A Touch of Nostalgia

Up North on Northgate Mile sits the longest continually operating restaurant in the state of Idaho. For 90 years, North Hi-Way Café has been offering the community a place to share laughs, make new friends and above all, enjoy home-cooked meals.

What began in 1934 as a local café would prove to stand the test of time. Over the course of decades, the café survived the Great Depression, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have stood strong through many wars, struggles and triumphs,” owner Veronica Holverson said. “We have seen the rise and fall of times long gone, and we are proud to be a staple of our Idaho Falls community.”

The café has stood through many historical times and experienced love and care by several generations.

Aaron Jones, the man who began it all, owned what was known as the ”Flivver” shop—a garage where people in the community went to get their Model A’s fixed. He set up tables in the garage for his customers to have a bite to eat while they waited and over time, the garage turned into a local eatery.

Since 1934, there have been four known primary owners. Business partners Everett and Edna Morgan and Loren and Louse Schultz ran the café until 1952 when Evan and Theo Cropper became the sole owners.

Later in 1972, Lavar “Butch” and Darlene Warren purchased the restaurant and ran the café for three decades before they sold it to Roxanne and Wesley Smith. Roxanne and Wesley ran the café for more than two decades before selling it to the current owners, Todd and Veronica Holverson.

What can only be described as fate, Todd and Veronica met at the café and a love story unfolded. Todd had worked at the restaurant on and off for over 30 years and Veronica had been a part of the North Hi-Way Café family for a decade.

Now the new owners of the beloved café, they plan to bring back its roots.

“Back in the day, they used to make all of their own meals and then they kind of got out of it for a while,” Todd said. “They used to always home-make their bread and bakery items, and that’s why we want to get back into it.”

The café takes ‘homemade’ to heart. All of the items on the menu are made from scratch, made fresh and many of the ingredients are sourced locally.

The home-cooked meals served at the café bring fond memories reminiscent of your grandmother’s cooking and the annual car show makes it all the more nostalgic. Live music, food, raffles and the star of the show, classic cars, represent the many eras and memories the café has been operating.

North Hi-Way is a home away from home for many. This community staple has seen members of the community grow from the time they were children to becoming grandparents, and the milestones in between.

North Hi-Way Café is open Monday through Sunday from 5 a.m.-3 p.m. and offers catering services. Head to www.northhiwaycafe.com for more information.