ELM MOTT, Texas — An early morning fire destroyed the Cafe Homestead restaurant in Waco Friday, according to the Elm Mott Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department.
Firefighters responded to the fire at 608 Dry Creek Road around 1:40 a.m. They said flames had already fully engulfed the building.
Crews from fire departments in West, Ross, Bellmead, Lacy Lakeview, Waco and Gholson all helped get the fire under control.
Fortunately, no one was injured and no other structures were damaged. No official cause of the fire had been released as of the time this story was published.
Café Homestead general manager Andrew Taylor told 6 News the café chimney may be the cause of the fire.
"It looks like from the security footage that we have that it was some sort of a chimney fire. They're obviously continuing to investigate that, but that's what the security footage shows pretty clearly," Taylor shared
According to its website, Cafe Homestead opened in 1994. Along with the restaurant, the property includes a farm, gardens and craft shops. They also offer a hayride overlooking the Brazos River.
Taylor told 6 News they plan to "build the café back exactly how it was before." Taylor said they will have a dinner at a community building on the property on January 27th and 28th to raise funds.
Taylor said they will open in that community space on Feb 1 to begin serving food again.
Taylor also released the following statement:
We give thanks to God and to the local firemen that no one was hurt and that all other properties were spared the blaze. Buildings can be rebuilt, even beautiful landmarks like this one. This beautiful building has been the context for countless conversations, celebrations, and moments of friendship around good food. But Cafe Homestead is more than a building; it’s a connection between friends, a shared meal, a memory, a community. Together, we’ve grown Cafe Homestead into our County’s number-one-rated restaurant. Together, we navigated the pandemic challenges. Together, we will answer and overcome this challenge also.
Even though this is a blow to us all, we will unite, rebuild and reestablish this Cafe and service for the much-loved Waco community. We are obliged to cancel all reservations until further notice. Still, we will keep you posted as we begin the work of cleaning the wreckage, designing, engineering, and reconstructing this cherished landmark—just as soon as Providence permits! After all, fires serve to test and refine faith, and beauty still emerges from the ashes.
Thank you for your understanding and prayers—for our family of employees—as we work through this process. As we have more details regarding how and when we reopen and any of our plans in the meantime, we’ll let you know.
May God bless you and your families with a warm, safe, and peaceful Christmas!
