LEO/LHB Let's line up for breakfast at Meridian Café

[Robin Garr]

LEO's Eats with Louisville HotBytes.com
(Meridian Café, Maido, Les Relais, Dem Bones)

Louisville has always been a breakfast-loving town, it seems, and citizens of Derby City have always had our morning favorites.

From Canary Cottage back in our grandparents' time to the Baby Boomers' favorite, Lynn's Paradise Café, and on to such modern attractions as the lovably urban Toast on Market and Wild Eggs (which just opened a second shop in Westport Village), we're accustomed to queuing up and waiting, happily and patiently, for weekend breakfast or brunch.

You might find me in line at any of those spots on any given weekend. But you're even more likely to find me at my top breakfast favorite, Meridian Café in St. Matthews. I honestly cannot understand why Meridian, which always has a cozy crowd of regulars, hasn't developed the kind of cult following that prompts supplicants to line up outside the door.

Chef Mike Ross offers up excellent cooking and a creative breakfast-and-lunch menu (breakfast items are served all day, which is 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Meridian's clock). With its cozy old-house atmosphere and prices that look right even during a recession, Meridian stands shoulder to shoulder with the competition - maybe even a frog hair above it.

Read the complete report on LouisvilleHotBytes.com.

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Louisville has always been a breakfast-loving town, it seems, and citizens of Derby City have always had our morning favorites.

It's funny, because my observation has been that unlike many other places I've lived, Louisville is not a great breakfast town. I think it's one of the reasons that Wild Eggs and Toast have been such revelations--they're haven't been many "go-to" breakfast places, especially on the greasy spoon end of the spectrum. Most town's Louisville's size have a large, inexpensive breakfast place that "everybody" goes to--a place sort of like Barbara Lee's that seats 150.

Since North End, Toast, and Wild Eggs have opened, that has raised the bar. Breakfast is a much better meal in Louisville than when we lived here. But I still wouldn't call it a strength of the city's dining scene.

[Robin Garr]

... there haven't been many "go-to" breakfast places, especially on the greasy spoon end of the spectrum. Most town's Louisville's size have a large, inexpensive breakfast place that "everybody" goes to--a place sort of like Barbara Lee's that seats 150.

Lynn's? Wagner's? Historically, Twig and Leaf, and before that, Canary Cottage? (I don't remember it, but my parents do.) As discussed in another thread recently, Charles, we're a bit too far south and west to be in the traditional diner zone of the Northeast. But geez ... I'm a leading-edge Baby Boomer, and I can't ever remember a time when there weren't more than a few highly popular breakfast spots around. Heck, Lynn's must be over 30 by now, counting its original Frankfort Avenue location.

In every city I've lived in there has been a place where business people regularly schedule breakfast meetings. That's not the Louisville culture as far as I can tell. Lynn's is a phenomenon, but is expensive for that kind of thing. I thought North End opened up some interesting breakfast options that Toast and Wild Eggs have helped with. I still contend that the phenomenal success of Toast and Wild Eggs is because they were entering an under-served market. Louisville has been weak on breakfast. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I would love to go to Meridian for breakfast (or any other meal for that matter) but there's a problem. They don't meet the ADA requirements for handicapped access so I cannot get into the building. Not sure how they avoid complying with the law considering they opened well after the law was passed. It's very frustrating to read about restaurants like this and not be able to try their food. Some others comply marginally (entry may be difficult but it is possible) but most restaurants are very good about providing access.

In every city I've lived in there has been a place where business people regularly schedule breakfast meetings. That's not the Louisville culture as far as I can tell. Lynn's is a phenomenon, but is expensive for that kind of thing. I thought North End opened up some interesting breakfast options that Toast and Wild Eggs have helped with. I still contend that the phenomenal success of Toast and Wild Eggs is because they were entering an under-served market. Louisville has been weak on breakfast. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Perhaps you're assessing Louisville's breakfast market through a narrow criteria that is not reflective of the entire daypart....while there may not be enough local, indie establishments that offer breakfast menus, I submit those which do [along with the full-service and QSR chains] generate a VERY strong breakfast business in Louisville on a daily basis.