Morning Glory Cafe

[lullyloo]

Was visiting Philly last weekend with my parents.  The City Market looked like foodie paradise but it was too crowded at lunchtime, so we decided to take a cab to Morning Glory at the recommendation of a friend.  (Perhaps a local can help me out.  I don't remember it's exact location, but it was in Old Town on Tenth? and a few blocks from Washington where the Italian markets begin.)  Anyway, we got there at around 1:30 and the place was still packed.  We waited fifteen minutes in their cute and kitschy patio area and were seated at a comfortable table in a warm and sunny spot by the window, which had a gorgeous, fresh bouquet of sunflowers, daisies and tulips on the sill.  I went to college in Portland, Oregon, and it reminded me of a lot of restaurants there:  young, slightly bohemian, very affordable, casual and homey; the food hearty, a little retro ("comfort" food), with an emphasis on quality, often upscale (creme fresche) ingredients - fresh, lots of greens, and often healthy.  Brunch was still being served, regular menu plus specials.  Coffee was dark, bracing, and hot! (another reminder of the pacific northwest).  We ordered pancakes and scrapple for the table.  The scrapple was not what I expected.  I thought it would be like a fried salami and it was more like a breakfast sausage meatloaf, very heavy on the filler and ground fine, so it was softer and much mushier than meatloaf.  We found it tasted best as a Thai version (as my father dubbed it) with some habanero pepper sauce (the restaurant has quite a collection of really interesting bottled hot sauces to choose from; help yourself) and homemade blueberry jam.  The pancakes were light, fluffy and steaming hot; they had a certain flavor (buckwheat??) that I've tasted before in certain pancakes that is not to my liking, but I know some people love it.  ANd you can get them with a warm fruit topping that I've heard it wonderful.  If the little ramekins of warm, spiced apples that come withe the egg breakfasts were any indication . . . mmmmmm.  I ordered an egg sandwhich special which was scrambled egg with mushroom, arugula, and smoked mozzarella on a toasted Italian roll.  The eggs were actually on the wetter side and tasted like they had been cooked slowly in a pan rather than done to that dried out spongy consistency on the griddle.  Cheese and vegetables mixed in, the arugula and mushrooms, cooked til just tender.  The mozzarella lent the perfect amount of flavor, and was thankfully not an overwhelming, gloppy mess.  And the roll was actually good bread (maybe toasted a bit longer?) not just an afterthought.  It was really a treat in simplicity.  Potatoes were satisfactory, not too exciting.  My father's fritatta was yummy, everyone else ordered regular eggs.  

Service was friendly and attentive.  My mother ordered her eggs over-medium and the waitress actually communicated this to the cook and the cook actually prepared them that way.  

I know Carman's is the place to go, but if you are looking for a relaxed, cozy weekend brunch place where simple brunch fare will actually surpass your expectations, Morning Glory hits the spot.

[Holly Moore]

The Morning Glory Diner is at 10th and Fitzwater in South Philadelphia, an easy 3 block walk from the Italian Market.  I've always liked the food there, but have found the service to be consistently haphazzard.  Usually friendly, but often painfully slow.  Though it's a neighborhood restaurant it can get as packed as Carman's on weekends.

A lot of people don't realize it, but they have an outdoor dining area facing Fitzwater.  Kinda 3rd world strange in design - somehow it reminds me of Honduras - but one of Philadelphia's few low priced, outdoor dining spaces that isn't a few tables lining the sidewalk.

As to scrapple, the "filler" is cornmeal, the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch recipe.  The base is pork - all manner of pork.  Them Pennsylvania Dutch are thrifty, nothing goes to waste.

Scrapple is purchased as a loaf, sliced into 1/4" or 3/8" slabs, dusted with flour, and pan fried.  Never had it with blueberry jam.  Applesauce is the more traditional accompaniment.  Habarnero or hot sauce, nah....  Just covers up the essential taste of scrapple.

[philadining]

OK, it's not JUST because the snow made me too late for Carman's, I've always liked the Morning Glory for brunch, and this sunday was just snowy enough to thin the crowds, so, no wait for a change...

I happen to like the casual, boho service style, everyone's always been quite nice to me. Sure, the kitchen can be slow, but I'll live with that to have most everything made to order.

Today one of the specials was a spicy twist on eggs benedict, with cornbread, chorizo and a spiced-up hollandaise.

The sauce, and sausage, had a good kick, mellowed by the sweet cornbread, and grits on the side.

They have so many unconventional things on the menu, I always feel a little guilty ordering pancakes, but I really love them here, either plain or with fruit mixed-in. It was late, and there weren't too many choices so I went fully decadent with bananas and chocolate chips. A short stack is enough for me.

Their herby sausage is a nice counterpoint for the sweetness of the pancakes.

And then there's pie....

I don't think they make the pies themselves, they referred to them as "Amish Pies" but they taste like homemade.

Good coffee too.

In good weather you can count on a wait on Sundays, I always feel it's worth it.

edited to clarify: no, I didn't eat all of that... there were two of us.

Edited February 13, 2006 by philadining (log)

[KatieLoeb]

You were in my 'hood and didn't even call. I might be insulted...

I was actually contemplating a trip to Morning Glory myself today. A friend was in the area from out of town and we were considering getting together for lunch/brunch at one point before the realities of bad snow and her having a little family time with her parents got in the way. I was ready to give this place another chance after a long ago bad experience there. In fact it still rates as my very worst service experience in Philadelphia after 25 years of living here so it might be worth another try. Perhaps the snarky server I had is gone by now.

[mrbigjas]

As to scrapple, the "filler" is cornmeal, the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch recipe.  The base is pork - all manner of pork.  Them Pennsylvania Dutch are thrifty, nothing goes to waste.that

Scrapple is purchased as a loaf, sliced into 1/4" or 3/8" slabs, dusted with flour, and pan fried.  Never had it with blueberry jam.  Applesauce is the more traditional accompaniment.  Habarnero or hot sauce, nah....  Just covers up the essential taste of scrapple.

applesauce? how about that. all my years of eating scrapple and we always used syrup or ketchup--i'll have to try applesauce next time.

[Holly Moore]

So gut it is with applesauce.

[stachichach]

Absolutely.....Morning Glory, one of the best breakfasts you can get in Philly. A local favorite.

[Buckethead]

Well, it's certainly the most overrated breakfast in the city. I used to think it was great when I lived in the burbs and only came to the city for breakfast rarely, but now that I live here I realize that it's not even the best place in the area, let alone the city. Maybe the place has just changed in that time. The eggs are usually underdone: I like mine over easy, which is supposed to mean that all of the white is cooked, but none of the yolk is. At Morning Glory you have to ask for them over medium, otherwise you get watery whites. Their biscuits are okay, but they're more like unsweetened coffee cakes than biscuits. On those occasions when I tried the fancy french toast or pancakes, I was disappointed as well. One time in particular I got french toast with mango and a few other things on top, the mangoes weren't ripe yet. Ugh. And besides all this, the service is usually slow and hipper-than-thou.

If you love eggs and biscuits, go to the Pink Rose, they make the best biscuits I've ever had outside my own kitchen. You won't find a lot of exotic stuff on the menu, but the service is very friendly and attentive. If you want more inventive dishes, go to Sabrina's.

[sockii]

One time in particular I got french toast with mango and a few other things on top, the mangoes weren't ripe yet. Ugh. And besides all this, the service is usually slow and hipper-than-thou.

Well, I suppose at least you got the fruit! The one time I went to Morning Glory they were out of fruit for the "special" french toast with fruit & nuts, and I don't think it was even noon yet.

I don't know; as I said I only went once but was entirely underwhelmed and not inclined to make the effort to go there again, not when I've got better (IMO) brunch places closer, with superior service and without the huge wait. Maybe I caught them on a bad day, maybe I just wasn't in the right mood.

[cinghiale]

Hmmm, I live around the corner and go frequently. I like it. Buckethead's comment about the service does have merit. It can be maddeningly slow -- staff standing around and chatting while you're sitting there with closed menus.

The food is really good, though. Yesterday, I had the hummus w/grilled pita and veggies. Big mound of hummus surrounded by cukes, juliened roasted peppers, surprisingly (for this time of year) tasy tomatoes, plus really good pita (Kronos). $5, maybe $7, and it's a meal in itself. Also had the spicy turkey meatloaf sammich w/smoked mozz. Also very good. For breakfast, I always get a cup of that Irish oatmeal -- man, it's good. Their fare generally seems pretty consistent. Never had a drop-out.

[KatieLoeb]

Hmmm, I live around the corner and go frequently.  I like it.  Buckethead's comment about the service does have merit.  It can be maddeningly slow -- staff standing around and chatting while you're sitting there with closed menus.

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Actually the bad service experience I had there was even more egregious than this. Staff standing around and chatting after I had actively requested something. Waitress rolls her eyes at me as if I were a nuisance, not her livelihood and goes back to keep chatting. Afterward, she walks past me empty-handed (i.e. not with someone else's hot food that I could understand would be a priority to deliver first) and still forgets my condiments. I had to ask again. By the time it arrived my food was ice cold. Then I was held hostage until the waitress decided to check back and finally drop our check. It was insulting and amateurish service at best.

I haven't been back since. I'm surely not going to wait on line to be treated that way. There are way too many other good places to go.

[philadining]

I'm certainly not going to dispute anyone's experiences, of course anything can happen on any given day, but I've been there a gazillion times, and never had bad service. Slow, yes... but if you're frustrated by long waits and slow service, most all of the popular South Philly brunch places will drive you out of your mind.

I'm moving pretty slow myself on sundays, so maybe I just don't notice.

But I'm always awake enough to discern what's on my plate, and it's always been really good at the Morning Glory. Especially those pancakes...

[KatieLoeb]

I'm certainly not going to dispute anyone's experiences, of course anything can happen on any given day, but I've been there a gazillion times, and never had bad service.  Slow, yes... but if you're frustrated by long waits and slow service, most all of the popular South Philly brunch places will drive you out of your mind.

I'm moving pretty slow myself on sundays, so maybe I just don't notice.

But I'm always awake enough to discern what's on my plate, and it's always been really good at the Morning  Glory. Especially those pancakes...

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This wasn't about slow. It was about rudeness and a complete inability to multi-task even the simplest requests. Don't ever walk past a restaurant manager with empty hands. It's just bad policy. I do know better. I notice more than the average bear. All I wanted was some stinking ketchup. Apparently her conversation with her friends (yes- she was clearly socializing and ignoring other customers) was infinitely more interesting than doing her job. But whatever. It would have been fine had she just been the slightest bit apologetic. She wasn't. She treated my dining companion and myself as an intrusion on her day.

That shit don't fly with me. Ever.