Something for Everyone! by Melanee Meegan, Marketing and Advertising Manager/Food Critic

The surfer burrito is what gets the young folks here, says Jay Randolph, owner of Jay’s Café. The inspiration for this delicious avocado, cheese, egg, homemade chorizo and salsa came from Jay’s own travels to surf beaches along the coast. Each morning he would enjoy a surfer burrito for breakfast. When he decided to open his own place, he knew it had to be on the menu.

Jay has been in the food business for most of his life, and the only thing left for him to try his hand at was his own restaurant. After looking at a lot of different locations, Jay found the perfect spot on Raymond Avenue in St. Paul. The space was a perfect size. It was not too big, not too small and it already had a kitchen set up from the previous business. Jay’s Café opened in February of 2005 with a staff of six employees. They were only a breakfast and lunch place for the first year but in January of this year they doubled their staff and began serving dinner.

Most of the food on the menu is a creative twist on American classics. One of their most popular offerings is the delicious pasties (pastry pies with a savory filling). The filling changes daily. Other unique items include the apple and cream poached salmon served on wilted spinach and the decadent beef tenderloin and roasted tomato sandwich served with Béarnaise (a rich butter sauce, sharp in taste and flavored with chopped tarragon or chervil).

With tasty options like this, it’s no surprise that the neighborhood has embraced Jay’s Café with open arms. "It’s a challenge when a new restaurant takes the place of another one that is so cherished," says Jay. But from what all the customers are saying, they’ve done a great job fitting into the area and making everyone happy!

When it comes to the coffee, Jay didn’t want to have "terrible" coffee which is typical of a lot of diner-style restaurants. He wanted to offer coffee shop quality cups of java. He knew Peace Coffee had the best coffee in town. We were just what he wanted to complete his already spectacular breakfast menu. He serves our smooth and sweet Colombian Heavy Pedal roast.

Last Sunday, I stopped by for a plate of the eggs Sardou, poached eggs on cibatta toast with artichokes, spinach and Creole Hollandaise. There was no wait for a table and I was thrilled that they were offering iced Peace Coffee. To me, nothing tastes better in the summertime than ice coffee in the morning. If you haven’t already been to Jay’s Café, I highly recommend inviting some friends to join you for brunch there this summer. You won’t be disappointed.

Jay’s Café is located in the St. Anthony neighborhood of St. Paul at 791 Raymond Ave. Hours of operation are: Breakfast and Lunch – Tuesday-Sunday, 7:30 am–2:30 pm; Dinner – Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 5:00 pm–10:00 pm.

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