Welton Street Cafe Preserves Legacy of Soul Food in Denver

The sunshine that pours through the skylight and big windows of the Welton Street Cafe’s new home is an uplifting sign of survival. The Dickersons’ 40-year history of serving soul food in Denver with a side of comfort lives on in the Five Points neighborhood through the family’s grit and courage.

“We’re homegrown here, and we need to be serving this community. I see us having a vibrant space as the neighborhood continues to change and grow,” says Fathima Dickerson, co-owner of Welton Street Cafe.

The Five Points community, where Fathima’s parents opened their first eatery in 1986, no longer beats to the rhythm of the Black businesses that once lined Welton Street. Gentrification and changing demographics have replaced what was once called the “Harlem of the West.” The Dickersons went through hell and high water to keep their cafe in the once historically Black area near downtown Denver.

“One of the hashtags we use is #IStandWithWeltonStreetCafe. We’re the last Black eatery that survived in the Welton Street corridor. So, we’re the last man standing.”

Soul Food Restaurant Survives a Storm

Mona and Flynn Dickerson opened the Welton Street Cafe’s first location in 1999. For over two decades, Fathima’s parents built a loyal customer base while raising six children in Colorado. After some 20 years at 2736 Welton Street, problems with the air conditioning and plumbing in the aging building were causing operational and financial headaches for the cafe  owners. A local news story prompted quick action on the HVAC system repairs.

The Denver7 news station raised $41,000 for the cafe. However, after using part of those funds to fix the air conditioning, the Dickerson family was unable to negotiate a new long-term lease. They closed the original location in March 2022 and reallocated donations from Denver7 viewers and a GoFundMe campaign to the design and construction of a new restaurant space. 

“When we closed, we were on every news channel and in newspapers and magazines. We were closed for almost three years,” Fathima says. “This is a comeback kid story. It’s been a lot.”

The restaurateurs put out bids on a $600,000 budget and hired a local company to build out the cafe’s new space at 2883 Welton Street. The Dickersons expected the contractor to complete the construction work in six months. The torrent of new troubles that swamped the owners kept their business closed for three years.

“We believed them to be the qualified professionals that they presented themselves as, and they weren’t. It cost us a lot of time and money that we’re still trying to clean up and fix,” Fathima confesses.

The long delay and costly overruns forced Fathima’s family into a struggle for survival. The closure cut off the Dickersons’ source of income, causing stress, trauma and embarrassment.

“One of the greatest challenges was trying to support your whole family with no money for almost three years. You have to learn how to build a boat and float. It wasn’t that I lost my job. My entire family lost everything,” co-owner Fathima reveals.

The cafe’s front-of-house manager went into parking lots, recreation centers and health clinics to sell meals her mom made. Some family members took other jobs to make it through that difficult time. “When your family doesn’t have anything, this is what you have to do. I put all my pride aside. I said I’ve already lost everything. That was hard,” says Fathima.  

This past March, a judge awarded $1,054,079.15 to the family in their civil lawsuit against the construction company. The Dickersons’ attorney had presented a case documenting flawed electrical and plumbing installations, failed code inspections, missing equipment and cost overruns.

Fathima doubts the family will ever see any of the money for losses or damages. On May 21, the same judge set aside the $1 million award and gave the defendant 21 days to respond. The cafe co-owner views the experience as a hard-learned lesson in finding the right people and understanding how to complete construction on a commercial space.

“Would I do it again? Absolutely, we’ve gained a lot of knowledge that we didn’t have before. We know how to identify the people needed for the place to run and function successfully. That’s been like one of the most important things.”

Fathima considers her family making it through the storm and coming out halfway dry a testament to their determination to stay in the hospitality game. They can also thank Gilmore Construction for volunteering assistance and completing the buildout as the new general contractor.

“This is one of the most selfless things we could have done: take out a loan, get bamboozled and then try to find more money – all to make sure we are serving the people.”

A New Day for Soul Food in Denver

The new Welton Street Cafe officially opened with full operations in November 2024. The owners welcomed back a steady flow of regulars and newcomers wanted a taste of their legendary soul food in Denver.

“We are very grateful, and the reception has been awesome. We got a lot of encouragement from people just thanking us for fighting and staying in it because a lot of people would have given up,” Fathima expresses.

Real estate agent James Harvey is one of the longtime patrons excited to return to the Welton Street Cafe. He started eating at the Dickersons’ restaurants 30 years ago. “I started going to the Welton Street Cafe when I was in the 6^th or 7^th grade and around 12 or 13. I’m 43 now,” says the Denver resident. “It’s one of the most cherished places in my life. Not only is it my favorite restaurant, but it’s also where I got my first job to pay real bills.”

Harvey and other customers walk into a much more vibrant space than the comfy spot the founders operated for nearly 23 years. Fathima describes the atmosphere. “We have the colors that reflect our brand. It’s green, yellow and red for the culture. There’s a big mural of my mom on the wall as soon as you come in. We have a lot of plants. We have one employee, Jessica Santini, who changes decorations every month. We call her the ambiance coordinator.”

The addition of a bar and restrooms on the same floor as the dining room wins praise. Fathima admits that people hated having the bathrooms downstairs in the old cafe. More importantly, regulars appreciate seeing the same dishes on Welton Street Cafe’s menu.

“The food stayed the same with familiar favorites like the pâté, which is similar to a Jamaican patty, and the fried chicken and catfish dinners,” Fathima says. “The most important people who came back are our kitchen staff.  We have the family and three senior cooks from our last restaurant.”

The front-of-house manager also mentions the honey hot wings, vegetarian options and daily specials that give diners more options. “We do oxtails, ribs and baked chicken. We do brunch on Sundays, and that’s something people are really excited about.”

Embracing Change and Honoring Tradition

The restaurant serving soul food in Denver operates five days a week, and is usually closed on major holidays. This 4th of July, the cafe tried something different. It stayed open and offered special carryout meals. “We did a July 4th menu. We had ribs, hot links, steak, smoked chicken, baked beans, potato salad and dinner rolls,” continues the cafe co-owner.

The Dickersons are exploring other ways to attract people to the legendary soul food cafe in Colorado. They’ve featured DJs spinning R&B and other family-oriented music on first Saturdays through the Live from Five Points program.

That was a hit with a lot of customers, but it is the Southern-style cuisine with a Caribbean twist that keeps Harvey coming back as often as he can. “Just to let you know, when I go down to the Welton Street Cafe, I literally have to get two dinners, one to eat and one to take home. It’s one of my favorite places in the world. I love the food,” says the real estate agent.

As a former Welton Street Cafe employee, Harvey feels like he is going to see family when he visits the restaurant. The tastes and smells he associates with matriarch Mona Dickerson’s cooking warm his heart.

“My mother always told me if you want to cook good food for people, you do it with love. And you know, with Miss Mona still being back there, you can still taste the love in those meals. She’s putting her foot in things,” Harvey comments.

The Denver native started Around the Clock Movers with his brother, Phil, and cousin, Dayyan Carter, 20 years ago. Gazing at Paul Vismara’s mural of Mona at the cafe brings back memories of the matriarch’s kindness. “She used to keep us going when we were starting our first business. When we’d get home at 10 o’clock at night, I could still go to the Welton Street Cafe when they were closed and cleaning up and get some food. Miss Mona has been feeding me my whole life,” Harvey reflects.

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Preserving a Soul Food Restaurant Legacy

The Welton Street Cafe’s founders and their children are preserving the restaurant’s legacy of serving a huge helping of love with their soul food in Denver. Although Fathima’s parents consider themselves retired, they still show up every day at Welton Street Cafe. She and her sisters have graduate and doctorate degrees, but devote their talents to the family-run business. Her twin brother, Fathim, manages the kitchen operations. Her sister, Cenya, is the president and another sister, Chereka, is the communications director.

“Everybody has a role they perform. When my mom is in the kitchen, she’s got 15 things going on at once. It’s second nature. She’s been doing this our whole lives,” Fathima acknowledges. “Mom takes care of a lot of big major meats and makes all of the specials, desserts and a lot of the side orders. We have 16 sides.”

Mona’s husband Flynn makes grocery runs, smokes and grills meats, and drains and cleans the fryers daily. Fathima, the youngest of the Dickersons’ daughters, brings at least five pairs of shoes to switch into on her 13- to 14-hour shift. Yet, she finds the energy to enthusiastically sing happy birthday to restaurant guests with her staff, making the moment a truly special occasion.  

“This is my favorite place on earth. I get to spend time with my family and my friends in one spot,” Fathima affirms. “It’s a beautiful thing to celebrate life together in any capacity, whether we’re serving two girlfriends hanging out, hosting a birthday party or observing a couple’s anniversary. Every time people come through the door, I believe it is a celebration of life. I’m very grateful to be a part of it.”

The restaurant in Denver promotes itself as a place “serving up love and everything your spirit needs.” The cafe’s four-and-a-half-star ratings on Yelp, TripAdvisor and Lovely Denver confirm the Five Points establishment’s popularity. Yet, the most glowing endorsements come from people who have been dining with the Dickersons in Five Points most of their lives.

“As a Black woman proudly from Denver, I can happily say that the love stories in my family started in the Five Points. I’m a fourth-generation Coloradoan, my children are fifth, my grandchildren are sixth, and Welton Street Cafe has been a part of our story forever,” says MiDian Shofner.

The lifelong patron missed the warmth of the family’s hospitality during the three-year rebuild. Shofner offers her reason for feeling more connected than ever to the Dickerson family. “We’ve watched what the Welton Street Cafe has done for the community. We also watched when they tried to take the Welton Street Cafe away from us, and what that journey was like. So, it’s my story and their story that takes me back, not to mention the food. The food is delicious.”

Protecting Five Point’s Black History

While the restaurant’s reputation for soul-satisfying food attracts Denverites and out-of-town visitors, the Welton Street Cafe’s history as a Black institution in Five Points matters as much or more to its faithful supporters. “If you want to at least get some type of feel for what the old Five Points was, you can’t miss the Welton Street Cafe,” says Harvey.

The 43-year-old Denver entrepreneur compares visits to the cafe as time traveling, a chance to experience what the spirit of Five Points was like three decades ago. “Authentically Black, number one, and on top of that, the love. I watched Miss Mona give many people free food. I watched Miss Mona give people money out of her pocket or out of the cash register when they needed it.”

Shofner, now 45, echoes Harvey’s explanation of why the Welton Street Cafe means so much to Denver’s African American residents. She calls the restaurant a reflection of Black excellence. “We see ourselves in it. We see our elders and our ancestors. We see our love and protection. Welton Street Cafe staying in the Five Points, specifically on Welton Street, allows there to be a continuity of our story, but also a cultivation of our joy.”

Focusing on the Future

A new wave of fans could arrive at the Welton Street Cafe after a return visit from Food Network’s highest rated show, Diners, Drive-ins & Dives. Celebrity chef Guy Fieri featured the Denver restaurant on the “Mom & Dad” episode in March of 2020. The Triple D Nation crew dropped in at the cafe’s new location in January. The new show will air in the fall.

The impression the Dickersons’ restaurant already made on the Food Network chef and producers is evident in a quote from Triple D Map. “For over two decades, the cafe was more than just a place to eat—it was a gathering spot where stories were shared, families grew closer, and the rich culture of Five Points thrived. Welton Street Cafe embodied resilience and unity, standing as a proud symbol of Black history in Denver.”

The Dickersons’ strategy for keeping the historic cafe’s presence in Five Points involves staying current and informed on the Denver community, the hospitality industry and the restaurant’s daily operations. Fathima sits on the boards of the Five Points Business Improvement District and the Colorado Restaurant Association.

“If you are not in the know, how do you do business? You should be learning about your business every single day. The industry is scary. A lot of people are having a hard time, so what our brand can do is reinvent, adjust and re-adjust. I do believe we can weather the storm,” Fathima stresses.

The Dickersons are still rebuilding their own lives after enduring the turbulent three-year battle to open the doors of the new Welton Street Cafe. Fathima and her family are prepared to tackle new challenges, like introducing online ordering and possibly expanding their 40-year-old brand with other hospitality ventures. Right now, the front-of-house manager simply wants to express gratitude.

“We are grateful, and we are here to serve. That’s what we are supposed to do in this lifetime. Every time I do an interview, they ask, ‘Do you have any last words?’ Yes, thank you. Thank you to everybody who supports us.”