Before the first morning light streams through the windows of Parc Cafe, this cozy restaurant is already buzzing with energy. Customers start arriving at 7 a.m. Baristas make coffee and display fresh, homemade pastries. In the small but efficient kitchen behind the counter, chef couple Amy and Marc Fry begin another day just as they have been doing for the past three years.
In 2022, Amy and Marc took over Parc Cafe with their business partner Melissa Manley. Since Melissa retired in 2024, the couple has been operating the Parc. Open five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Parc Cafe features various breakfast/brunch options on its menu. From basic yet essential breakfast must-haves like bacon and egg sandwiches, to regional specials like goetta egg cheese biscuits and the beloved Saturdays-only cinnamon rolls made from Marc’s grandmother’s recipe, every item on the menu was created with love and care for the art of cooking.
Parc Cafe has the aesthetic design of a Paris cafe (Paris, France, not Kentucky). Adorned with vintage photography, modern chandeliers and a dark brown leather couch, Parc Cafe has a particular warm tone that draws people in. An art lover herself, Amy features many artworks by local artists in the Cafe, including paintings, ceramic coffee mugs and music CDs. She also sets up a free library with shelves of books ready for customers to borrow.
In a small town like Maysville, Parc Cafe is the place that brings locals and visitors together. Amy can be seen frequently greeting customers — some old friends, some new faces. Many of her staff are local high school students. About her staff, Amy said, “They are like my family.”
A self-taught bread-maker and chef, Amy used to operate a family bakery store in Augusta. Now some of those recipes have followed her to Parc Cafe. Marc compliments her bread-making enthusiastically: “She can make any bread you can think of.”
On Parc Cafe’s Facebook page, a Julia Child quote is featured in the profile: “The more you know, the more you can create. There’s no end to imagination in the kitchen.”
Amy runs Parc Cafe exactly like what this quote describes. Though not as often as she used to, Amy still hosts pop-up dinners featuring various cuisines including Thai, Indian and Italian that can sometimes be difficult to access in a small town like Maysville. Amy travels to ethnic grocery stores to select her products. “You just can’t use the Indian spices sold in Kroger,” she said, laughing. For an upcoming wedding she’s catering, Amy will prepare 20 lamb legs for a Persian-themed reception.
Through Amy and Marc’s skill, imagination and dedication to both cooking and Maysville, they have created a community at Parc Cafe that’s more important than the food served for breakfast and brunch.
