texan spice to breakfast, lunch dishes

Posted 4/19/22

By EMMA BARTLETT

J.P. Spoonems, the treasured breakfast and lunch restaurant that has fed the Edgewood neighborhood and beyond for the past 40 years is gone. Run by husband and wife Joe and Pat …

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NEWS

J.P. Spoonems for 40 years is now All Favorites Cafe

Adding French flavor and Texan spice to breakfast, lunch dishes

Posted

By EMMA BARTLETT

J.P. Spoonems, the treasured breakfast and lunch restaurant that has fed the Edgewood neighborhood and beyond for the past 40 years is gone. Run by husband and wife Joe and Pat Mangione, the couple recently retired and closed shop in early this year, selling it Berke, 54, and Emily Marye, 51. The couple opened their own breakfast and lunch place – All Favorites Cafe – on April 8.

“I grew up in a food-centric family,” said Berke, who is is self-taught and previously worked as the executive chef of Winfield’s Restaurant on Block Island.

Berke grew up in Houston, Texas, and took interest in his grandmothers’ cooking from a young age. In his late teens, he worked in a restaurant and would cook for himself – experimenting with the tastes and flavors he liked.

Berke went on to open a gourmet pizza restaurant with his father which they ran together for 13 years until Berke found his way to the East Coast. After working for a while in Boston, he was hired at Winfield’s in 2010. That’s where he met Emily.

Emily, who grew up in Middletown, Connecticut, has worked in the restaurant industry most of her life. From being a dishwasher to preparing pizza dough, Emily was also a server, busser and delivery driver while in college. She was working in the kitchen at Winfield’s when she met Berke.

The two worked seasonally on Block Island and spent the chillier months of the year on Rhode Island’s mainland. After living four years in Wakefield, Emily said she, Berke and their daughter moved to Edgewood for the area’s cultural diversity and vibrancy of being near the city. Emily noted the importance of family and how the couple never decided to stay on the mainland while Berke would work on Block Island because he’d be away months at a time.

It was once they found themselves in Cranston that the couple heard J.P. Spoonems was closing. Berke called the owner and said the transition happened really naturally.

“We told ourselves we’d put one foot in front of the other until it didn't make sense – and it just kept making sense,” said Emily.

Berke and Emily signed the lease in February and turned the place around in two months. With a fresh coat of paint, a switch of chairs and a new aesthetic, Emily said people in the neighborhood would stop by the business when they saw Emily or Berke there and ask when they’d be opening. Emily said at first, they considered turning the location into a dinner spot since that was what Berke was known for but decided to keep it breakfast and lunch which suited their family. Emily noted the commonalities between her and Berke and Joe and Pat. Joe (like Berke) ran the kitchen while Pat (like Emily) ran the front of the house.

The restaurant serves “all favorites” for breakfast and lunch. Berke said they owe the name to their daughter. When she was two-and-a-half years old, Berke was playing with her and they created their own restaurant. He asked her what they should name it, and she said “all favorites.”

All Favorites’ opening weekend began April 8, and Emily and Berke said they had good attendance – mostly getting word out through word of mouth and followed by foot traffic. Emily said some Block Island residents came to the mainland to support them. 

“There were lots of clean plates,” Emily said.

In the short time they’ve been open, Emily said the cafe’s Loaded Home Fries, Cubano and el Burro are rising to the top of the list of orders. One of their signature things is to bring over Escabeche when customers arrive, which can be eaten alone or added to your dish.

“It truly is comfort food and made with so much love,” Emily said. “His style is rich French food and throws in his own Texas flavors.” 

Emily said their goal is to keep the cafe a neighborhood spot – similar to “Cheers” where you know the names and faces.

“It feels like you’re at a friend’s house and we’re feeding you great food,” Emily said, describing the cafe’s vibe.

Berke said he feels like they’ve created a good menu with a lot of choices. Since the kitchen is small and he doesn’t have a walk-in fridge, he has to see what he can fit in the fridge and judge the menu from there.

The Pawtucket (Pawtuxet?) Farmers Market reached out to All favorites Cafe, and Emily said they’ll be talking about possibly using local eggs and produce with summer coming along. Down the road, the cafe would like to hold fundraisers or do outreach programs that would evolve the community in another way.

Overall, the family is excited about the shift in their lifestyle, from moving every six months, to settling down and establishing roots in Cranston. And of course, they’re looking forward to feeding people with their new cafe.

All Favorites Cafe is located at 1678 Broad St., Cranston. They are open Tuesday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. For information, visit allfavoritescafe.com or call 401-941-3550.

All Favorites, cafe

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