Tomato vines, mint leaves and other flowering plants decorate the patio of Little Gus Cafe in Plano—plants Ghassan Richa, the owner of the restaurant, says he has been growing since he was a child up in Lebanon.

Richa said he moved to Plano in 1984—back when Plano’s population was beginning to boom as global corporations began opening headquarters in the area.

Richa has been serving his Lebanese-inspired dishes, as well as a robust selection of breakfast and lunch options, for the past 14 years in his cafe near the intersection of Legacy Drive and Coit Road on the north side of town.

“Plano [is]  much bigger,” Richa said, referring to the city’s growth. “[There is]  a lot of big businesses, a lot of competition.”

Richa said his family has always been involved in the food industry, and he has brothers who own their own restaurants locally as well.

Although his menu has expanded to include dishes such as California omelettes and Belgian waffles, Richa said many of his original dishes come from family recipes.

“We did this menu—my family—[in]  1978,” Richa said. “And after a few years, we add some things … we create some things. Then [the menu]  became like this—it’s a pretty large menu. It’s our recipes.”

And Richa’s passion for fresh food and ingredients derived from his early years in Lebanon continues after he closes his restaurant for the day.

“I was young, but … I used to help my dad, my mom—they like to do stuff like that, and then I like it, too,” Richa said. “I go home, I go inside and first thing, I just go out to the front. In the front I put flowers in the yard; in the back I put vegetables.”

Some of the plants Richa said he grows include jalapenos, tomatoes and cucumbers. He also grows a collection of herbs, such as basil, mint, parsley and oregano.

“I enjoy it, because at home, I also grow vegetables,” Richa said. “It relaxes me.”