An Old Callas Menu Reveals an Owensboro Most of Us Never Knew

Roaming through what I call the "staging area" at the Owensboro Museum of Science & History, I discovered a treasure trove of wonderful items from the city's past that have yet to be part of an exhibit. For a local history lover like me, it was nirvana.

Callas Sweet Shop

One item (among many) that captured my attention was a menu from the Callas Sweet Shop, a legendary eatery in downtown Owensboro built in 1921 by Greek immigrant Mike Callas. Referred to as "The Callas," it was located next to the Empress Theater (now under ownership by Theater Workshop of Owensboro) at 420 Frederica Street, where you will find Callas Tavern & Restaurant today.

Take a look at this menu. What jumps out to me are the prices and the menu items that really speak to the time, not counting the special names given to the dessert treats.

Lissa Rae/Owensboro Museum of Science & History

Lissa Rae/Owensboro Museum of Science & History

Egg chocolate was a dessert beverage; egg flip was an alcoholic beverage; and egg phosphate was a tart soda. They were all made with raw eggs. And then there's the humble Swiss cheese sandwich. Have you ever heard of JUST a Swiss cheese sandwich on a menu? Me neither. And I love "All kinds of phosphates." Great stuff. (By the way, we don't know the age of that menu.)

Mike Callas Turns the Sweet Shop Over to Barney Elliott

Mike Callas fell ill in 1960 and rented the space to Barney Elliott, who converted it into Barney's Callas Grill. Since that time, it's changed hands and names many times, and now the Callas name is back where it began more than 100 years ago. The Callas revival began in 2024 when Travis Tong, owner and operator of City Walk of Owensboro, purchased the building, then home to the former Bill's Restaurant, which closed in 2021.

Callas Tavern on the National Register of Historic Places

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The U.S. Department of the Interior, which administers the Register, said this about the building's significance...

The building achieves its architectural significance by having the only surviving example of complete terra cotta tile fronts in downtown Owensboro. The building is especially refreshing because it lacks the overly elaborate detailing of many Beaux-Arts structures.

The next time you walk through the door at Callas Tavern & Restaurant, look over the entrance. The word "CALLAS" is still there, etched into those unique terra cotta panels that helped earn the structure a place on the National Register of Historic Places.