This story is an editorial by Contributing Writer Iman Adam and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Campus.
The best way to write stories is from experience. When I decided to write about the new Cattail Cafe, opened by an Allegheny College alumnus, I knew I had to go to downtown Meadville and create a thorough analysis of the establishment.
On a Friday afternoon, I took off with my schoolbag to walk down to Hatch Hollow, where the cafe is located. As I entered the store, I found myself in a fashionable art shop which I had to walk through in order to get to the cafe, as the two stores were connected. When I finally entered the cafe, I was astonished. The exquisite interior of the space, such as the zig zagged and wavy pillow designs on the benches, perfectly complimented the style of the art shop. Being an artist in my free time, this made the cafe an ideal place to work on my sketches while cooling off with the menu that the Cattail Cafe had to offer.
Moving to the front of the restaurant, I ordered the ‘Loxed In’ sandwich. The meal consisted of a fillet of savory salmon alongside briny onions with smooth and rich cream cheese and guacamole, all enclosed in a crisp and toasted poppy seed bagel. As I waited patiently to interview the owner, who was occupied with cooking some meals and serving a couple of guests, I had a brief conversation with Rebecca, one of the cafe’s patrons.
Working as a freelance medical writer, Rebecca said that she appreciates using Hatch Hollow’s coworking space for her career, communicating with other customers and dining at the cafe. She added that there is a second floor at the coworking space, which has rooms where patrons can engage in business and return to the base floor to eat and network.
After I had my conversation with Rebecca, the owner of the Cattail Cafe finished serving one more meal before the interview. He sat across from me at the table and introduced himself as Dietrich Williams, ’25. Raised in nearby Greenville, Williams opened the Cattail Cafe in late May 2025, just two weeks after his graduation from Allegheny. Williams works as the restaurant’s host, cook and server all at the same time.
Williams entered Allegheny College with a major in global health, intending to help others in the healthcare industry. As he started to learn more about nutrition, Williams realized that there were a lot of steps you could take in your daily life to prevent common illnesses. This is what got him into cooking.
When taking a community and justice studies class during his time in college, Williams worked at the Meadville Market House as a cook. Around that time, he met one of his regulars, Heather Fish, ’15, who would arrive with her friends and order food from Williams well before the two eventually became colleagues.
When Fish made the decision to move her store, Hatch Hollow, to its current location at 945 Market St. earlier this year, she informed Williams about a kitchen next door where he could create a restaurant. Williams was a bit hesitant to open a restaurant at first. He had never created a culinary business before and despite his experience cooking at the Meadville Market House, he felt that he needed more familiarity with the food industry. Despite his doubts, Williams accepted Fish’s request and opened the cafe in early June.
Opening up the Cattail Cafe was not always easy. Williams notes that he had to set up the restaurant in a limited amount of time. He also needed to work on some renovations for the kitchen to ensure that it was not out of place. However, Williams stated that he was able to overcome these struggles with the assistance of Fish and the Meadville community.
Williams’ advice for Allegheny students is to explore what Meadville has to offer. Check out local stores and shops, interact with townspeople and do not be afraid to volunteer in the community. Learning is not just limited to what you learn through textbooks, but seeking out what the world has to offer.
Come visit the Cattail Cafe at Hatch Hollow today. It is opens from Wednesday to Saturday from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. If you enjoy both healthy and delicious food, a dynamic environment and amazing service, then the Cattail Cafe is the place for you.
