East Shore Café is like Daphne’s living room.

Located on Scenic 98 in downtown Daphne, the restaurant is in a house that is more than 100 years old, and each of its rooms has shelves filled with picture frames, crafts and trinkets that were all left there by customers.

That customers feel comfortable enough to leave their keepsakes at the restaurant is no accident, said Larry Mickelsen and John Sibley, co-owners and chefs at East Shore Café, which is known for its crab cakes and homemade breakfast.

“We see them pull in the driveway, and we pretty much know what they want to drink and what they want to eat,” Sibley said.

Mickelsen and Sibley both worked in the private club industry before opening the restaurant in 1998. It was a requirement to know their customers’ names and learn about them personally, and they’ve worked to bring that atmosphere to their restaurant.

“If there’s one thing that we took from the private club industry, it’s when members came in, it was like, ‘Mr. Smith, it’s good to see you again,’ or if I know you’re Mr. Smith, but you want to be called by your first name — we kind of brought that with us — the recognition,” Sibley said. “We remember if they drink an Arnold Palmer or half-and-half tea, and that goes a long way.”

After a few visits, a customer becomes like family to the employees, Mickelsen said. Many people have a reserved table for breakfast everyday. Some clean off their own tables. A few customers offer to help with repairs or picking up produce from the farmers market. And there is usually at least one person hanging out after the restaurant closes to enjoy a beer and some chat with Mickelsen and Sibley.

“These people are part of our lives besides just customers,” Mickelsen said. “We have a guy who eats here five times a week, and we know where he’s gonna sit, what time he’s coming in, and he loves it. He’s been over to my house. He’s family. We bring some of our customers to our employee Christmas party because they’re just family.”

But the familiarity between the staff and the customers isn’t the only thing that keeps people coming back for more. Mickelsen and Sibley are both experienced chefs, and they have worked hard to create breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that are original, consistent and delicious.

“What keeps it consistent is that we do all the cooking,” Sibley said. “If it’s not his hands touching it, it’s mine. It’s no one else’s.”

Since the restaurant opened, it has had the same hours. Tuesday through Sunday, it is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, the restaurant is also open for dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“Dinner is quite fun because we get a little more chance to play and do some more higher-end things we’ve done forever,” Mickelsen said. “Breakfast gives us a little creativity because we can change the features in the omelette and stuff, and we do a different lunch feature everyday.”

While the restaurant’s staff welcomes tourists and occasional visitors, Sibley said they are appreciative of their most loyal supporters — locals who treat the restaurant like an extension of their home.

“The core of the business is the locals that helped us get it going,” Sibley said. “I’d say a very high percentage of our business is customers that are here three, four or five days a week. They can go spend their money anywhere, but it makes them feel like their money is being appreciated here.”