Dufour’s In Irvington

Dufour’s In Irvington

“From the oven” is the literal French translation for Dufour and for almost 12 years, Dufour’s in Irvington has been doing just that. 

Growing up in Irvington with nine brothers and sisters, Dufour’s owner Bernadette Dufour says she’s had a passion for cooking for as long as she can remember. “All 10 of us kids can do a pretty mean meal,” she says. “We say we learned from hanging onto mom’s apron strings. She was very creative with everything she did.”

Starting in 1997 as a 98-square-foot small sweets and coffee bar in Jack and Jill’s Antique Mall, Dufour’s business quickly outgrew the space. Within nine months she had moved to the present Washington Street location (at the corner of Audubon Road), which at one point had been a drugstore that was robbed by gangster John Dillinger.

At the time of Dufour’s move, many of the storefronts in the Historic Irvington Business District were vacant and crime was a bigger issue than today. “It was spooky back then,” Dufour remembers. “And the place was literally falling apart. It took three months of renovations. But sometimes you have a gut feeling: go for it. And I was a risk taker.”

Today Dufour’s has earned its reputation as the anchor (and oldest restaurant) on the commercial strip, and now serves breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Saturday. With the help of her brother and chef, Dan Dufour, Bernadette also offers the popular dinner-by-reservation one Saturday night each month.

Fresh and novel ideas for soup, sandwiches and salads make up the luncheon menu each week — many of them Dufour family recipes. Sandwiches are made with baked breads, fresh (not deli) meats and cheeses and imaginative spreads and sauces. Signature sandwiches like the Glorified Grilled Cheese and The Twist (a luncheon-size salad served with a pretzel) are longtime customer favorites. “Once a recipe gets a good reception, it stays in the database,” Bernadette says.

The breakfast menu also boasts many different selections, including the Man-Sausage-Cheese-Potato Skillet, Stackable Platter and Mama Dufour’s French Toast. On Saturdays, Dufour’s offers Five-for-Five-Fifty, in which guests choose five items from a list of more than 15 items for $5.50. If that isn’t enough, the dessert case is always full of fresh baked goods and other temping treats.

Bernadette is always looking for new ways to improve her business and in recent years Dufour’s in Irvington has received Commercial Façade Improvement Grants totaling more than $4,000. She has utilized these grants to purchase new awnings, a front door and signage. Additionally, she has received business mentoring and interior design assistance to help her choose new décor.*

“Dufour’s is a staple in our community,” says Amandula Henry, corridor director for the Irvington Development Organization and the person in charge of administering Irvington’s façade improvement grant program. “After 11 years of service, Bernadette strives to keep her menu and restaurant upbeat and welcoming. We hope the support we provide will help her business grow in our community.”

*All of these business resources are available to any merchant in Irvington. For more information, contact Amandula Henry by e-mailing her at amandula@irvingtondevelopment.org or calling her at 317-260-0669.