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Located in historic Ohio House, Centennial Café oozes historic charm and, with its ample parking, provides a needed stop-off in the midst of the enormous park. The cozy sitting room, painted an orchid purple and streaming with light through 8-foot windows, seem to be a lunchtime favorite. GM Doree M. Vereen is responsible for an array of baked goodies — scones, brownies, sugary-glazed mini bundt-shaped carrot cakes. The Boston clam chowder is creamy and peppery. The salads, with house-smoked chicken or tuna, olives and sliced avocado, are simple and fresh. A smoked turkey and sharp provolone sandwich with Dijon mustard arrives on crusty bread, warm and quilted from pressing. Meatless panini include whatever vegetables are on hand — on one visit, we received a winning combo of yellow and red pepper, avocado and crumbled blue cheese with horseradish sauce. Then, of course, there’s the brisket, owner/developer David Groverman’s signature item. The lean top-round beef, also smoked on the premises, is thinly sliced, lightly laced with “special sauce” (a sweet slather strewn with translucent onions) and tucked into a Kaiser roll. Centennial serves Center City staples La Colombe coffee and Capogiro gelato, but the café’s stately Victorian-style interior and traditional lunch fare will keep you coming back. Open Mon.-Fri., 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

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