CHARLOTTE HALL, Md. — Over a decade and a half after opening her first restaurant, Helen Uhler opened a much more intimate location — Helen’s Cafe & Catering on Three Notch Road in St. Mary’s County. Opened from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Fridays, this restaurant serves breakfast all day along with a variety of other selections.

Now, Uhler says this location is “much smaller and more personal than my first one.”  She says she’s always had a passion for food, but that three individuals from her past continue to inspire her in her cafe.

“Charlie Pulliam, Mary Ludlow, and Diane Battaglia, all who were small food business owners that are no longer with us, but are with me in heart,” Uhler explained.

As you dine either inside the cafe or at the outdoor tables, you feel the welcoming atmosphere that Uhler has created.  “I like being able to get to know the customers,” she said.

When the pandemic hit and threatened the cafe, Uhler put herself in her customers’ shoes.

“As the customer, what would I want from a food service provider in this situation?  I would still want my favorite meals to take a break from cooking, or to gather with a couple of friends or family that follow the same covid-safe standards I do…  So I focused on the weekends only.”

Uhler came up with several deals serving individuals, couples, and families/small groups. She wanted to still be there for people when they did not want to cook during quarantine, and even offered adult beverages in some deals. Simplifying the menu and limiting the days helped her business stay afloat. And thankfully, because now she has resumed regular hours.

Looking to the future, Uhler wants to take what she learned from the past year and apply them to her business now as it continues to grow. She specializes in catering for events of about 100 people or less but will do up to 150. She also plans to continue to do specials on different occasions since the package deals were successful.

Uhler could not settle on just one favorite menu item since she compiled it based on a bunch of her favorite dishes. The top sellers are “Farmers Feast,” “Rueben,” and “Toast and Berries” (which is her favorite).  Some other phenomenal dishes are “Lump Crab Eggs Benedict” and “Hot Roast Turkey Sandwich.”

She even shared that she is looking for a second location!

Be sure to visit Helen’s Cafe at 29890 Three Notch Rd Building D, Charlotte Hall, MD 20622, and be on the lookout for a new location.

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