MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) — Located right next to the train tracks in historic downtown Madison, Main Street Cafe has a history of its own.
The foundation was laid in 1954, and current owner Tammy Hall says much of the original architecture is still standing. The building changed hands multiple times over the years, first being used as Madison City Hall, then as a gift shop in the 1990s.
It was eventually repurposed into Main Street Cafe, run by original owner Cindy Sensenberger and her husband for 18 years. In 2018, the cafe was purchased by Hall.
“Most of what you know about the restaurant originated with her,” Hall said about her predecessor. “The menu, the ambiance, what people expect when they come in here. This restaurant had an incredibly loyal customer base when we came in and all we’ve ever tried to do was maintain that.”
Because of Hall’s commitment to tradition, every recipe is the same now as it was decades earlier.
“I want you to feel like when you came in and ate poulet 15 years ago, that today, if you come in and eat poulet, it’s still the same,” Hall said. “Same methods, same recipe. Nothing’s changed.”
That goes for the decor, too. Main Street Cafe still features jail cells from back in the day. Where the cinderblock enclaves used to hold offices for the Chief of Police, they now hold dinner tables.
“There have been many, many customers who’ve come in here and said they spent a night in jail here when they were teenagers,” Hall said.
The jail cells remain a popular tourist attraction, especially for regular Pam Deerman, who’s been coming since the cafe first opened.
“I have a group of ladies that are former tennis players, one I still play tennis with,” Deerman said. “They’re 80 and 90 years old. We have lunch once a month and this is where we like to come.”
“They always like to sit in the jail cell,” Deerman added. “You can tell stories in there and they’re not getting repeated.”
Regulars like Pam flock to Main Street for southern comfort food, from the fan favorite “poulet de Normandie” to strawberry pretzel salad. For server Kristin Vann, seeing a familiar patron puts an instant smile to her face.
“We have a lot of customers that we know by name,” Vann said. “We have a lot of customers where the moment they walk in, we give them hugs. It’s probably the best feeling in the world. It kinda feels like they joined a little bit of the Main Street family.”
“When I get up in the morning, I know I’m going to work,” Vann added. “But at the same time, I know I’m going to get to work and see everybody that I care about and I love.”
It’s a passion for Main Street Cafe that starts in the kitchen and runs all the way to the dining room.
“You feel like you’re a part of someone’s dream, to come here,” Deerman said.
To check out the magic of Main Street Cafe for yourself, visit here.
The post Main Street Cafe: Keeping Madison history alive and well-fed appeared first on WHNT.
