Downstairs cafe Downtown offers solid breakfast food

Cafe Illyria is the unassuming little eatery on the lower floor of an old home on East State Street Downtown. The building has been renovated to house the restaurant and office space; guests must descend a short concrete staircase to reach the eatery.

A chalkboard menu lists breakfast and lunch offerings, as well as drinks and daily specials. Black-andwhite photos hang on the walls and feature historic shots of major American cities and of Albania, from which the cafe owner hails. Potted plants sit in the front windows as a TV plays morning talk shows.

Like Cafe Illyria’s companion restaurant, Warehouse Cafe, guests order at a small counter and food is delivered to the table. The dining room includes 11 tables; a patio is open during the warmer months.

Served until 10:30 a.m., the breakfast menu includes the usual suspects: pancakes ($5.99), French toast ($5.99), sandwiches The Albanian breakfast at Cafe Illyria

($4.99 to $5.50), a wrap ($7.25) and platters of eggs, meat, potatoes and toast ($6.25 to $6.99).

Omelets ($5.99 to $6.99) are a major feature, with seven combinations of meat and veggie omelets listed. Toast is served on the side.

The Greek omelet ($6.99) was loaded with gyro meat, vegetables and feta cheese. While the eggs were browned and just a touch dry, the veggies, gyro meat and generous sprinkling of

feta more than made up for it.

The Albanian breakfast plate ($7.25) was a fragrant and colorful scramble of potatoes, eggs, spinach, onion, tomatoes and feta cheese, topped with olives and a side of toast. The flavorful and well-seasoned mix emits a pleasing aroma – you’ll smell it as it arrives at the table.

Cafe Illyria is open only on weekdays for now, although owner Zaim Hoxha has hinted he’d like to expand to weekends. His cafe is a great example of a hidden gem, the type of family-owned place serving heartwarming breakfasts in a comfortable location.