Excellent, cozy reakfast at Meridian Cafe ...

[Robin Garr]

Mary and I just got back from a lovely morning repast at this forum favorite.

She had a hearty hash of pastrami, potatoes, onions, swiss and ... um, tomatoes or red bell peppers, a deliciously filling dish so generous that we brought home a box with enough left over to share for dinner or for breakfast tomorrow, maybe with an egg or two on top.

My pick was a little more refined and equally delicious: A bagel (from Breadworks, not bad) with a thick slice of salmon topped with a ration of wilted spinach topped by an over-easy egg, plated on a pretty swash of basil (?) oil. It was good. Very, very good. You can't pick up a sandwich like that, but I ate it with a knife and fork and didn't stop until I was finished. <patting tummy>

The cozy old-house setting with its pretty lemon-color walls and bright art, the courteous, caring service and the outstanding food for recession-proof prices (with good coffee, only $19-something plus tip for two) make Meridian a big winner in my book.

I like Toast on Market and I like Wild Eggs and I like Lynn's. But I cannot understand why those places always have lines out the door on weekends while Meridian is only comfortably attended but not slammed. I think maybe more of us who love this place need to talk it up. Maybe I'll repeat this essay in LEO some time soon.

We also love that Meridian has so many vegetarian and vegan choices. Our little family of four includes two carnivores, one vegetarian and one vegan so dining out can sometimes present a challenge. At Meridian, though the veg and vegan items aren't an afterthought, or a dish that the kitchen has to leave something out of. These dishes are designed to be flavorful and friendly to those of us choosing a different diet scheme.

Mary and I just got back from a lovely morning repast at this forum favorite.

She had a hearty hash of pastrami, potatoes, onions, swiss and ... um, tomatoes or red bell peppers, a deliciously filling dish so generous that we brought home a box with enough left over to share for dinner or for breakfast tomorrow, maybe with an egg or two on top.

My pick was a little more refined and equally delicious: A bagel (from Breadworks, not bad) with a thick slice of salmon topped with a ration of wilted spinach topped by an over-easy egg, plated on a pretty swash of basil (?) oil. It was good. Very, very good. You can't pick up a sandwich like that, but I ate it with a knife and fork and didn't stop until I was finished. <patting tummy>

The cozy old-house setting with its pretty lemon-color walls and bright art, the courteous, caring service and the outstanding food for recession-proof prices (with good coffee, only $19-something plus tip for two) make Meridian a big winner in my book.

I like Toast on Market and I like Wild Eggs and I like Lynn's. But I cannot understand why those places always have lines out the door on weekends while Meridian is only comfortably attended but not slammed. I think maybe more of us who love this place need to talk it up. Maybe I'll repeat this essay in LEO some time soon.

Arg - I pulled up to Meridian today with my wife, dad, and aunt in tow, but it seemed slammed so we gave up without going in (my wife was a bit short on time). We arrived around 12:15 or so. Robin, if you tell me we could have walked in and got a table without a wait, I'm going to be very disappointed with myself. Hopefully tonight's trip to Lou Lou Highlands will make me feel better.

Meridian is definitely my favorite choice for Saturday lunch (and any other day I'm off work). It's my go-to "neighborhood joint."
They have been very busy on Saturdays lately. I got there at 11:30 today and got right in, but by 12:00 they were on a wait. When my daughter is with me, we usually don't get there until around 12:00, but even if they are on a wait, I don't think we've ever had to wait over 15 minutes, and I think they are worth waiting for! I thought they were going to open the upstairs for larger parties; don't know what happened with that, but it may be worth exploring.
I, too, love the choices for meat-eaters and vegetarians, and I LOVE that the soup is always vegan.
Today, they had the black bean soup (which is delicious). I had been craving that, so got a bowl instead of a cup. I also ordered a "half" salad, but when the waitress brought it out, I asked if she was sure it was a half. It was large, with romaine, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, and an absolutely delicious green dressing. A side of grilled pita and an iced tea made this a very filling meal. The cost was $10.55 plus $2.45 tip.
It's just really cozy, the people who work there are great, and the food is delicious.
Remember a couple of years ago when they were open for dinner and on Sundays, but they discontinued that? I bet they would do a lot better business now, if not for dinner, at least on Sundays, with their expanded breakfast menu.

[Robin Garr]

Arg - I pulled up to Meridian today with my wife, dad, and aunt in tow, but it seemed slammed so we gave up without going in (my wife was a bit short on time). We arrived around 12:15 or so. Robin, if you tell me we could have walked in and got a table without a wait, I'm going to be very disappointed with myself. Hopefully tonight's trip to Lou Lou Highlands will make me feel better.

Well, we were there for breakfast, around 9:30 or so. Can't speak for lunch time!

We try to get by the Meridian at least once a month. The soups and sandwiches are a yummy, unique twist on local favorites, and the crew is always pleasant, efficient, and like our place, they go out of their way to make you feel right at home. We love the Meridian and wish them well. The crowds at lunch testify to the growing local appeal of small family run places. Rock on! Bill and Susi.

You guys are making me jealous! Unfortunately, Meridian Cafe is not handicapped accessible so I cannot go there to enjoy their food but it certainly sounds delicious. I'm not quite sure how they and many others get away with not be accessible under ADA requirements. Almost local restaurant are accessible although some certainly do better creating access than others. I've brought access problems up to the management of several restaurants and they've been very responsive but others restaurants seem to ignore the problem. At Wild Eggs for example, you have to go over a 2" bump, maneuver around a bus cart and then you finally enter through the back of the restaurant. I do know that when I recover from this handicap and no longer require special access I'll still look it that when I consider going to a restaurant.