Cafe News
Homey Duncanville diner Kim & Jenny’s Cafe gets second lease on life
A Duncanville diner that's been in business for more than 31 years has a new owner ready to give it some wow.
Called Kim & Jenny's Cafe, it's a breakfast-and-lunch spot at 450 E. Wheatland Rd. recently taken over by Bryan Kaeser, who owns two other Duncanville establishments: burger & beer spot Mudhook Bar & Kitchen, and Black & Bitter Coffee and Books. Kaeser was also a founding owner of Dallas Beer Kitchen, a craft beer spot on Greenville Avenue, which closed in 2018.
Kim & Jenny's is a classic home cooking cafe with breakfast, chicken-fried steak, biscuits & gravy, club sandwiches, pies, and desserts. It was founded by sisters-in-law Kim Johnson and Jennifer Jones, who sold it to Moiz Syamshi in 2005 and opened another location in Midlothian.
Kaeser juggled a desire to update the Duncanville restaurant while keeping its original DNA.
"Outside of modernizing the menu and the remodel, it's stayed the same so far," he says. "Right now, the hours are Monday-Saturday from 7 am-2 pm, and I look forward to opening on Sundays and adding some nighttime hours in the not too distant future."
Welcome changes included replacing the funky old carpet with new plank floors to give it a cleaner, more modern feel.
"One point I'm proud of is that we kept the entire back of house and raised their pay by an average of 35 percent," Kaeser says.
The menu has new items such as:
- pot roast, served on Texas toast with carrots, celery, and mashed potatoes, and brown gravy, which will be a regular lunch feature
- fried chicken & waffles with peppered gravy
- avocado toast with toasted almonds and diced tomato
- cinnamon rolls
Kim & Jenny's is in the Wheatland Plaza, a center near the intersection of 67 and I-20 that's being redone by trailblazing developer Monte Anderson, famous for revitalizing landmarks such as the Belmont Hotel in Dallas.
"That's how I discovered the cafe," Kaeser says. "I was there with Monte and the owner said he would like to move on. I jumped on it, to keep it going after being here so long."
For the diner's strong core of regulars, Kaeser instituted an irresistible perk.
"We took photos and made personalized coffee mugs, where they get coffee for free," he says. "I want Kim & Jenny's to still feel like their home — but to also bring in a younger crowd."
