Since 1929
History
The classic cafe that earned a worldwide reputation for good food and friendly service opened in 1929 on Main Street in Marble Falls, Texas. The Blue Bonnet Cafe moved to its current location on Hwy 281, blocks from Lake Marble Falls, in 1946.
Legendary
Contrary to common belief, the restaurant is named after a blue "bonnet" or hat, not the popular Texas wildflower. The legendary reputation of Blue Bonnet Cafe has traveled far and wide. We hear stories of customers running into people across the country and around the globe who know about us. We've even had people in Antarctica recognize our t-shirts.
Awards
Best Breakfast in Texas - Texas Highways Magazine
Top 10 Restaurants in Texas - Texas Highways Magazine
Top 100 Breakfasts - Travel & Leisure Magazine
Best Restaurants Coast-to-Coast - Road Food Magazine
Best in Texas - Ride Magazine
Best Breakfast in Texas - Ride Magazine
Best Restaurant Within 60 Miles, Runner-Up - Austin Chronicle
Family
We serve good food, but our employees are the big reason Blue Bonnet Cafe is so celebrated. You'll see friendly, familiar faces each time you visit us. We have multiple employees who have worked at the cafe for more than 25 years. We provide all of our full-time employees with health insurance, retirement matching plans, and paid time off. On average, our employee tenure is eight years. We believe that all of our customers are celebrities, and we do our best to make each person feel special.
Owners
John and Belinda Kemper purchased the restaurant in 1981. John was a regular breakfast customer at Blue Bonnet Cafe. One morning, when he was asked if he was interested in buying the restaurant... the rest is history.
Belinda is responsible for the world-famous pies. She used the recipes she learned from Mr. Baker, a cook who worked for the Kempers at Cottonwood. She's also the creator of the Blue Bonnet Cafe cookbook and many of the soup selections.
In 2005, John and Belinda's oldest daughter, Lindsay Plante, and her husband, David, moved back to Marble Falls to get involved in the restaurant. The two are busy carrying on the Blue Bonnet Cafe tradition.
Community
We feel strongly about giving back to the community that has been so good to us. We serve on local boards and committees, and we support numerous local events, schools, and non-profit organizations through monetary and in-kind donations. Twice a year the Blue Bonnet Cafe hosts the Marble Falls Area EMS Fish Fry. The restaurant donates all food and labor for the event. 100 percent of the money raised goes directly to the EMS to help fund additional training and resources.