Ailey Cafe: New Name, New Owners, Same Delicious Home-Cooking, Friendly Service
Carrying on a South Grand Lake Tradition
Ailey Cafe owner Miquelyn Ailey (second from left) changed the name of the cafe she purchased in May 2018, but she's honoring the cafe's tradition of serving a good meal for a good price. Ailey's grandson, Jesse Ailey, (right) manages and cooks at the cafe, while great-grandson, J.J., (left) washes dishes and Janice Haddock waits on customers.
'Burgers and Fries and Cherry Pies'
Charlie Pride sang about a time that was "siimple and good back then." Well, Charlie, it's still simple and good at Ailey Cafe, where the menu features hand-pattied, top-of-the-line burgers, hand-cut fries and a selection of homemade pies.
Since the early ’60s, those in search of delicious Southern home-cooking on the south end of Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees have found their way to Langley and a no-frills cafe just a stone’s throw from the historic Pensacola Dam.
The kind of place where diners instinctively know they’ll find a good meal for a good price, this classic American eatery has long featured traditional comfort foods, piping hot coffee and what has been voted as the best sweet tea on Grand Lake.
From eggs cooked to order, delectable hash browns and fluffy pancakes fresh off the griddle to mouthwatering cheeseburgers with hand-cut French fries, hand-breaded chicken fried steaks and homemade pies, the cafe’s menu promises tasty comfort food. And the dishes being served never disappoint.
For decades, Frosty & Edna’s Restaurant fed hungry Grand Lakers, becoming a South Grand Lake tradition. New owner Miquelyn Ailey hopes to continue that tradition of serving a good meal for a good price.
Ailey purchased the restaurant in May 2018, changing the name to Ailey Cafe.
“We changed the name but we’re honoring the tradition,” Ailey said. “Frosty and Edna’s had been open since 1962. There are so many stories, like people dancing all night at the Cove Club and then having breakfast at Frosty and Edna’s.”
Despite having never been in the restaurant business, when she learned Frosty & Edna’s was for sale, Ailey was interested.
“We had a boat on Grand Lake for many years. We bought a ranch south across the river off of Highway 82 in 1972, and have lived there since ’78. I worked in Tulsa and my husband worked in Pryor,” Ailey said.
“I have eaten at Frosty & Edna’s all through the years. It was one of those things. I liked the place and thought it had a good location,” Ailey said. “It came up for sale and I was thinking … my grandson had been a cook in a restaurant and he could run it for me. Plus, they were still open and had the staff.”
Grandson Jesse Ailey pulls double-duty at Ailey Cafe, managing the cafe and cooking in the kitchen. His son, J.J., washes dishes and helps out wherever he’s needed.
There are also familiar faces at Ailey Cafe, including waitress Janice Haddock and the cook who learned the recipes from Edna herself.
Several renovations have been completed on the cafe’s interior, including replacing the carpet with new flooring, adding a TV in the dining room and installing a new stove in the kitchen.
And then, there’s the food.
Miquelyn Ailey describes the food at Ailey Cafe as “good ol’ home-cooking” with many dishes made from scratch following family recipes and using fresh ingredients.
“I have cookbooks that go back to my mother,” she said.
Everything on the breakfast menu at Ailey Cafe is cooked to order. The selection includes pancakes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, a variety of three-egg omelets, oatmeal and cereal. Sugar-free syrup is also available.
Eggs are served with hash browns, toast and choice of meat, including bacon, sausage, country ham, ribeye steak and pork chops. According to Ailey, the country ham is a popular choice with customers.
“Our ham is nice and juicy. It’s thicker cut and you get a generous portion,” Ailey said.
Because there’s plenty of space on the new stove’s larger griddle, breakfast is available all day at Ailey Cafe. Lunch starts “around 11 a.m. or when the mashed potatoes are ready,” Ailey said.
The lunch menu has something for everyone and every appetite. The selection includes a variety of burgers and sandwiches, fresh salads, appetizers, steaks and dinners.
“Our hamburgers are top of the line. We hand-patty our hamburgers to fit on a big bun. It’s a good portion. People’s eyes light up when they see ’em,” Ailey said. “We also have a good steak and chicken fried steak and a pretty good club sandwich.”
Ailey Cafe has several regular dinners on its menu, such as shrimp, fish, pork chops, chicken breast and chicken livers, that are served with baked potato or fries, salad or slaw, and bread or roll. (Hint: choose the roll. They’re homemade.)
Lunch specials are also available. A customer favorite is the chicken and noodles with scratch-made noodles.
Also popular at Ailey Cafe are the hand-cut French fries and the mashed potatoes, which are peeled and cut in-house as well.
Floyd & Edna’s was renowned for its homemade pies and that legacy continues at Ailey Cafe. Remember, the cook learned from Edna herself. And, like any classic American cafe, pie is always available.
The selection of pies varies but can include custard pie, meringue pies, pecan, a very rich chocolate pie and cherry cobbler, which is served with vanilla ice cream. There will also be sugar-free pies.
“We want dining at Ailey Cafe to be a pleasant experience,” Ailey said. “Our food is good and we make sure our staff understands the customer is king.”
One day, a lady asked Ailey if the cafe had a view of the dam. Before she could respond, another friend responded: “No dam view. Just good food and good service!”
Ailey liked that response so much, she made it Ailey Cafe’s motto.
Ailey Cafe is open six days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is closed Tuesdays.
The cafe is located at 13217 East Highway 28, in Langley, just minutes from the Pensacola Dam.
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