The Cortes Café has seen many owners and has had many themes over the decades. Julie Keith is the newest owner/chef to throw her hat into the ring, with help from husband Sandy.

Julie says she's spent decades in the food and hospitality industry and felt there was a need to revive the café to serve as a hub for the community.

The café, located in Mansons Landing Community Hall, is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, coinciding with hours of the nearby post office, and offers breakfast and lunch selections.

All day omelette served at the Cortes Cafe. Photo by Greg Osoba.

All services in the hall are under the oversight of the Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA). In 2020, the SCCA had raised funds to renovate the kitchen to conform with regulations governing commercial kitchens. Its board identified the re-opening of the café as a top priority in early fall 2022 after the former owner ceased operations in the early spring of that year in order to take on other work.

Julie says supply chain issues, and just having the Cortes community aware that the café had opened under new management, made for a difficult start up last fall/winter.

Cortes Café Owner Julie Keith discusses her inspiration for feeding residents and visitors in the interview below with CKTZ News: