New Penns Valley cafe has local, healthy foods and other ‘Super Duper’ offerings
A new café in Millheim serves “high vibrational foods” in a carefully curated space that caters to outdoor enthusiasts, skateboarders and anyone on the hunt for locally sourced, ingredient-focused, nutritionally dense offerings. Super Duper Café hosted an open house Memorial Day weekend and opened officially for business in early June.
“I’ve been wanting to open a café for many, many years,” said owner Rebecca Larsen, who previously co-owned IngleBean Ice Cream just down the street. Originally, Larsen planned to use the East Main Street space where Super Duper Café now resides quite differently.
“It was going to be a shared space with a bike shop and a skate shop and I was going to do vintage and antiques ... But then I was like, I should do food. It’s what I do and know, and I can curate it so that it compliments what’s already in the immediate area.”
As for the definition of “high vibrational foods,” that’s simple.
“It’s (food that) just makes you feel good,” Larsen said.
The shared space, even with the café, still incorporates some of that original vision. Jimmy Hake owns the space’s Rad Wheels Skate Shop and multiple rooms throughout offer retail, with products ranging from books to local candles, art to local soaps.
“Rad Wheels Skate Shop is a full-action sports shop with scooters, skateboards, in-line skates ...” said Larsen, noting that Super Duper Café also caters to the active crowd. “We wanted nutritional offerings that were delicious and approachable for the serious young athletes coming to town, and all the cyclists, hikers and campers. You can’t really get nutritional, delicious food here that’s ready-to-eat.”
The focus, Larsen added, is one that works exceptionally well in Millheim, thanks to the surrounding abundant natural resources and active artistic community.
While the café concept wasn’t a new idea for Larsen, she admits that the café’s name came as an unexpected surprise.
“I had this whole list of sophisticated names ... (Hake’s) dream was to open a skate shop and he was going to call it Rad Wheels, which he did. I was like, ‘I can’t pair this fancy, sophisticated name with ‘Rad Wheels’ — What am I going to do?’ I started thinking outside the box and then, all of a sudden, it came to mind: Super Duper Café at Rad Wheels. It totally goes together. It was also my dad’s favorite saying when we were kids ... so it’s an homage to my dad and not taking life so seriously.”
The café’s menu is still evolving, but fast fan-favorites have included the iced matcha latte with mint and local honey; a liver detox smoothie made with organic mango; the smoked salmon toast served on locally made, organic sourdough; the BLT; and one of Larsen’s personal favorites, the golden oat milk latte. The café works with local partners as much as possible, including The Cakeshop by Tati and Rothrock Coffee.
“We’re so fortunate to be in this area with all these farmers,” Larsen said. “I have established so many incredible relationships with farmers and makers.”
And it’s not just the high vibrational foods that will make café patrons feel great. The environment is authentically welcoming as well.
“The atmosphere is designed so that you come in and feel relaxed and welcome. There’s a lot of art, great music and great food. I did what I could do, that I feel that I do well, to make people feel really energized in a groovy, chill way,” said Larsen.
The overall result is one that’s a team effort, however. Larsen added, “(Hake) and I are working together in a way that’s offering people of all ages a space where there’s really incredible, nutrient-dense food and then things to get you active.”
Looking to the near future, Larsen and Hake plan to construct a halfpipe ramp in the businesses’ shared outdoor space, but, looking further out, Larsen can envision multiple such locations serving Centre County.
Super Duper Café is located at 110 E. Main St. in Millheim and is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday.
