The Creole Cafe is a little slice of southern Louisiana heaven in downtown Hartland. The charming spot is a local treasure, specializing in both southern cooking and hospitality. Owner Deborah Merritt and her unmistakably friendly faced staff have created an atmosphere that is infectious. Sunshine pours in through the large windows, shining light on a case of freshly baked pastries and tables filled with happy customers. Deborah’s secret recipe for success? Authenticity.
“My husband is from southern Louisiana and I’m from northern Wisconsin- So where the Mississippi starts and ends,” She says. The story of how Creole Cafe came to be begins when Deborah was a child. Her parents encouraged her to enter baking competitions and fair contests where she became a master of her confectionary craft. Meanwhile, her husband, Jason, was brought up making gumbo and having shrimp boils. The two married and started a family, moving around the country until they fell in love with Hartland. Shortly afterwards, they decided to turn their passion for cooking into a business.
Neither had ever worked in a restaurant before, but they set to task, turning their dreams into reality. In August 2019, the Creole Cafe officially opened. Their goal was to bring faithful cajun cooking to Wisconsin. It was a way for the couple to serve a style of cuisine that is extremely unique and delicious, but which can be difficult to find in the northern United States. The cafe is open breakfast through lunch, serving Deborah’s fabulous pastries alongside an array of both southern and traditional bites. The menu is a testament to their family’s history. “We want to evoke a sense of nostalgia with our food,” Deborah says. “People are often surprised to find out how much they like cajun cooking!”
The Merritt family’s blend of northern and southern heritage creates a space that is down to earth and heartwarming. According to Deborah, the staff is extremely close knit. “I have a really amazing team… They have an enthusiasm for every person that walks in the door.”
This enthusiasm is evident through the happy smiles, waves, and yells of “Have a good day!” that can be heard coming from the kitchen. “We know a lot of our customers names. And if we don’t know your name yet, we probably know your order.” Deborah comments. The familial atmosphere is contagious, and the cafe has become a light in Hartland. Despite opening just months before the 2020 pandemic, Deborah and her family were supported through that difficult period by the community.
“I lived in the community but now I feel like I’m a part of the community.” She says.
Deborah left a traditional forty hour work week to create the Creole Cafe. Her hard work has paid off in spades. Six years into the business, she has more time to be creative and spend time with her family. It has become the Merritt family’s second home. Deborah and Jason’s daughters often stop in for coffee and breakfast before school and on weekends Jason can be seen lending a hand in the kitchen. The love that the family has for one another is genuine, just like the Cafe’s cajun cooking.
