6 Notable Newcomers to Charlotte’s Breakfast Scene
And what to order at each
Photos by Peter Taylor
Tous les Jours
4625 Piedmont Row Drive, Ste. 105
980-939-1247
Tous les Jours (“every day”) is a French- and Asian-inspired bakery that serves more than 300 varieties of baked goods. Pick up a tray and a pair of metal tongs and browse the wall-to-wall pastry case. Find savory selections like the Tomato Olive Danish or sweet treats like the Red Bean Donut. If you don’t mind sitting cross-legged, park yourself on a pillow on the tiered seating downstairs. If you prefer a table or lounge chair, head up to the loft.
A Tomato Olive Danish (above); Red Bean Donuts (below).
Order this: Walnut Caramel Scone and a Honey Lavender Macchiato
El Toro Bruto
332 W. Bland St. (inside Resident Culture South End)
704-728-8822
Los Angeles native Hector González-Mora consistently sold out of 500-plus breakfast tacos in less than an hour at his former pop-up, Chilito. Now you can get your fix at El Toro Bruto, his counter-service booth inside Resident Culture South End, beginning at 7 a.m. Score a warm, foil-wrapped taco filled with your choice of barbacoa, beef, chorizo, bacon, or egg and cheese. Then stop by the coffee bar toward the back of the main floor; it’s the only one in the Carolinas that exclusively serves Mostra Coffee, a roastery in San Diego that Roast magazine named Roaster of the Year in 2020.
Photo by Peter Taylor
Order this: The Barbacoa Breakfast Taco (shown), stuffed with beans, scrambled eggs, potatoes, onions, peppers, cheese, and shredded beef
Photos by Peter Taylor
Bagel Boys
7107 Waverly Walk Ave., Ste. A2
704-246-8081
New Jersey natives Nick and Heather Grove opened this south Charlotte bagel shop to bring authentic New York-style bagels to their adopted hometown. The menu includes a variety of bagels and spreads, plus sandwiches, coffee, tea, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. Feel free to bring your kids and hang out for a while; the Groves regularly host family-friendly events like Mom’s Morning Out, where moms can connect and kids get a free mini-bagel with schmear.
Order this: The Bae Gal, layered with crispy bacon, avocado, heirloom tomatoes, spinach, and egg on an everything bagel
milkbread
624 Jetton St., Ste. 110, Davidson
704-702-6020
1431 Central Ave.
704-684-1882
Joe and Katy Kindred built their new all-day café around the milk bread rolls that earned a cult following at Kindred, their famed Davidson restaurant. Think of it as the lighter, more buttery version of your classic supermarket white bread. It pairs well with just about anything, and you can use it to make sandwich bread, buns, or, if you’re the Kindreds, cinnamon rolls and doughnuts. The on-site coffee bar serves lattes, cappuccinos, and a private-label house roast by Summit Coffee Co.; the “toasts & biscuits” menu includes Smoked Ham Toast and Avocado Toast (both made with whole-grain sour- dough from Verdant Bread) and a Crispy Chicken Biscuit.
Order this: The Mini Cinnies, a tray of six buttery cinnamon rolls with thick dollops of cream cheese icing
Photos by Peter Taylor
Salted Melon
100 W. Worthington Ave., Ste. 107
704-817-9557
This market and eatery opened on the ground floor of the Lowe’s Global Technology Center in July. It serves an all-day menu, beginning at 7 a.m. on weekdays, that includes breakfast bowls, coffee and espresso, pastries, and dressed-up avocado toast. Grab your breakfast to go, or have a seat at the counter or a table to savor your first sips of coffee before you head to work.
Order this: The Overnight Sensation, a bowl of overnight oats topped with banana, strawberries, blueberries, candied pecan granola, honey, and peanut butter drizzle
Mattie’s Diner
3100 The Plaza
980-299-0005
Photo by Peter Taylor
Owner Matt King reopened his namesake diner at The Plaza and Shamrock Drive in April, seven years after he closed his original location. The new spot includes the classic diner car with counter seating and booths, and the breakfast menu has all the essentials: omelets, grits, and stacks of pancakes. New additions like the Vegan Breakfast Quesadilla and the Vegan Breakfast Sandwich come with vegan eggs, meat, and cheese.
Order this: Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Toast, a plate of challah French toast heaped with peanut butter and grilled bananas and topped with powdered sugar
