Paradise Cafe, 703 N. Sequim Ave., opened under new ownership last week, on Feb. 12 at the site of the former Paradise Restaurant which closed last November after the retirement of the previous owners.

The cafe is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Jose Gallegos of The Big Elk Restaurant, and Reynaldo Garcia, former owner of the Fairmont Diner, have teamed up as co-owners, with Jenny Henke as the manager.

Gallegos said the extensive menu is comprised primarily of American food, with “everything you can think of” to eat, including steaks, pasta and seafood as well as breakfast all day. The recipes are different than those of the former Paradise and the decor is being changed some, but they are keeping the familiar sign outside the restaurant.

Each day of the week will have its own repeating special, said Henke, adding that “sometimes there will be a surprise” included with that day’s special.

With a friend, Jeanette Bockelie tried out the food on the first day. “It was nice,” she said, calling the menu comfort food. “It’s a nice little cafe.”

Henke said that unlike the previous iteration of the Paradise, “we do not have a bar, but we do serve beer and wine.”

The room that hosted the former bar is in the process of being transformed into a coffee stand/room, Gallegos and Henke said, which will likely be a few months down the road.

Henke said they plan to serve drinks such as spritzers, Italian sodas and coffee drinks, adding that they hope that high schoolers on their lunch break will find it a convenient place to visit.

She said that the coffee bar will be staffed separately from the restaurant, which is currently looking for more staff to add to the five waitresses and two employees helping out in the kitchen. She said the goal is to have three waitstaff working in the first part of the day and three in the later part so they can provide “the customer service patrons deserve.”

The owners, Henke said, are also the cooks.

“They’re very friendly. They enjoy cooking and making people happy,” she said.

To view the menu and for updates, look on Facebook under “Paradise Cafe Sequim.”

Contact the cafe at: (360)683-1977 or paradisecafesequim@gmail.com

Some of the staff at the new Paradise Cafe are, from left: Crystail Hitz; Michelle Brianne Steward; Jenny Henke; co-owner Reynaldo Garcia; co-owner Jose Gallegos; Sheena Shroder; Zipporah Neathery; and Trisha Stigall.

Waitresses Sheena Shroder and Michelle Brianne Steward, along with hostess Zipporah Neathery, smile as they wait for customers to arrive at the new Paradise Cafe.

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/ Waitresses Michelle Brianne Steward and Trisha Stigall hold platters food offered on the menu at the newly opened Paradise Cafe: Captain’s Platter, Denver Omelette and 2-2-2.

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/ Waitresses Michelle Brianne Steward and Trisha Stigall hold platters food offered on the menu at the newly opened Paradise Cafe: Captain’s Platter, Denver Omelette and 2-2-2.

Sequim Gazette photo by Emily Matthiessen/ Manager Jennifer Henke and co-owner Jose Gallegos work together on elements pertaining to opening a new restaurant.