Flip-flops, tube tops, Birkenstocks and dreadlocks. Spring at Oberlin College looks quite similar to other college campuses around the country. But this college town also has a culinary cornerstone in its midst – the Black River Café. Popular with the buzzing student, professor and otherwise local Oberlin crowds, Black River Café serves up very moderately priced breakfasts and lunches prepared from local and organic foods. This hyper-aware college town would not likely stand for anything less and neither will Oberlin College alumnus owner Joe Waltzer.

   Joe opened Black River Café in 1998 soon after his graduation from Oberlin College. An Environmental Studies major, Joe had been active in the college's local foods movement while in school. Recognizing an opportunity in a missing offering amongst Oberlin's restaurants, he opted to remain in this comfortable college town and open his own place – one that considered the environmental and social consequences of food sources. “On purely a food level,” Joe explains, “produce is certainly fresher when it is bought locally. Many local producers grow for quality, meaning they want it to be fresh and taste good. Commercial farms run like factories and are designed to put out food that is durable for transportation so that it will hold up, rather than taste good.” He continues, “Industrialized farming practices are detrimental to the environment, as far as pesticides, fertilizers, soil erosion and fossil fuel use are concerned. Local foods that are grown in a sustainable fashion have lower inputs going into the foods and less associated pollution.”

            The front of Black River Café's menu describes the restaurant's mission to utilize local and organic produce whenever possible, as well as the most humanely sourced and sustainable animal products available. “We strive to offer products free of hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, dyes and additives,” the menu states. Below this, it also proudly lauds the local businesses that partner in bringing high quality foods to the table.

   Inside, the menu bursts with tantalizing natural food options. Notably, breakfast is served all day. Moreover, the serving sizes can be scaled up or down, or mixed and matched according to the diner's liking. For example, if you choose an omelet – made with free-range eggs, of course – you can have it with either two or three eggs. Or select a full stack of pancakes (meaning three), a short stack of two or even just one. Julie, my kind server, helped me narrow down the choices of traditional, cornmeal or vegan pancakes served with blueberries, raspberries, apples, bananas or chocolate chips. She was right on target with her recommendation of cornmeal pancakes with raspberries. As big as the plate but as light as a cloud, this tasty combination was magnificently rich and flavorful. The unassuming, but clearly present taste and texture of the cornmeal was deliciously different. Served with a generous pitcher of real Ohio maple syrup, this breakfast delight easily soaked up every drop of the rich syrup.

   Nothing harmonizes with the flavor of pure maple syrup quite like a bite of bacon or sausage. And the bacon and sausage at Black River Café are so tasty (and natural) that I indulged in a bit more than a bite. Thick and lean, fresh, salty and crispy, I highly recommend a side of bacon with any of the breakfast plates. The sausage patties are also delicious. Both are organic and come fresh from Curly Tail Organic Farm in Fredericktown, Ohio.

   I then sampled some items from the lunch menu. Julie impressed me with her breakfast course recommendations, so I asked for some advice here, too. Again, she chose winners (although, by this time it was obvious that all of the food at Black River Café is extraordinarily high in quality, freshness and flavor). The salmon burger, made in-house with fresh fillets, is not to be missed. Served on a nearly weightless Kaiser roll, it is topped with fresh lettuce, tomato, red onion and mayo. Moist on the inside, crisp on the outside, and infused with dill, this salmon burger was truly the best I have ever eaten. Plus, each sandwich comes with either a side of soup, a sizeable salad or a heap of homefries, creating a very filling plate of food. I sampled each, and I can assure you that you will not go wrong with any of these choices.

            I next sampled the fresh mozzarella sandwich on homemade focaccia. Slathered with pesto and complete with roasted red pepper and tomato, this creation was creamy in the middle, crunchy on the outside and delicious through and through. A sprinkling of coarse salt and fresh herbs on the top of the focaccia further complemented the flavors. I highly recommend it as a vegetarian option. (Also, note that the menu boasts quite a few vegan sandwich and breakfast selections.)

   Salads are a favorite lunch meal of mine, and I am always on a quest for interesting options. Black River Café boasts five remarkable varieties, as well as four types of homemade dressings. My plate barely held the gargantuan artichoke heart salad. Made with organic mesclun greens, olives, roasted red pepper, tomato, onion, carrot and feta, this salad offered a diverse sampling of textures and flavor combinations. The dressings – balsamic vinaigrette, blue cheese, garlic-feta and Thai peanut – were so fresh and tasty that I encourage you to try a different one each time you go back.

   And how do I know you will go back to this comfortable joint? Because in addition to the fresh, delicious, local, natural food, Black River Café serves up a plentiful helping of friendliness. Regular customers are greeted by name, and everyone is welcomed with a smile. Even the kitschy, mismatched salt and peppershakers will make you grin. It's also just fun to imagine you're in your college days – flip-flops, tube tops, Birkenstocks, dreadlocks and all.

Black River Café is located at 15 South Main Street in Oberlin and can be reached at (440) 775-3663. Joe Waltzer also owns Agave, a restaurant featuring fresh burritos and a selection of fine tequilas. The food at Agave is, of course, also made with local and natural ingredients. Agave is located at 19 West College Street and can be reached by calling (440) 774-7336.

Photos by Bob Perkoski, www.Perkoski.com.