The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—Alicia Walker wants to continue her family’s philosophy of providing organic, locally sourced, nourishing food to the community. Her goal is to open, ‘Locally Nourished’, a new breakfast and lunch café, in the building formerly occupied by Winter Rose Boutique, on Main Street.

Until recently, Walker has been the proprietor of a slightly similar business on Main Street called ‘Noble Hunt’ and she is in the process of downsizing from that.

She said she is looking forward to occupying the new space, which she secured a couple of weeks ago. The new space is smaller and more intimate. An added benefit is that it is on the sunny side of the street and has an “awesome” patio overlooking Caboose Park, she said.

“I might have to wear sunglasses, but that’s okay,” she said with a smile.

Walker is part of a family who believe food quality is important. Her sister, Melissa Weatherford, has been a past Blue Mountain Station Co-op Market manager, creating delicious soups and breads. Weatherford is currently providing healthy food to veterans and staff at the Walla Walla Veteran’s Administration, where she is employed as a cook.

Walker said their parents owned and operated Little Dipper Dairy farm in Dayton, and that her mother Terrisa is looking forward to doing the early morning baking at Locally Nourished.

Products will be sourced from Joel’s Organic Flour, eggs from Hacienda Zaragoza in Walla Walla, Pure Eire Dairy, Verdurous Gardens, and coffee from Rey’s Roast and Walla Walla Roasters. Animal products will come from animals that are humanely treated.

“I just want to try to do better,” Walker said.

She is planning for a plethora of coffee options, house made yogurt, soup, salad and dressings, bread and pastries, and possibly some guilty pleasures on the menu.

She is also planning to have a ‘grab and go’ hot food case filled with breakfast and lunch items, along with a mini-market, offering house made grocery staples, such as soup stock.

‘Test Kitchen February’ begins right now and Walker said she is open to suggestions from the public about what they would like to see offered at the café. She can be reached at: alicia@locallynourished.com

Locally Nourished is opening, in March, at 217 E. Main Street. Hours will be from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Friday through Tuesday.