How does Keke’s Breakfast Cafe set itself apart in the morning and midday restaurant world?
Makes plate-size pancakes and five versions of stuffed French toast. Grinds coffee beans every half-hour. Puts grits and cheese grits on the menu.
And, in this first California location for the Florida-founded chain, offers a coffee bar and wine bar, with lattes and mochas to go.
The Florida Pancakes are a bestseller at Keke’s throughout the country. (Photo by Austin Burke for Keke’s)
Keke’s, a chain started in 2006 by brothers Keith and Kevin (now you understand the name), selected Sunnyvale to kick off its planned West Coast expansion. The newly constructed restaurant, located at The Maxwell building in the city’s heritage district, is now serving daily from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
There’s seating for 138 customers in this airy space punctuated with art — the largest mural features a map of Sunnyvale — and nearly 50 covered parking spaces.
“It has an a.m. eatery freshness to it, less of a diner feel,” said Garren Grieve, CEO of the Seaside Dining Group, which operates this location.
Grieve also thinks the restaurant will score points when it comes to price and portion. “A lot of restaurants are pulling back on portion size. We can economically fill that plate,” he said.
Plate-filling pancakes (they call them “famously large”) are among the chain’s bestsellers nationwide, particularly the Florida Pancakes, which are topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries and banana slices.
French Toast stuffed with fruit and other fillings and cream cheese is one of the specialties at Keke’s Breakfast Cafe in Sunnyvale. (Photo courtesy of Keke’s)
Also popular, Seaside Dining exec Michael Yates said, are the Eggs Benedict, the Cheesesteak Omelet and the Stuffed French Toast, cream cheese and your choice of filling (apple-cinnamon, banana caramel pecan, blueberry compote, raspberry compote or the turtle trio of pecans, caramel and chocolate fudge). Many of the egg entrees come with an option to substitute grits for home fries as the side dish.
Barista/bartender Collin Masterson mixes a cocktail at the new Keke’s in Sunnyvale — the first in the chain to feature a combination coffee bar and wine bar. (Photo courtesy of Keke’s)
Sunnyvale’s standout feature is the coffee and wine bar, staffed with barista-bartenders. Under the Bubbles category, the drinks ($7 each) made with sparkling wine include four mimosas (traditional, white peach, passionfruit, seasonal spicy) and three sparkling cocktails (Lavender Lemonade, Strawberry Basil, Pineapple Creamsicle). If you can’t narrow it down to one selection, you can order a flight of four.
The Sunnyvale Spritz is a refreshing prosecco, fresh lemon juice and mint concoction.
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Cocktails, crafted with spirit-flavored wine bases ($7 mini, $10 regular), include a Bloody Mary made with Jeff’s Best Bloody Mix, an Espresso Martini, Morning Mule, Lemon Ginger Fizz, Wildberry Sangria and the whimsical, frothy Milk & Cereal, a creation by GM Tyler Etter with tropical juices and housemade coconut blend.
Details: Open every day from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (closed Christmas Day) at 311 S. Mathilda Ave., Sunnyvale; www.kekes.com/locations/kekes-sunnyvale
