German eatery celebrates first anniversary

Building on Pflugerville's cultural roots, Ines Mosley and Silke Dye, co-owners of Das Cafe, are reintroducing authentic German food to town.

The women are both natives of Germany who learned to cook in their home country. Dye, who moved to Pflugerville 16 years ago, learned to cook and bake with her mother. Mosley, who moved to the area four years ago from Munich, began working in kitchens at age 14.

"This is our mission and our passion; this is what we want to do," Mosley said. "And everyone wants German food."

Utilizing their combined experience, Dye and Mosley opened Das Cafe in June 2012. The menu includes everyday favorites such as sandwiches, paninis, soups and salads as well as traditional German fare.

Mosley, who cooks most of Das Cafe's offerings, creates familiar German cuisine such as sauerkraut and German potato salad as well as customer favorites such as bratwurst served with spicy mustard and red cabbage. Das Cafe's customers also enjoy her other specialty creations, including pork roast wrapped with parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes; spaetzle, a food similar to egg noodles; and currywurst, a sausage served with curry ketchup and fries.

"Pork roast, red cabbage and spaetzle, that's what [customers] ask for every day," Mosley said. "They eat [spaetzle] with everything."

Dye, who works the front of the restaurant, creates a selection of German pastries and desserts, which change daily. Apple strudel, a German mainstay, is almost always on the menu, along with other sweets such as Black Forest cake and chocolate cheesecake.

"Black Forest is a cake people know from Germany," Dye said. "And people are kind of crazy about apple strudel."

The restaurant is not yet licensed to serve alcohol, but customers are encouraged to bring their own beer or other alcoholic beverages.

In preparation to celebrating the first anniversary of Das Cafe, Mosley and Dye recently remodeled the restaurant's interior with modern decorations. With a year under their belts and a new look, the women plan to continue offering authentic German fare in a German-founded town.

"Every week we try different dishes to figure out [what] people like and change it up," Mosley said.

104 N. Railroad Ave., Pflugerville, 512-989-7300, Hours: Mon.–Fri. 11 a.m.–9 p.m.