America’s Crossroads Cafe now open in Venango

Now open and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner is America’s Crossroads Cafe in Venango, owned by Candy Hiser-Bazan and her husband Raul.

The couple have been in the area for over 20 years, and Raul’s side of the family has been around Venango since the 60s. Their daughter Gabriella is currently a sixth grader at Perkins County Schools.

They previously owned a business together in Venango, Cactus Palace bar and grill. Hiser-Bazan said that business did well, so when the opportunity arose to open a cafe in town, they took it.

Hiser-Bazan purchased the diner in November of 2019 with the intent to open their own cafe.

“We wanted to start up a cafe in town because every little town needs a breakfast, lunch and dinner spot to go to,” she said.

After they bought the building, Hiser-Bazan and her family headed south for the winter to spend three months in Texas, as they do each year.

“When we came back, COVID hit,” she said.

Since purchasing the building, Hiser-Bazan said they have had to do “pretty extensive” remodeling and aesthetic changes, though remodeling took longer than originally planned due to the ongoing pandemic.

Since 2019 they have redone the walls, painted, remodeled the bathroom, replaced the grill hood with a new 10-foot hood and more. There are even future plans of changes to the bar area.

Once renovations were done, America’s Crossroads Cafe sported the look of an old-fashioned diner, with plenty of shiny metals and retro aesthetics.

The cafe’s first day in business was Tuesday, October 5. Not only did Hiser-Bazan say she was excited, but she also noted they have been very busy during all meal times since their opening.

She has heard much positive feedback from the community, with many feeling the cafe is a great and needed addition to the community.

The menu includes a large variety of items for each meal of the day, and some of the most liked menu items according to Hiser-Bazan are the open-faced hot roast beef dinner, french dip, chicken fried steak sandwich and dinner and the Crossroads burger.

She also noted they are hoping to start doing lunch specials in the near future.

America’s Crossroads Cafe also serves ice cream, a treat which she says has received much positive feedback.

“Everybody loves it,” Hiser-Bazan said of the frozen dessert, adding how now people who would regularly have to travel out of town for ice cream no longer have to make the drive.

Sundays, the restaurant is open for buffet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., something Hiser-Bazan thinks is one of the benefits the cafe brings to the area.

“There are virtually no places open on Sunday, and slim to no places open for breakfast in the area, so I think that will help,” she said.

At the time, the restaurant is mainly run by Hiser-Bazan and her husband Raul, but as the business grows and becomes busier she expects she will be looking to hire some employees.

America’s Crossroads Cafe, located at 116 N. Pennsylvania, is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cafe can be reached at 308-447-5534.

For a friendly atmosphere and good food, Hiser-Bazan encourages everyone to stop in.