Al's Breakfast

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The front of Al's Breakfast

At a width of ten feet (3 m), Al's Breakfast is reportedly the smallest restaurant in the city of Minneapolis, and possibly the smallest restaurant in the world. A site with a colorful history, it is crammed into a former alleyway between two much larger buildings and is located—appropriately—in the city's Dinkytown neighborhood near the University of Minnesota. The haunt's 14 stools have met the rear ends of generations of students, along with notable figures such as writer James Lileks, humorist Garrison Keillor, and former governor Wendell Anderson, all of whom consider the tiny diner to be a significant icon of the state. Anderson had been known to bring along out-of-town "big shots" when he visited, and had also maintained a $25 credit in case he was ever "down on [his] luck." Of course, they and countless others haven't braved claustrophobic conditions for nothing. Lileks's review? "Best breakfasts in the world. Ever. Period. End of story. No debate necessary: trust me."

The restaurant as it is today came into being in 1950 when Al Bergstrom parted ways with another neighborhood restauranteur. Bergstrom had gained experience at the griddle and in kitchen management in the 1940s while working for John L. "Jack" Robinson during summers at a popular Minnesota State Fair cafeteria. The Dinkytown building he purchased dates back to 1937 when a neighboring hardware store erected a shed in the alleyway to hold sheet metal and plumbing parts. This was eventually rented out and was a Hunky Dory hamburger stand by the time Bergstrom took it over. The new owner renamed the diner to Al's Café and first opened the doors on May 15. Initially, he produced three meals a day, seven days a week, but scaled back the operation to simply be a breakfast outlet after one year.

Customers who visit the tiny space experience something that is not duplicated anywhere else in Minneapolis. Guests must first stand in line along the building's back wall as they wait for others to finish their meals. Frequent customers can purchase "meal books" and pre-pay for their food. Hundreds of such books line the opposite wall, where two griddles are also situated. A number of unusual trinkets line the front area of the diner. The stools and a linoleum countertop run down the middle of the building. The menu is considered to have a number of superb selections including buttermilk pancakes, waffles, hash browns, and eggs prepared in a number of different styles including omelettes. There are also some seasonal items.

Besides the food, another major draw is the atmosphere. People crammed into the tiny space can't help but get to know one another, and this has always been enhanced greatly by the attitude of the staff. Bergstrom was noted for his good humor—and always flirting with the ladies. He retired and passed the restaurant to his nephew Phil Bergstrom in 1973–1974. Doug Grina and Jim Brandes eventually took over around 1980, and have continued to operate the diner in the same way. The recipes and short-order cooking style that Al Bergstrom developed remain the same to this day.

A University of Minnesota music professor composed some special tunes in celebration of the restaurant's 50th anniversary in 2000. These were played in front of the building on May 15 by a local brass band. Al Bergstrom died in 2003 at the age of 97.

In 2004, Al's Breakfast won a James Beard Foundation award in the "America's Classics Restaurants" category. The award medal now hangs behind the counter at Al's, blending quickly into the explosion of toys, old foreign currency, and other assorted memorabilia that covers every surface.