When Elena Williams moved to the United States from Germany in 2005, she didn’t think she would open a café. But after working as a manager at Panera and a barista at Starbucks, she realized she wanted to own a restaurant. On April 9,
Katharina’s Café and Konditorei opened on Overton Street in
Newport.
“I had this location in mind for a café, along with a few others,” Williams says. “When it became available, I knew it was perfect.”
Williams did some remodeling of the space, including painting, adding walls and a breakfast nook, as well as purchasing new tables and chairs and installing free Wi-Fi.
Katharina’s, which is named for Williams’ grandmother, serves breakfast and lunch with items made fresh daily by her mother and cook Christine Hambuch. The menu is made up of soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as a few main dishes like Tortellini in Rahmsosse (tortellini in a ham and cream sauce).
Williams says the chicken salad baguette and Belegte Brötchen (your choice of Black Forest ham, smoked ham, salami and cheese on a roll with sandwich fixings) have been customer favorites so far, as well as the potato soup.
Katharina’s also serves coffee and espresso with beans from
Newberry Bros. Coffee, which is down the street. The restaurant resembles traditional German cafés, and has the atmosphere of gemutlichkeit, which is a coziness that inspires a cheery, peaceful mood.
Katharina’s is open Tuesday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
By Caitlin Koenig
Follow Caitlin on Twitter
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.