Old School Cafe and the SPAM Museum

Antique, pull-down maps, chalk boards, pictures of George Washington and Abe Lincoln, and an aged, class photo decorate an old, country school building converted to a restaurant in Mantorville, Minnesota.

Front view of the Old School Cafe with bell tower.

The old school house is now the Old School Café, with good cooking, and a popular spot for town folks to eat. The portions were generous and the food was tasty and the ambiance was nostalgic and cheery.

Old School Cafe.

Outside was also inviting. There were old wooden benches and a school desk on the wide, front porch. There was a bell tower with the bell intact and rope hanging from it.  Sculptures of children were placed around the grounds…a lovely idea for a school house yard.

The children on the slide was my favorite sculpture.
Another sculpture of children at a drinking fountain.

There were many, pretty flower pots scattered throughout the yard. On one side of the café was a charming, old wooden house dated 1855, that looked occupied, and the other side of the cafe was a garden area. It was fun to look around, and a delightful way to start the day.

1855 house next door to cafe.
I love whimsey. This little troll was attached to the 1855 house outside wall.
An outdoor seating area along side the cafe, between the cafe and the old house.
There always seems to be a kitty cat hiding in gardens.

Our next stop was the Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota.

A well-done sculpture of a farmer and two pigs, outside the SPAM Museum.

An interesting, fun (and free!) museum dedicated to the story of Hormel’s specific product SPAM. Hormel began in the late 1800’s but SPAM was created in 1936 and became popular in WWII when the military ordered lots of SPAM to provide for the armed forces overseas… because it was convenient, and the shelf life was lengthy.

A life-size figure, a screen projection, was lamenting how he felt he had an overabundance of SPAM while in the army.

Some in the military might say the government overused SPAM. But it continues to sell today and there are multiple flavors of SPAM, and it is sold in multiple countries all over the world. 

An interesting story on how SPAM got its name.

Free samples of SPAM were offered. We tasted the hickory smoked version and it was very good.

Of course, there is a gift shop featuring all things “Spam”, including flip flops that spell out SPAM when you walk in the sand! 

A parting shot…a stunning blossom in the gardens of the Old School Cafe.

7 thoughts on “Old School Cafe and the SPAM Museum”

  1. It’s been awhile since we’ve been to either Mantorville or Austin. I’ve always wanted to dine at that schoolhouse cafe. Thanks for taking us to these two interesting Minnesota communities.

  2. Oh, my gosh, I am planning to go to Manterville to see that Old School Cafe! How charming on so many levels. I really would love to see that and the sculptures and also the Spam Museum, which we did go to visit many years ago. Thanks for sharing, Valerie!

    1. Check on hours before you go to the Old School Cafe – they are limited.
      The SPAM museum is in a new location, downtown (since 2016), and is done well.

    1. It was fun.
      And, Mantorville has several antique stores but were closed when we were there.

  4. You are always visiting so many fun and interestig places Valerie😁 Looks like so much fun and I enjoy seeing the photoes you attatch👌

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