Mill City Café

Mill City is a breed apart, much like pro skaters, cat people, and 331 Club habitués. It’s a breakfast and lunch joint with the soul of a coffee shop^__one that’s loved and sustained by a loyal cadre of Northeast arty types and a few Warehouse District river-jumpers. When owner Mandy Zechmeister took over three years ago, she wanted to preserve much of the café’s existing menu and all of its sunny sit-down-with-the-paper vibe (the patio is a private garden paradise). A few dishes have Latin American leanings, such as the fantastic Ecuadorian egg bake with hits of cilantro and jack cheese, and the chorizo burritos with scrambled eggs and the ever-traditional roasted potatoes. Others are standard Americana^__think biscuits and gravy, egg sandwiches, a scramble with spinach and Parm, and an utterly delightful wild rice pancake with nuts and seasonal berries. All big personalities^__be they humans or restaurants^__have quirks, and MCC is no exception. We wish the baked goods were more appealing, there’s a whiff of well-meaning yet intrusive front-of-the-house sass, and if you’re like me, you may feel that a three-foot beard is just a titch too long for food service.

2205 NE California St., Mpls., 612-788-6188, Sa–Su 9 AM–2 PM

ORDER: Ecuadorian baked eggs, cinnamon wild rice pancake, biscuits and gravy with sausage.

LIBATIONS: B & W espressos and drip coffee, full bar, great bloodies, mimosas, and screwdrivers.

BRUNCHMETER: