The Wandering Cafe open for business with new brick and mortar

WASILLA — The Wandering Cafe has upgraded from a food truck to a full-on brick and mortar located off Main Street in downtown Wasilla.

“It’s nice to finally have a building,” Wandering Cafe owner Amanda Graydon said with a laugh.

Graydon and her family welcomed the new restaurants’ first wave of customers Monday, Nov. 2. She said it was a busy and productive first day, and she’s excited for the newest chapter of this homegrown business venture.

“I just have fun with it. It’s like an art,” Graydon said.

Graydon said that she’s operated her food truck across the Valley for the last two years and that she’s been wanting to open a permanent and inviting establishment for a long time. On top of being a warm break from the cold Alaskan winters, the cafe will serve as a go-to place for locals to socialize and enjoy fresh meals.

“I really want it to be cozy,” Graydon said.

Graydon said that she’ll still use the food truck for catering at large events and weddings. She said that she kept the name and original logo to maintain the familiarity she built up with the community. She said the menu is also true to the original vision of healthy and high-quality soups, sandwiches, and salads

“We don’t fry anything,” Graydon said.

Graydon added that she eventually plans to host local artists to support their efforts. She said they’re also looking to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to christen the cafe in the future.

“It’s just something I wanted to create out here,” Graydon said.

Grayson said it’s been priceless to be able to watch her kids grow and gain valuable experience at the food truck and now their first brick mortar. One of her daughters, Carlie said that she has a lot of fun working with the family. Her other daughter Isabelle said it’s brought them all closer together.

“It’s definitely an adventure,” Graydon said.

The Wandering Cafe is located at 344 North Main Street in downtown Wasilla. For more information, call 907-230-5194 or visit facebook.com/wanderingcafe.ak.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com