The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

August 9, 2023 Peru – At 7 a.m. yesterday, Rove Cafe and Kitchen at 3065 Main St. was officially open for business. Since taking ownership on July 19, Tony Axelsson and Chrystal Kelly have been painting. Decorating and putting their personal touch on the former Green Acres Restaurant at 3065 Main St. 

The opening was a lightly advertised “soft’ opening; nevertheless, several people enjoyed breakfast, including Patti Hamilton, Louise Baines, Kenny, and Vicki Defayette. Patti commented, “I think they’ve done a wonderful job. This restaurant is just what Peru needed.” Louise added, “They have an extensive menu and the servings are more than generous.” Vicki and Kenny concurred and said they loved the restaurant’s homey atmosphere.

Tony Axelsson and Chrystal Kelly bring our community many years of restaurant experience. Tony is a native of Iceland; his father was a master chef. In 1987 the family moved to Carmel, California, where his father opened a restaurant. Tony said, “I started flipping pancakes at 13, and I’ve pretty much been doing that ever since.” In 2018, the couple opened their restaurant in Paradise, California, when the tragic wildfire destroyed the community leaving it virtually deserted. They reopened in nearby Chico, California, and then Covid hit.

Chrystal commented, “We always wanted to get out of California. We wanted a country setting and quiet life. We couldn’t afford to buy a home there and thought our six kids probably wouldn’t be able to either. We’ve always wanted to come east, to live in a country, quiet setting. We’d never been east before, but we sold everything and moved.”

The couple found that quiet, peaceful setting here in Peru. Tony commented, “We’re extremely happy with our decision. We want to bring something great to the Peru community. Our kids will be going to school here.” Chrystal added, “The kids loved the school when they saw it. Our neighbors have been so welcoming. John Kelly, who owns the property across the street from us, helped us clean up the property and raise the banner outside the restaurant.”

Tony loves to talk about the Rove Cafe’s menu. “Everything will be fresh, made from scratch. It will be like going home to grandma’s, sitting down, and having breakfast.” Chrystal added, “It’s a little bit elevated in the way we plate and prepare the food. Tony puts his special touch on everything.”

It’s almost impossible to stop Tony from talking about his eggs Benedict. He said, “We had thirteen types of eggs Benedict in California. We do not have that many here, but I plan on having crab, lobster, smoked salmon, Irish, corned beef hash, and we’ll be running specials.

The Rove Cafe and Kitchen is open Tuesday – Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on holidays when they fall on a Monday. They’ve learned people love a freshly cooked, made-from-scratch holiday meal.”