Whereas today’s fast food chains come and go, the historic eateries on Main Street in Price are a good example of things that were built to last. Club Mecca and Farlaino’s Cafe, housed in historic buildings on a Main Street that was once bustling with the trade of Italian and Greek immigrants, are iconic local spots. While known to generations of customers, both restaurants have been thoroughly modernized for current culinary tastes.
Club Mecca was started in the 1950s by John Hillas. The family, centered around their matriarch Patricia, operated Club Mecca as a bar and restaurant from 1960 to 2000, often staying open 24 hours a day to accommodate the illegal gambling in the back, part of Carbon County’s rebellious history that locals proudly remember. Club Mecca is no longer an all-night club, but a family-friendly restaurant with a bar area that offers several beers on tap and dozens more in the cooler.
An update finished in 2019 brought glass garage doors to the street-facing wall. Inside, the original brick was exposed, and hanging iron pendant lights were installed to enhance an organic, timeworn look. Guests sitting in the back no longer gamble, but can gaze out the back windows at the 434-foot Bookcliff Mural by Kate Kilpatrick, which tells more of Carbon County’s immigrant history.
Club Mecca owners Jana Olsen and Ike Lee offer modern pub-style food including burgers, sandwiches, calzones and pizza, along with salads and dinner specials. Most notable at Club Mecca are the fryers, which are never filled with seed oils. French fries, fish and chips, onion rings, and anything else that’s fried is cooked in beef tallow. This richly-flavored fat is free of the harmful trans-fats found in seed oils. Tallow has a high smoke point, which means foods can be fried at higher temperatures without producing harmful compounds. Foods fried in tallow cook more quickly, absorb 30% less oil, and come out with a delicious, savory flavor. It’s a great reason to get off the highway and eat at Club Mecca.
Club Mecca selects other elevated ingredients for its menu, like steak burgers that can be cooked to temperature. Dessert options vary, but might include pineapple upside down cake or gluten-free lava cake.
“I love supporting our community,” says Olsen, who always seems to be involved in a local youth fundraiser, supporting the rodeo, pageant, dance and baseball teams. She’s at Club Mecca Monday thru Saturday. Check the online hours, as breakfast is served on select days of the week, while lunch and dinner are always available.
A couple of doors down, Chef Bill Hicks serves breakfast, lunch and dinner at Farlaino’s Cafe in the historic Mahleres-Siampenos Building, listed on the National Register. This historic structure is named after the Greek owners who were among the early settlers of the area. A soaring corner building with tall windows looking out onto Main Street, it’s been a town hub since 1913. Since that time, the building has been well kept and almost totally unchanged — one of few buildings in town that has retained its original features and traditional uses. The left side was always a bar (still intact, but currently in need of an operator), while the right side has always been a restaurant. Historic photos cover the walls of Farlaino’s Cafe, granting visitors yet another glimpse into the distinct history of Carbon County.
At Farlaino’s Cafe, the focus is on dishes made to order. A plate of Fettuccine Alfredo is tossed in cream sauce made just for that plate. Other sauces, like the pomodoro and Bolognese tomato sauces, are house-made in batches. Chef Hicks’ pesto, while not house-made, is imported from Italy.
Italians were a major immigrant group among the original settlers of Carbon County, and Farlaino’s Cafe was founded by a local Italian family. Hicks, while not Italian himself, learned to love Italian cooking while working under an Italian chef in San Francisco. His favorite menu items include starters like bruschetta and caprese salad, then move into chicken parmesan and chicken marsala. Pastas include penne, ravioli and gnocchi. Desserts like cheesecake and tiramisu will get diners singing “That’s Amore” while they wait for the check.
While the Italian dishes are Hicks’ favorites, Farlaino’s Cafe also offers steak, sandwiches and burgers. Among locals, the cafe might be best known for breakfast. Mornings find the space packed with neighbors saying hello over coffee and smelling the thick-cut bacon on the grill. While customers might not know it, the sourcing of quality ingredients is an important part of the process for Hicks.
A 20-year restaurant career took Hicks through a number of major restaurant kitchens in several states, where he learned both cooking and restaurant management. He’s proud to own a restaurant whose motto is “Where the Locals Eat,” but is also excited to welcome travelers. Farlaino’s Cafe regularly sees visitors from as far away as Canada and Europe. At the thought of that, Hicks smiles. “I want guests to feel welcome here,” he says.
Farlaino’s Cafe is open three meals a day, but closes early on Sundays.
Feature Image courtesy of Club Mecca.
