Apex Family-Run Popovers Cafe Opens Downtown on Salem Street

Popovers Cafe opened at 219 N. Salem St. in downtown Apex on March 13, turning a former women's clothing boutique into a pastry and coffee shop where each popover on the menu carries the name of a family member. Mustafa and Juliette Ozturk celebrated with an Apex Chamber ribbon cutting on March 24 at 11 a.m. inside the Salem Street Promenade building. The cafe is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

The family connection runs deeper than the names on the menu. Juliette grew up in upstate New York watching her grandmother Anna Clare make popovers on weekend mornings, and the original popover is named in her honor. The Ozturks' second-oldest son, Landon Vrooman, serves as the chef. "It has a warm family meaning for me," Juliette said of the concept.

The popover, an egg-based pastry with a crisp exterior and a hollow, custard-like interior, drives the entire offering. Sweet options include a bourbon caramel apple popover and The Foster, a dark chocolate version with fresh vanilla-infused filling. On the savory side, the spinach, sun-dried tomato, and gruyère popover pairs well with the shop's ricotta cheese dip, drizzled with organic honey and served alongside gluten-free toasted pita. Coffees, specialty beverages, and seasonal fresh fruit round out the menu.

Juliette spotted the Salem Street space and recognized its potential despite the renovation it required. Installing a full kitchen meant converting what had been a dressing room area; the exposed brick walls of the former boutique stayed intact.

Mustafa, who works as a Realtor, had no doubts about the location. "If I'm going to invest in a business, this is the area I want," he said. The couple's choice follows a pattern forming along Salem Street: downtown Apex has drawn several small business openings in 2026 as local entrepreneurs continue to bet on the corridor's walkable dining and retail mix, and Popovers Cafe adds a morning anchor the block didn't have before.