Cafe Lift Brings All Day Brunch to Haddonfield

The story of Cafe Lift begins in Philadelphia, 2003. Owners Michael and Jeniphur Pasquarello find early and continuous success for many years; Prompting friends and neighbors in their hometown of Haddonfield to wonder when they’d open a cafe closer to home. It took some time, but now Cafe Life Haddonfield is open for business.

The 3,000-sq ft eatery has a “California meets Scandinavian vibe,” as Michael puts it. “It’s neutrals and calming. The restaurant can be pretty hectic, so we wanted to bring a calming vibe to the space.” Cafe Lift Haddonfield seats 70 diners inside and about 25 or so out on the front sidewalk. Michael is a chef by trade, but also runs other restaurants through his company, 13th Street Kitchens.

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Brunch, Lunch, and Beverages

Cafe Lift focuses on a seasonal menu that uses local ingredients whenever possible. They also bake much of their own bread. Popular savory menu items include huevos rancheros – Michael’s favorite – mushroom toast, and breakfast poutine. The latter is a “riff on disco fries because we’re in New Jersey,” Michael says. The dish features fried eggs, waffle fries topped with sausage gravy, smoked mozzarella, pickle fresno, and chives. They also offer a number of sandwiches, like the Cubano, a chicken sandwich, and even an egg cheesesteak. “We serve what inspires and warms me as a chef (by training),” Michael adds.

Meanwhile, sweeter menu delights range from lemon ricotta pancakes to cannoli French toast. (Baked cinnamon and vanilla custard-soaked brioche with ricotta cannoli filling plus bananas, chipped chocolate, and pistachios.) However, Michael’s kids rave about the Nutty Monkey Crespelle in particular. This Italian-style crepe is filled with chocolate hazelnut spread and bananas, then topped with house whipped cream.

Cafe Lift Haddonfield also makes their own coffee, branded as Forever Coffee. The Matcha and chai options are popular, and they change there drink flavors seasonally. The cafe also sells 16-ounce jars of their version of sriracha, called Carter Sauce (named after Michael’s son). “It’s probably the most popular item at Cafe Lift, every table grabs one” Michael says. They make the sauce with fermented peppers for a sweet and spicy flavor.

Visit Cafe Lift Haddonfield at 144 Kings Highway East in Haddonfield. Look for them online to learn more.

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All Photos: © Cafe Lift Haddonfield