Maddie’s Corner Cafe brings new life to iconic Spokane diner

In the heart of Spokane, a familiar corner café is serving omelets, chicken fried steak and burgers once again. But this time, under a new name.

Maddie’s Corner Café has taken over what used to be Dolly’s Café, which opened in 1958. The transformation comes with new ownership and a promise to honor the legacy that made Dolly’s special.

Dolly’s Café was founded by Dolly Muller, a neighborhood icon known for her pies, which she baked for hotels around Spokane. She lived just four houses down and walked to the cafe every day. Muller’s life was cut short when she was hit by a drunken driver less than a year after opening Dolly’s.

Desiree Olsness, who owned Dolly’s for three decades, sold the café to its new owners, Nicole Derose and Luae Benlitifah, in 2022 – who ultimately put it up for lease again.

Jennifer Hesseltine, the owner of Maddie’s and the nearby Zozo Sandwich House, had been a longtime fan of Dolly’s, making the decision to carry on its 60-plus-year legacy an easy one.

“It used to be a place that I went to all the time for years and years. They had the best chicken fried steak in town … and then they just closed and didn’t open back up,” Hesseltine said. “A friend had given me the number of the people that owned it, and I just reached out to them and asked if it was something that they wanted to lease out, and it just so happened that they did.”

While the building was for lease, the original Dolly’s name itself was not.

“I didn’t want to come in and change it because I love Dolly’s so much, it’s a special place for me,” Hesseltine said. “We have so many people coming in and telling their stories about Dolly’s and how they’ve been coming here, you know, for their whole life.”

The new name has its own sentimental roots.

“Maddie is my dog,” Hesseltine said. “I own Zozo Sandwich House, Zozo is my other dog, they’re sisters and now they have sister restaurants.”

While the name has been refreshed, the interior remains largely unchanged. Warm booths, counter seating and familiar décor preserve the cozy, nostalgic charm that regulars remember. The atmosphere is friendly and familiar, with conversations over coffee and a sense of connection that reflects the surrounding neighborhood.

To preserve the same hearty breakfast, lunch vibe and the friendly atmosphere, Hesseltine kept Dolly’s traditional menu but added her own twist with higher-quality ingredients.

The chicken fried steak, a customer favorite, is now cooked in beef tallow and is locally sourced from Sonnenberg’s Market. Another popular dish, the sweet cream pancakes, are served with house-made maple butter syrup made from 100% real maple syrup and butter.

Maddie’s also now serves mimosas, mimosa flights, beer and other alcoholic beverages.

“We’re just in Week 2, so it’s kind of a whirlwind right now. Every day, we just seem to be getting a little bit busier,” Hesseltine said.

“I just want to know everyone’s name. It’s a community with the people that come in and sit down and tell their stories about Dolly’s and what it used to be.”