Story and Photos By Susan Hagens
Thunder Bay mourns the loss of the Good News Café, which has been a regular staple in the lunch scene for many years. But with the retirement of one dream comes the reality of another. Hollie and Craig Napper, owners of the new Blue Door Bistro, wanted to create a little nook where they could take food away from being generic and back to a time when there was pride in creating a good dish. With a family to raise and the expertise of having a marriage of one chef and one baker, both with many years of experience, they decided to return home. Hollie Napper has travelled extensively, and has taken this influence and transferred it into the décor of the restaurant. On the walls you will find Hollie’s pictures she has taken from her travels.
The menu consists of an all-day breakfast, but their busy time is lunch. The High Tea for Two found on their menu includes shaved deli meat, cheeses, and breads. Thunder Bay’s own Five Star Bakery provides them with their fresh bread, and the onion and dill baguette used for the grilled garlic lime chicken sandwich is the perfect pairing for a tasty lunch. Something that the public has been raving about on their Facebook page is the double-smoked pepper candied bacon, which they make on site. This is used in a variety of their lunch items, and is definitely on my list of things to try the next time I visit.
The Blue Door Bistro is located on 116 Syndicate Avenue South, and is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am–3:30 pm.
