BOULDER • There was a general manager of a bagel shop, and there was a graduate student, a wayward philosophy student, big-haired and bespectacled and baking in the dim hours before class.

This was the unlikely duo that went on to create a breakfast and lunch institution in town, 24 years running now. April Fools’ is the recognized anniversary, as traditional as the fresh-baked bread that goes between the ultimate crave: slow-braised pork and corned beef.

That’s Foolish Craig’s Cafe on the east side of Pearl Street, its yellow exterior and Bohemian interior hard to miss. That’s Craig Moelis’ 1990s, bagel-baking self depicted in the joint’s logo, afro and glasses and Charlie Brown shirt. He appears to be falling. He sort of did fall into the restaurant.

“Never thought I’d be doing something like this,” Moelis says. “Not in a million years.”

Which speaks to the cafe’s name.

One story suggests Moelis called his dad about the business venture; the boy once had political ambitions before the shift to philosophy, and now he was on to something “foolish” about sandwiches, salads and sweet and savory crepes. There’s another story about poolish. Moelis insisted on this time-consuming type of bread starter, insisted the subtle depth of flavor would be worth it, and he was therefore “foolish with the poolish.”

Twenty-four years later, fans come asking for Foolish Craig. They wonder just how foolish the man must be behind this eccentric place displaying year-round Christmas decorations and odd art and dangling a tattered pair of sneakers form the ceiling. They might be disappointed to find someone not all that foolish, but rather shy and analytical.

“I’m the jackass around here,” says co-owner Mitch Arden, the former bagel boss. “Craig is like the smart, computer brainiac, thoughtful guy.”

And what was Moelis thinking when Arden ran the idea of leaving the bagel shop to open their own restaurant?

“Probably, honestly, he didn’t think about it a lot,” Arden says. “Or he didn’t really know what to think about it.”

And what was Moelis thinking when the Food Network called more than 10 years later? He was thinking someone else, someone more vivacious, should be on camera with the bubbly host of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

A personable cook greeted Guy Fieri for the episode that aired in 2011. Fieri happily scarfed down the BLT with scratch-made guacamole between the house’s fresh oatmeal stout bread, before moving on to the butter rum caramel cake, the cream cheese frosting smothered over 21 layers of crepe.

But hey, there was Moelis on the follow-up episode that aired last year. He shrugs now. “I’ve come outta my shell a little bit,” he says.

A native New Yorker, Moelis out of school stayed on the East Coast to work in Washington, D.C. He raised money and lobbied senators in attempts to improve Israel-U.S. relations. “Politics, man, that really burns you out,” he says. “Two years of that was plenty.”

On to Boulder, where he grew out his hair on the heels of the hippie movement, delved into existentialism and, for money, practiced a simpler, pure craft: bagels. He and Arden hatched an idea that seemed well-suited for Boulder.

The town was different then in 1998, Arden says. “It felt like more of a smaller town and not so … fancy. I don’t mean that in a bad way. It just wasn’t so … high-end.”

Foolish Craig’s opened on this side of Pearl Street “that wasn’t as vibrant as it is now,” Moelis says.

Now there are boutiques with names like Bliss, Sweet Green and Crystal Joys. Down the street are the concept eateries that have come to dominate the scene; those chef-inspired kitchens contributed to Moelis and Arden ditching dinner several years ago. Also down the street is Illegal Pete’s, one restaurant that the duo saw start in Boulder and expand around the Front Range.

As for Foolish Craig’s, they decided to stay put. Keep it simple.

“There’s a lot of freedom to be had in having your own place, in doing your own thing,” Arden says.

Sure, call Craig foolish. There’s a secret to this longevity, he says: “Having fun. Not taking ourselves too seriously.”

On the menu

The owners’ tips: Turn your eyes to the pulled pork and corned beef. Both are braised between five and six hours.

The Porktastic is one of the cafe’s 11 crepe creations at last check ($10-$15, with house potatoes or cheesy grits): pulled pork, bacon, mushrooms, onions, pear apple marmalade and sweet soy. The Cuban sandwich is also popular. Corned beef and the specialty rye are co-stars on the Reuben. The corned beef hash was a star on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

The Foolish Craig is atop the crepe menu, packed with bacon, mushrooms, onions, roasted red peppers, potatoes, eggs and salsa. Vegetarians might opt for the Duxelles, with mushrooms, onions and shallots sautéed in butter, Swiss cheese and savory, French-inspired veloute sauce. The Whole Thing combines caramelized walnuts and bananas, Nutella, brown sugar cinnamon and whipped cream. The strawberry and Nutella crepe is almost as beloved as the butter rum caramel crepe cake.

The crab cake Benedict is a favorite of co-owner Mitch Arden. Other Benedicts ($13-$15, with potatoes or cheesy grits) with chorizo, fried chicken and smoked salmon.

The Boulder is popular among omelets ($14, with side), blending broccoli, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, cheddar and pesto or salsa. Also Mexicali Blues, with spiced black beans, cheddar, house guacamole, salsa, and sour cream (add pulled pork or chorizo).

Foolish Craig himself loves the Foolish Huevos ($12), two eggs topping a crepe along with black beans, potatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, cheddar and salsa. Also pancakes, waffles and French toast.

Choice of fresh, house-made wheat, rye and baguette for sandwiches ($11, with chips or add fries). House-made hummus on the Mediterranean veggie. Red Bird chicken with sun-dried cranberries, walnuts, lettuce, tomato, onion and sprouts on the chicken salad. Choice to add half a salad with sandwiches or order full ($12): Cobb, seared salmon, Asian pear and spinach walnut.

Hot chicken sandwiches as well, along with several, angus beef burgers ($15).