If you’re out in West Philly and looking for some quality morning hash browns, Cedar Park Cafe at 49th & Baltimore has reopened.

The cafe welcomed eaters back through its doors on August 15th. It was forced to close early last winter after a Christmas Eve fire at Elena’s Soul caused damage to its neighbors on both sides. The fire eventually forced the demolition of Elena’s, sadly. Gary’s Nails, the business on the other side of Elena’s, also plans to reopen, but its owners are still working out insurance issues. Earlier this year, community members hosted fundraisers to support the damaged businesses.

The cafe

It’s great to see this cafe has reopened. Open for less than a year before the fire, it had just started establishing itself as the prime breakfast destination for locals. Saturday mornings it was as packed as The Gold Standard, a somewhat fancier establishment located down the street. It’s also good to note that even as these three businesses were closed, other businesses opened on the block- like Little Baby’s Ice Cream right across the street.

Since then, the Cedar Park commercial vault has only strengthened. A block west on the 5000 block of Baltimore Ave., there are plans for Babylon Bistro, taco truck and a new juice bar. And there may be a garden center coming to 51st Street as well. There’s just a lot going on in Cedar Park right now. Could a revisiting of the shelved Apple Lofts proposal be far behind?

–Lou Mancinelli