Cafe Reconcile

Cafe Reconcile at 1631 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, is a nonprofit lunch cafe that doubles as a job-training program. It was founded in 1996 by Father Harry Tompson, a Jesuit priest, as part of Reconcile New Orleans, an organization created to help at-risk young people in the community. Participants, usually between the ages of 16 and 24, learn restaurant skills in a structured program, working in the kitchen and dining room under experienced staff, and the cafe's revenue supports that training. The restaurant has become a respected stop on the Oretha Castle Haley corridor, a street revitalized in recent years and historically important as a commercial and civil rights landmark. The food is New Orleans soul food and Creole home cooking. Fried catfish and smothered chicken are among the most popular plates, red beans, greens, mac and cheese, and other sides accompany the lunch specials, and bread pudding is a typical dessert. Specials rotate, and the lunch service is generally affordable, with plates priced around US$12-22. The dining room is bright, simple and friendly, with the feel of a community lunch spot rather than a formal restaurant. Dress is casual, and the noise level is moderate. Service can be a little slower than at a typical restaurant because of the training mission, which is part of the experience. The cafe is usually open on weekdays for lunch, so hours should be confirmed before going. It operates on a walk-in basis, and groups should call ahead. A meal here is both a good lunch and a direct way to support local workforce development, and the location is a short ride or streetcar trip from the Warehouse District and the Garden District. Menus change with the day and season, and the staff can explain dishes to visitors unfamiliar with Creole cooking, so first-time diners can ask what the kitchen recommends that day.