Homemade vegetable soup at Parker House Café

517 Commercial St., Atchison, Kan., (913) 367-1441, www.parkerhouseinc.com

After a morning of browsing through antique stores or working all day at the office, there’s nothing more enjoyable than being pampered with a home-cooked meal. That could be why it gets crowded fast at the Parker House Café in Atchison, Kan. The cafe is actually inside Parker House Inc., a fashionable home decor store filled with primarily new furnishings and accesories. And the building is shared with Lintiques, another home decor store specializing in antique and pre-owned furniture and decor. Nell Hill’s is just a block away.

At Parker House Café, owners Kathy Twombly and Karen Meeks (who are mother and daughter) prepare everything from scratch, including homemade rolls, pies, cobblers, real mashed potatoes and a special entree that changes daily. Fried chicken is featured every Friday, but they sell out fast. Luckily they offer plenty of salads, sandwiches and the best vegetable soup you will ever eat. The soup comes with warm-from-the-oven homemade rolls, the kind grandma made — or you wish she made.

Parker House Café is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. Reservations are not required, but they are a very good idea if you have a large group.