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Mercer Cafe
Omelets stuffed with crab, asparagus and mozzarella or pancetta, tomato and onion. Mascarpone French toast. Salty, buttery creamed chipped beef.
Stomach grumbling yet?
These are but a few of the breakfast and brunch options Mercer Café serves up, and according to owner Tom Woltjen, every single menu item is prepared fresh daily.
Open since May 2000, Mercer Café is a true family business. Woltjen’s wife, daughter and brother are all a part of the operation, and the family grew up in the neighborhood.
“There’s a lot of ‘Mercer babies’ we’ve watched grow up,” Woltjen said. “We’re always chatting with everyone. Everyone’s part of the family.”
The café offers seasonal as well as daily specials, and Woltjen said it’s always packed on the weekends, when brunch runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays.
With diverse breakfast, brunch and lunch offerings, it’s unlikely anyone who stopped in to Mercer Café would go hungry. Plus, the staff members clearly love what they do.
“It feels good to serve the neighborhood,” Woltjen said.
Call Mercer Café at (215) 426–2153.
M&M Cafe
Though not named for the candies with the chocolate shell, the offerings at this diner seem to be considered just as delicious.
M&M stands for Marian and Maggie Cudnik, the husband-and-wife team who have owned the Port Richmond café for 19 years.
What’s so good on their menu that readers voted M&M the best place to go for breakfast or brunch?
“Everything is good, no choice,” said Marian Cudnik. “But people really like the chipped beef and the omelets.”
With its very simple yet classic diner style, complete with counter seating and vinyl booths, M&M is just what you’d expect from a small town joint.
The menu is packed with breakfast and brunch staples like eggs any style, breakfast sandwiches and bacon, as well as Polish favorites like potato pancakes and pierogis.
“All my neighbors, I know everyone that comes here. Many people come even from the Northeast,” said Maggie Cudnik. “The neighborhood is really nice.”
M&M is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day of the week. Call the café at 215–423–4990.
-Mikala Jamison
Runner Up: Ida Mae’s Bruncherie at 2302 E. Norris St.
