We’re the sisters & the official taste-testers of all things pancake & cheesy fries. Back in the summer of 2019, our parents—Phil & Alexis—did something kind of crazy and really brave. They left their regular jobs to follow their dream of opening a cozy little restaurant that would feel just like home. & they named it after us!

 

We got to watch the whole thing happen—painting walls, scrubbing floors, tossing all the old stuff, & bringing in the new. Mom took us thrifting & "yardsailing" for the best mismatched chairs & decorations. They worked super late (like, way past our bedtime—hehe), getting everything just right. On November 23, 2019, the doors to Ari & Mia’s Small Town Cafe officially opened—& it felt like magic.

 

So many people came—neighbors, friends, even folks just passing through. The restaurant was full of smiles, good smells, & happy hearts. It was amazing!

 

But then… Like month or two later—FLIPPING COVID happened. You know, when world kind of stopped, & our little restaurant had a really hard time. 

 

But guess what? Our Miamitown community didn’t give up on us. People kept showing up—even if it was just for takeout. Some even drove from other states to support us! Our parents set up a tent in the middle of the dining room so we could play with our toys while they ran orders out to cars. It was kind of wild, but also kind of awesome.

 

At first, our restaurant only served breakfast and lunch. But a lot of people kept asking, “Can you stay open later?” So we did some dinner hours for a while. But our dad was working 14-hour days, & it was really hard—for him & for us. It meant he couldn’t be home much or come to my cheer events, Mia’s dance, or spend time with our little brother, Odin. So we decided to stop doing dinner. It was more important to have our dad at our dinner table & to have him home before we went to bed. Some people didn’t understand & even said mean things about it. But our loyal customers totally supported us! They see our dad in the kitchen every day, working hard & doing what he loves.

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Our place is cozy, the food is really good, & the people are kind—& that’s what matters most to us. 💛

 

We’re not a big chain. We’re not fancy. We’re just a real family,

serving real food with real heart. You’ll probably see us around—coloring in the corner,

helping out, or sneaking extra syrup when no one’s looking.

 

And now that you’re here? You’re part of the story, too. 💕

XO, Ari & Mia