I’m not a breakfast person. I prefer a killer sandwich or salad for lunch, or a gluttonous dinner, complete with multiple desserts (usually some version of a beignet and something key lime pie-y). I digress.  Lately, however, I’ve been looking forward to weekend mornings to feed my newest obsession: breakfast at Acme, the most precious anomaly in Midtown.

The restaurant looks like a small-town corner store, displaying mouthwatering pastries, like sea salt brownies & apple cider bundt cake, in a glass case for all to ogle. The freshly baked breads line burlap sack-covered tables, perfuming the restaurant with yeasty, doughy notes.  Stacks of house made pickles and jams sit next to the breads, not-so-delicately insinuating how well the two would pair together.

I order the same thing every time, which, in part stems from the restaurant’s quaintness that makes you feel like telling the plaid-wearing waiter, whom you’ve known since you were a little girl,  ”I’ll have the usual”.  Except I don’t say that. And the waiters don’t know me.

The almond milk latte (made with Panther coffee) is always perfectly sweet, frothy, and decorated with some swirly leaf design.  The granola with yogurt and berries is my go-to, which, at Acme, is anything but boring.  The homemade granola ($5), with hints of honey and almond, stays crunchy even after being topped with the tangy yogurt.  The biscuits are the best I’ve ever had, with layer after layer of flakiness, only enhanced by the accompanying jam. The Acme Mornin’ ($8), two eggs, potatoes, and toast (upgrade to Sally Lunn toast for $1, trust me), is the best deal on the menu. Crispy potatoes, eggs any way you like, and thick, rustic toast with jam and butter is the ultimate breakfast trifecta.

Something about this restaurant just puts me in a good mood. The staff is always attentive, helpful, and sweet, despite the swarms of hungry people lining up in the tiny restaurant waiting for a table. If you can, get a table outside. Its a great opportunity to people watch (and to pet people’s dogs when they walk by).

-Shari