A new cafe in Riverdale Park serving breakfast and lunch held its grand opening on Monday, Dec. 4.

Located at 5711 Sarvis Ave., just off Kenilworth Avenue, Sarvis Café is mostly staffed by students from Prince George’s Community College’s culinary arts program to help them gain real-world experience and more easily land jobs in the industry.

The menu includes grab-and-go croissants, bagels and coffee, breakfast standards like an egg sandwich and avocado toast with bacon and salads including beet, Caprese and Cobb for lunch. It also serves a house “Sarvis” zucchini bread made with whipped ricotta, fresh berries, roasted pecans, and local honey.

The cafe is managed by the nonprofit Central Kenilworth Avenue Revitalization Community Development Corporation.

CKAR Executive Director Patricia Hayes-Parker told the Hyattsville Wire that the cafe not only aims to train students, but serve an area that does not have other restaurants or grocery stores while also providing healthy food alternatives.

“It’s really a hub for the community,” she told the Wire.

Sarvis management is also partnering with local farmers to source produce for the cafe’s salads, sandwiches and soups.

The new cafe is the latest in a number of efforts on the Route 1 corridor to reduce the barriers to the dining industry, from making it easier to run a food truck to new ghost kitchens and food halls and training efforts like the new Emma’s Torch, nonprofit cafe run by refugees who are learning the culinary arts.

Sarvis Café hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is closed on weekends.

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