Favorite Atenas Expat Restaurant Kay’s Refreshes with New Owners.

If you have any questions about property in Costa Rica, click here to contact our partner agent.click here to contact the listing agent.

From the new name to the new menu, just about everything at this longtime expat hangout and favorite restaurant in Atenas has a fresh look.

Renamed Kay’s Postres Café & Restaurant, the charm of the much-loved café Kay’s Gringo Postres is very much alive. The new owners – a lovely Polish-Canadian family from the Toronto area, Ania and Tom Dudek and their two young sons – are continuing the Kay’s tradition of excellent food and warm, friendly service.

Ania, who manages the restaurant, has given the menu a makeover. She has added numerous salads to the lunch menu “for vegetarians and for people to eat healthy,” she said. Since she and Tom emigrated from Poland to Canada as children, Ania added Polish specials to the menu like Polish pancakes, Polish sausages, pierogies and cabbage rolls, most of which are available as daily lunch specials.

Another change is that menus are now available in English and also in Spanish for Costa Rican clients.

“It is very important to us that everyone is welcome to our restaurant,” explained Ania.
The 10-year dedicated kitchen and wait staff – Katia and Mercedes – are still bringing their special touches to Kay’s, making the transition easy for the Dudeks. And clubs and groups continue to meet in the cozy dining area, keeping Kay’s informal status as a community center for Atenas expats.

Customer reviews are enthusiastic.
“Awesome!! Ania even has me eating veggies she fixes them so good!” wrote one fan on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

“I took my two teenagers last week for lunch. I have to say the food was absolutely delicious! And, it was so comfortable and personable there. Ania sat down with us for a bit to chat. You don’t find that kind of warmth and welcoming feeling very much anymore. The kids and I really enjoyed our lunch,” wrote another patron.

Founded 10 years ago by U.S. expats Kay and Tom Costello, who have since returned to Arizona, the most recent former owners Lisa and Harold Beasley also returned to Texas for family reasons.
The Dudeks first started visiting Costa Rica five years ago, escaping Canada’s harsh winter for their annual family vacation. They moved to Atenas six months ago, jumping on the opportunity to buy the well-known restaurant. They took over in April.

“We would come for a month and would rent a house in different areas each time,” said Ania. “One day, all of a sudden, we fell so in love with Costa Rica and the people there that we decided to start a new chapter in our lives and move.”

She said she has found her true calling running Kay’s Cafe. “Working here in the food industry, I found myself. I love the people and I love what I’m doing. This is me.”
Kay’s Postres Café & Restaurant serves breakfast and lunch Tuesday to Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Their Sunday breakfast buffet from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. is legendary, drawing in patrons from nearby towns of Grecia, Palmares and San Ramon.

“Kay’s is more than just a restaurant; it’s home away from home. It’s a place where the community meets, enjoys good food (every time), chats, laughs, networks. I’m always touched by the kindness of the lovely staff, Katia & Mercedes and the new owners, who have been pouring their hearts and souls into the business to provide the most enjoyable experience for everyone,” summed up one longtime client on Facebook.

Written By Shannon Farley: Shannon Farley is a travel blog writer for Enchanting Costa Rica and Profimercadeo in Costa Rica. Originally from Southern California, Shannon has lived, worked and traveled all over the world for 20 years; she has been living and working in Costa Rica since 1999. She lives in Atenas, Costa Rica with her husband, 5 dogs and 2 cats.

For more real estate for this region at the WeLoveCostaRica Atenas listings page, click here

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.