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The Family Table Restaurant's History

Every family tree starts with solid groundwork, and ours is no different. We started with the Villager Restaurant opening its doors in 1968, and now, 40 years later we have blossomed into 13 seperate restaurants throughout northwest Iowa.

The Villager Restaurant, located in Storm Lake, Iowa, started with Burgers, Broasted Chicken, Mexican Food, Fries, Ice Cream, and of course, their famous HOMEMADE ONION RINGS!!!  People drive from miles away to eat these one-of-a-kind Onion Rings.

After 10 years in the business, the Villager Restaurant ventured out and bought the Lakeshore Café, also located in Storm Lake, in 1978.  Lakeshore Café brought a different menu to the people of Storm Lake, serving Home-cooked meals and breakfast foods all day long.  Lakeshore also offers Char-broiled Burgers, Steaks, and Home-made pies and breads, find a full listing of our foods served here.  Within the last 5 years, Lakeshore Café has started catering to many areas in Iowa.

The idea of joining the two restaurants together was brought up, and in 1985 the culmination of these ideas produced The Family Table with the first opening in Eagle Grove, Iowa.  Since the first we have opened 10 more Family Table Restaurants over Northwest and North Central Iowa.

Most recently, we have started with a new venture / concept and changed one of these Family Table Restaurants in Emmetsburg, Iowa to a Café, with a the new name of Kirby’s Café.  We are striving to look for ways to expand this café idea into many smaller Iowan communities.

There are over 370 team members in our Family Table staff. Among these are our well-trained managers, our very talented cooks, and our dutiful and personable waiting staff.