Roger Dierkhising, General Manager of Café Sarafornia, Calistoga’s famous “breakfast all day” establishment, comes from a large culinary family in Minnesota and it was family that originally drew him to California to pursue his career in the culinary arts. Celebrating 30 years of business in 2020, the restaurant is known for being a comfortable place that serves comfort food.
Called the “cheeriest place” in the Napa Valley by one customer, it is this very reason that Roger wound up here, “Calistoga is an unpretentious, friendly place with small town charm”, stated Roger. This is most evident when you enter Café Sarafornia where you are always greeted with a smile from either Roger himself or one of the five servers who have been working there for over 20 years.
Roger is an accomplished chef and pool player (bet you didn’t know that!)-a skill he honed at a young age while under his parents’ watchful eye at their restaurant and bar. He even took first place in a 50-team pool tournament and has 3 foosball trophies that date back to his teenage years. Roger loves to cook and watch a good movie on his days off and can often be found in his kitchen braising something delicious, which is his favorite method of cooking. Sustainability is also top of mind with Roger and his family. The café incorporates a number of sustainable practices including the elimination of plastic water bottles and use of biodegradable straws. The restaurant has many choices for the vegetarian in your group or any diner looking to reduce their carbon footprint or just eat more legumes. Café Sarafornia has healthy options for human beings and planet earth!
The next time you visit us in Calistoga, be sure to pop into Café Sarafornia and ask for Roger. He’ll probably tell you all about his latest culinary creation, introduce you to an old friend and likely share a local tale or two.
This Is Calistoga is our new blog series profiling our members, their stories and life in Calistoga. Check in regularly and follow along.
