TROY — Members of the Troy Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Ernst Café at the Arbogast Performing Arts Center (APAC) on Thursday, Aug. 10, celebrating the introduction of a new food menu featuring breakfast and lunch, and new baked goods by in-house baker Maddi Klint.

“Starting tomorrow we’re going to be having breakfast and lunch available all day,” manager Ainsley Savard said. “We’ll have sandwiches, toast, yogurt parfaits, cold salads and stuff like that.”

“We’ve had coffee for a number of months, and now we’re introducing the menu,” APAC Executive Director Jeanne Ward said.

Muffins, New York bagels, coffee cake, chocolate-chip banana bread and other baked goods will also be available.

“Everything is done in-house,” Ward said. “We try to purchase local ingredients.”

In addition to the new menu, the café also celebrated the opening of a new outdoor patio seating area with a special evening performance by local artist Zach Nelson Thursday night.

“Tonight, for the first time, we have our patio open in the evening,” Ward said. “We also have a larger gathering area, so if you have a group that you would like to reserve some space there to have in the morning for breakfast or lunch, just call ahead.”

“The APAC is already such an important part of our community, and such an asset,” Troy Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kathi Roetter said. “This just takes it to the next level.”

Located inside the APAC at 500 S. Dorset Road, the Ernst Café is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Mobile orders are accepted online at, and more information can also be found on the café’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

“The name Ernst comes from the Ernst family, who donated the money to the performing arts center so that they could build a coffee shop,” Savard said. “When we built it out a little bit more, it became the Ernst Café in honor of them and their generosity.”