Excelsior Cafe

The Excelsior Cafe was a cafe and bakery.

From 1907 to 1915 the cafe was located in the Graves Building at 1824 3rd Avenue North. It was operated by George Metropoulos and his brother. The bakery and candy shop was headed by Charles W. Cody, continuing a business he had begun in the 1890s.

According to an October 1912 story in the Birmingham News, "Humane Officer" Patton discovered a marine turtle lying on the sidewalk outside the cafe. He brought it in to the owner and demanded that it be killed humanely or given a suitable salt-water tank in which to swim, lest he arrest the restaurateur for animal cruelty. The chef quickly dispatched the turtle and prepared a soup.

In April 1915 the restaurant closed down. Again the News cited a "Humane Officer", J. L. Clements, as having investigated sightings of a stray cat in the vacant building. Clements determined that the cat was not trapped inside and posted a handwritten notice reading, "This cat is not starving for food nor drink, and is apparently happy and content, as it can come and go at its own sweet will."

In February 1916 the Excelsior reopened at 405 19th Street North. George Metropoulos and Odisia Lorant were then proprietors.

Restaurants

• "Humane Officer Orders Turtle Made Into Soup" (October 6, 1912) The Birmingham News, p. 7
• "Humane Office Says Cat is Well Satisfied" (May 1, 1915) The Birmingham News, p. 2