A Twist on the Traditional at Alexander's Cafe
On my first visit Alexander’s Café, on Chenango Street in Downton Binghamton, I looked around and figured whoever’s behind it had really pulled it together: inviting décor, creative, simple food, welcoming host, attention to customer service. When I learned the restauranteur was barely out of his teens when he opened it, my “not bad” became “pretty amazing.”
How many eateries have a detailed mission statement? And of those, how many publish it right on their building?
YOUNG BUT WELL-SEASONED
Patrons are surprised to discover just how young proprietor Alex Nichols is—22. He launched in August of 2014, after several years of hands-on training as a fast food manager, styling it after Shelley’s Deli—a beloved staple of his native Endicott—where he’d served as manager.
“I learned the basics of food service management and how to solve problems quickly,” Nichols says. “Most important, I saw how to take the time to relate to customers, get their feedback. learn how you’re doing and keep improving as you go along.”
That’s why, in the past three and a half years, he’s gotten to know his customers by name, building relationships while satisfying their hunger. The result is a café—Bistro would probably be more on-the-mark—with fare that includes abundant choices to customize the meals.
Take my lunch choice the last time I stopped by: The Mr. Lucky – one of eleven signature paninis on Alexander’s regular menu. Tuna, lettuce, tomato, and red onion. I could have ordered it as a wrap, but I craved the crunch of the warm, toasted panini bread on a chilly day. Did I want cheese with that? American, Swiss, provolone, pepper jack, or fresh mozz? Fresh mozz, of course. There are any number of condiments and extras, such as red pepper strips, I could have added. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
LANDMARK LOCATION
In addition to super-friendly service and a made-from-scratch menu, another component of Nichol’s vision is a place that reflects the core of Binghamton’s character in surroundings that are pleasing to the eye.
Alexander's is on the first floor of 34 Chenango Street, across from the old Stone Opera House, a short sprint from the Courthouse traffic circle. City old-timers will recall it as the Weeks & Dickenson building—a five-story brick and wood structure dating back to 1898. Post-WWII, it became a full-service music store, at one time home to recording studios that could accommodate live orchestras, listening booths, and the WKOP radio station. Now it houses Midtown Antiques, visible from the back of the café dining room, and assorted offices on the remaining four floors.
“There’s always been a café or coffee shop on this street near this location,” Nichols says, and he’s right, including the long-gone Ritz Tearoom (later Parlor City Café), and Chroma Café & Bakery (now around the corner on Court Street). That’s why he’s included such unusual items as lemonade and ice cream—harkening back to the staples of such bygone dining rooms.
The décor and furnishings seem elegant for a café: comfy high-backed chairs, a checkerboard floor, acoustic panels over the original tin-stamped ceiling and a recently added gas fireplace, making Alexander’s one of the few eateries in Binghamton to feature a welcoming hearth. Historic photos of Downtown adorn the walls--what Nichols calls his subtle attempt to educate customers about Binghamton history. In warm months, sidewalk tables turn Alexander’s into an outdoor café.
NEO-COLLEGE-TOWN VIBE MEETS LOCAL APPETITES
Binghamton’s revival as a college town and the growing student population are what drew Nichols to Downtown. He pulls customers from art galleries on nearby State Street and the increasing number of street festivals and running events throughout the year. But Alexander’s also enjoys a brisk breakfast and lunch clientele from Downtown businesses as well as bus travelers drifting down Chenango Street from the renovated transportation hub a block north.
Nichols says he wants to “bring people and ideas together and grow as the city continues to grow,” as declared in that mission statement on the café’s outside wall (and no, he didn’t have to get a graduate biz degree to create it).
But when it comes to restaurants, lofty vision, heritage location, and well-appointed furnishings will only take you so far. It must also deliver on menu and price. And here’s where Nichols gets his chance to give some old stand-bys his unique spin.
FAMILIAR NAMES, FRESH TASTES
Alexander’s menu is posted on a wide chalkboard spanning the length of the ordering area and cashier’s station. After selecting from standard choices and a variety of specials, customers mosey into the adjacent dining area on the other side, where a server will bring the food to the table.
Breakfast, served until 11am, includes sandwiches named after celebrity chefs: The Martha, The Ramsey, The Emeril, The Rachel Ray. Alexander’s is also home to the double-egg breakfast sandwich—a made-to-order favorite among students.
Lunch selections include fresh salads, wraps and signature Paninis, all of which can be customized with extras to fit individual tastes and whimsy. An Asian-inspired concoction with Napa and red cabbage, wonton strips, chicken breast, cashews, green onions, and special dressing comprises the Chinois Salad, while fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil and red pepper offer a slightly different twist on a Caprese salad.
Wraps are named for current and past local landmarks, including the Strand, the Know (theatre) and the Press (building, recently refurbished and right up the street). Paninis can also become wraps, if you possess the willpower to resist the warm, crunchy bread (I don’t) and some are also named for local places and people: the Courthouse, the Mutual, 123 Court. The most popular panini is the Scorcher: Cajun spicy chicken breast with jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, and chipotle aioli.
The endless possibilities of customizing your meal include adding sides and a drink to supersize, represented by: the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior--depending on the number of sides and choice of beverage. There are vegetarian and gluten-free options and coming this year: a featured Sandwich of the Week named for a local business, organization, or group among Alexander’s regular patrons.
Alexander’s also boasts multiple daily specials, including up to three different soups. Chicken wing soup is a standard. I tried the sweet potato jalapeno soup which was a thick, lusty puree of sweetness with a hint of spice, garnished with jalapeno slices.
This is food to revel in, not just consume.
ALL THIS, AND MILKSHAKES, TOO
For desserts, choose among assorted cookies, brownies, and pastries along with ice cream treats--including sundaes and banana splits--plus smoothies and shakes--traditional milkshakes, with flavors as common as vanilla or as diverse as Nutella and creamsicle.
Prices are affordable with breakfasts under five dollars and lunch items under ten. And specials are posted daily on Alexander’s Facebook page, which can be viewed from the café’s website.
Alexander’s Café also delivers to businesses in the vicinity, caters parties and events, and offers a loyalty card with every seventh sandwich free—Nichols puts the used cards on display. He recently expanded the café’s hours and hopes to add First Friday Art Walk events as the weather warms up.
Alexander’s Café is located at 34 Chenango St., Binghamton. (607) 296-4388, alexanderscafe34.com; their Facebook handle is Quichewich. Hours: Monday-Wednesday 8am-5pm; Thursday and Friday 8am-8pm; Saturdays 10am-8pm.
