Every neighborhood needs a good breakfast spot. Whether it’s a greasy spoon, an upscale diner, or something in between, breakfast restaurants always seem to serve up just as much community camaraderie as stacks of pancakes.
Mimosa Breakfast & Brunch fits the bill as Franklin’s new neighborhood brunch spot, and seems to be a quick favorite. On any given day of the week, the breakfast- and lunch-only restaurant is bustling with customers, many of whom endure a wait for a table. But the staff is friendly and runs like clockwork, so while you won’t be outwardly rushed to vacate your table, customer turnover is efficient and continuous.
Once you grab a table, though, you’ll understand why there’s a wait. The menu is on par with some of the more well-known daytime restaurants in the city, with international cuisine influences as well as American classics like biscuits and gravy.
Greek flavors in particular permeate the menu due to owner Apostoli Evreniadis’ childhood in Greece. A Hellene omelette ($9.95) is folded with sautéed baby kale, imported feta cheese, and roasted red pepper sauce for a vegetarian option. The simply named shrimp omelette ($12.45) is one of the standouts of the entire menu, though. At least a half-dozen large shrimp are cooked with lemon, garlic, fresh tomato and onion, then tucked in a cage-free egg omelette with cheese and topped with fresh avocado slices. Like all dishes here, it makes a massive plate, and is brightened by the bit of lemon and generous application of avocado. All omelettes come with your choice of house potatoes or fruit.
Shrimp, a not-so-common breakfast menu ingredient, also makes an appearance in the morning jambalaya skillet ($12.95). Tender pulled chicken breast, breakfast sausage, shrimp and Cajun seasonings are cooked together with peppers and onions, then placed on top of potatoes with two eggs. A Mexican-inspired choricero skillet ($11.45) with chicken chorizo, and a Greek chicken souvla skillet ($11.45) are also available.
Blueberry buttermilk pancakes ($8.95) were fluffy and packed with fresh berries. Belgian waffles can be stuffed with house-smoked pecans ($8.95) or topped with fried chicken cutlets and rosemary and soy sauce-infused maple syrup for their version of chicken and waffles ($10.95).
Do not pass up a chance to try the signature Mimosa breakfast potatoes. They’re made with Evreniadis’ mom’s recipe, and they’re what he grew up eating. They’re chunky, similar to what we’d call home fries, and cooked only in olive oil, not butter. They have great crispy brown bits from the griddle and are seasoned well. You can order them topped four different ways, one with feta, lemon and bacon ($4.95), and one with a tangy Greek yogurt avocado sauce ($3.45), for instance.
The menu has a small lunch section, including sandwiches and entrée salads, if you can pull yourself away from the breakfast items. Smoked pecans show up again in a maple chicken salad sandwich ($9.95), which is served with fresh cut fries, tabouleh salad or fruit. A steak salad ($13.95) with a 7-ounce cut of beef, pickled onions and orange champagne vinaigrette makes a substantial meal.
Along with mimosas and a Bloody Mary loaded with bacon, feta and pickles, Mimosa serves a signature blend of coffee from Colectivo, making it easy to linger. Everyone else seems to share the same idea, making for a brunch that’s louder than it is relaxing. But if what you’re looking for is a unique menu, big portions and an atmosphere that will wake you up in the morning, then Mimosa is your neighborhood spot.
