A home away from home

The Apple Ridge Cafe in Wheat Ridge is known for many things: a family atmosphere, a solid country breakfast, weekly pork chop nights. But what brings people from across borders is the green chile.

“People come in and ask for a to-go order in a quart-size container,” said Patti Huff, who’s been working as a cashier for 10 years. “Then they drive it home to Kansas.”

The house-made green chile recipe has been a stalwart to the menu since Roy Jones opened the restaurant in 1986.

“We make everything from scratch,” Jones said. “Homemade soups, pies, cinnamon rolls.”

A variety of pies are made daily all with the same flaky dough for crust. A Swedish baker that Jones met through the restaurant business developed the recipe, and its popularity has left it unchanged.

A four-generation family business, Roy’s daughter, Amy Jones, works as a hostess and a waitress. Her sons come in the evenings after school to bus tables and wash dishes.

But blood relation doesn’t define family at this home-cookin’ cafe. Connie Timson has been serving up entrees and green chile-smothered breakfast burritos for the past 32 years.

“I met my husband here,” she said. “This is where we fell in love.” Owner Roy Jones, also an officiant, married the couple, no less.

A regular customer for 33 years, Michael Smith greets Timson by name when he makes the drive over from Golden. Mainly for breakfast, this cafe has become a staple for him and his family.

He’s been bringing his son, Zac Smith, to the restaurant since he was born. Now 29, Zac says the ham and cheese omelet and the breakfast burritos are must-try items on the menu.

If you find yourself in the area for lunch or dinner, the pork chop is another house favorite. Chris Beatty, a 10-year patron, is a regular on Tuesday nights for the pork chop–;although it’s no surprise to see him stationed in one of the cafe’s red booths any other time of the week either.

“You see Patti up there,” Beatty said, pointing to the smiling cashier. “She’s my second mom.” He regularly sees the staff outside of the restaurant.

Always on the menu, pork chops are offered as a special on Tuesday nights and account for almost 80 percent the meals that evening, according to Roy.

“We cut our own pork chops,” Roy said. “It’s become one of our most popular items.”

Best of all, if you order any of the house specials, you get a piece of homemade pie, flavor of your choice, to top off your meal.

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