Cuppa Joe’s Breakfast Sandwich

Tastemaker

By Lynda Wheatley | Feb. 22, 2020

Few things satisfy like the humble breakfast sammie. A modest melding of egg, cheese, ham or bacon, and some sort of bread — English muffin or bagel, usually — they’re a reliably satisfying staple of the a.m. world, no matter how you choose to arrange yours. However, when the individual pieces of this no-frill mainstay are made, grown, and raised a few rungs above the usual standards, let’s just say, your humble breakfast sammie becomes nothing short of a morning star. Which is why we don’t understand why Traverse City’s Cuppa Joe doesn’t rename its plainly-named Breakfast Sandwich to The Stupendous Sammie. Its pasture-raised egg is cooked frittata-style — a light and truly lovely texture — and blanketed under a thick, well-melted slice of sharp white cheddar, a few slivers of red onion, and a maple aioli, all of which combine for a sublime blend of savory and (very lightly) sweet that brings richness with just a touch of zing. Rather than a small round, the layers are pressed between two slices of 9 Bean Rows’ focaccia bread that, despite a light toasting, remain immeasurably soft. Total cost for this eye-opening breakfast experience? $5. If you add Hi-Lo Farms’ organic sausage or a Sanders’ thick-cut bacon, $7 or $8 respectively. Find it at Cuppa Joe Café inside Building 50 at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons. (231) 947-7730, www.CuppaJoeTC.com