Colossal Café

If there was a food corollary to the Napoleon complex, then the tiny, fifteen-seat Colossal Café would be it. Owner and chef Bess Giannakakis’s expertly prepared from-scratch food is delicious and her portions are enormous, particularly the breakfast sandwich, a kind of a McMuffin affair created with a buttery biscuit sliced in half and filled with a variety of choices along with the creamiest eggs this side of Eric Ripert.

Having been raised on Jimmy Dean and gravy, I thought the sausage version was hog heaven. If you are not in the mood to two-hand your morning respite, Colossal also serves more traditional breakfasts, as well as soups, salads, and desserts from the case—including the Flip, a yeasted pancake filled with whipped cream and other delights, such as fresh strawberries. At this little engine that could, all that’s unambitious are the prices—nothing on the menu is more than $8.

Open for breakfast and lunch; closed Mondays. 1839 E. 42nd St., Mpls., 612-729-2377