For gearheads – especially those of the two-wheeled species – there may be no place more sacred than London’s Ace Cafe. This legendary coffee shop gave birth to cafe racer culture, the 100-mph “ton-up” club, and the clash between mods and rockers. 

The Ace opened in 1938 as a refreshment stop for motorists on the then-new A9 motorway north of London. But it gained notoriety after WWII when England’s youth culture, centered around fast motorcycles, really took off. Long before today’s cars-and-coffee meetups, there was the Ace Cafe.

An updated version of the iconic cafe still stands today on the original location, stills serving hot food and refreshments to motorists of all stripes. And now gearheads near Philadelphia will have a chance to experience the Ace on their own turf. An all-new Ace Cafe officially opens on May 12th in the river town of New Hope, Pennsylvania near the New Jersey border.

We took a seat at the cafe recently ahead of the grand opening for some breakfast. The cafe features historical photos of the original Ace. The New Hope version hints at the original with its interior colors and signature checkerboard motif throughout. There’s even a side room that currently houses one of the owner’s personal motorcycles, a Buell sport bike. A sports car and motorcycle enthusiast, he plans to display various other bikes in his collection once the cafe opens permanently.

The menu largely reflects that of the Ace Cafe in London with a mix of British and American fare. Think burgers and fries for lunch with big meaty breakfasts. We sampled the morning menu, which included a traditional full English breakfast.

Ace Cafe New Hope is the second US-based version of the famous cafe to open. From 2016 to 2023, the Ace also operated a cafe in Orlando, Florida. With its closing last fall, the franchise looked for a new cafe spot to host car and motorcycle enthusiasts. The New Hope area is thick with motoring enthusiasts of all types and has an active community that should understand the history of the brand.

For more information, check out acecafenewhope.com.