A breakfast tradition for many of us in Ely is Brittons on Chapman.

Britton's recently was closed for a couple of weeks to remodel the restaurant. They reopened on Friday April 6th-I had breakfast there on Saturday the 7th.

They have cleaned up the place, changed out some signs and art on the wall, installed new carpet, new front door, new lighting, new chairs around the tables. The food is still good and plentiful. They still have their homemade wheat toast. Sam is still waiting tables. The coffee is still acceptable and plentiful but a little weak for my taste and they still are "Cash Only".

Thought others would like to know so you can tell Sam and others at Brittons what a nice job they did sprucing up the place. They are ready for the paddle season even though the lakes are far from ready.

Nice. It brings to mind another of life's regrets: not taking enough photos of the everyday experiences to document these 'good old days gone by.' So, anyone have photos they would care to post here of the "old" Britton's interior?

This one has become a group favorite: A Britton's virgin not quite prepared for his sizable serving of pancakes:

Thanks for the post. Ate there last Fall for the first time in decades. Was awesome! Will definitely make it part of each Ely side trip in the future. When is the best time in the morning to go? We got there about 7:00AM on a Saturday and it was packed.

One of my favorite restaurants in Ely. Hope that they kept their funniest signs! Massive breakfasts -- you hardly need to eat until dinner!

love brittons! they put carpet in? i don't remember carpet.

Glad to hear it! Britton's coffee reputation is one so ingrained in their lore that I think it would be disappointing if they made it better - almost.

Can’t wait to see it !! Sammy and all the crew are just wonderful people that work their butts off that’s for sure!!

I liked looking at the original paintings on the walls. Does anyone know who the artist was and it they were local? I like going there early for breakfast. I usually don’t eat lunch after that. Looking forward to seeing the transformation. Thanks for the warning Bogs!

schweady: "Nice. It brings to mind another of life's regrets: not taking enough photos of the everyday experiences to document these 'good old days gone by.' So, anyone have photos they would care to post here of the "old" Britton's interior?

This one has become a group favorite: A Britton's virgin not quite prepared for his sizable serving of pancakes:

"

Even with Sam in the background with the pot of coffee-love the picture.

AmarilloJim: "Thanks for the post. Ate there last Fall for the first time in decades. Was awesome! Will definitely make it part of each Ely side trip in the future. When is the best time in the morning to go? We got there about 7:00AM on a Saturday and it was packed."

Best time to go is any morning between October and April :-)

I tried to have breakfast at Britton's once in August, but couldn't get a permit.

Bogwalker: "

schweady: "Nice. It brings to mind another of life's regrets: not taking enough photos of the everyday experiences to document these 'good old days gone by.' So, anyone have photos they would care to post here of the "old" Britton's interior?


This one has become a group favorite: A Britton's virgin not quite prepared for his sizable serving of pancakes:

"

Even with Sam in the background with the pot of coffee-love the picture."

Yeah, I was accused of taking the pic for that very reason... :-)

A little history?
I asked before once and forgot the answer, does a Britton still own the place? Just curious how many owners have there been?
Ate there before and love the food.

It is a must for our breakfasts and has become THE ONLY breakfast we do. Used to mix it up with vertins. Brittons can't be beat. Well, maybe the coffee......

HowardSprague: "I tried to have breakfast at Britton's once in August, but couldn't get a permit."

Ha! Ain't that the truth. On weekends it's very tough to get a table in August anyway. When I heard remodel I was hoping they were getting a bigger space.

Cool place.......every time we have been to the Q we have eaten there. Any night life in Ely? Might be interesting?

I love Britton's - my mouth is watering as I type! (I have started asking for a half order of potatoes.)

Dave

Did they make the seating any more roomy? Love the food.

OneMatch: "Glad to hear it! Britton's coffee reputation is one so ingrained in their lore that I think it would be disappointing if they made it better - almost.


"

For a while there it wasn't to bad... Oh, it's not what I go there for... The food is outstanding!
Best time to get there is six am.

Pinetree: "A little history?
I asked before once and forgot the answer, does a Britton still own the place? Just curious how many owners have there been?
Ate there before and love the food."

In the 60's, the Café was originally across the street, next to what is now the Co-op Credit Union, and was called Edna's.
The Credit Union location was a Standard Oil Gas Station.
Edna's then moved across the street, and the name was changed when George?? Britton purchased it. (the Café now is in a building that was once called Cyko Art Camera and Record Shop)
It was later sold to Bonnie Jacobson who has been the owner for the past 23 years, but the name remained.

love that place!

3Ball: "Did they make the seating any more roomy? Love the food."

The space is about the same, Same booths along the one wall, counter seating with some tables down the middle-does not look to be any additional or roomier seating.

The size is probably by design-if it gets any bigger it would require additional staff and quite honestly it is only extremely busy from June to August-the other 9 months it has some times when its packed but for the most part you can always find a table. When we were there last Saturday at 7:00 am there were three tables being used and 3 counter stools occupied. It would be hard to justify expansion when 9 months out of the year you won't be very full. Weekdays they do have a nice local following of workers but even then it is rarely full during the fall, winter, spring months.

HowardSprague: "I tried to have breakfast at Britton's once in August, but couldn't get a permit."

Last September, halfway thru my meal I had to visit restroom. By the time I returned someone was in my booth. Ha!

Bogwalker: "

3Ball: "Did they make the seating any more roomy? Love the food."

The space is about the same, Same booths along the one wall, counter seating with some tables down the middle-does not look to be any additional or roomier seating.


The size is probably by design-if it gets any bigger it would require additional staff and quite honestly it is only extremely busy from June to August-the other 9 months it has some times when its packed but for the most part you can always find a table. When we were there last Saturday at 7:00 am there were three tables being used and 3 counter stools occupied. It would be hard to justify expansion when 9 months out of the year you won't be very full. Weekdays they do have a nice local following of workers but even then it is rarely full during the fall, winter, spring months."

There is no room for expansion, the building is what it is and there are occupied buildings on either side.

The Great Outdoors: "

Pinetree: "A little history?
I asked before once and forgot the answer, does a Britton still own the place? Just curious how many owners have there been?
Ate there before and love the food."

In the 60's, the Café was originally across the street, next to what is now the Co-op Credit Union, and was called Edna's.
The Credit Union location was a Standard Oil Gas Station.
Edna's then moved across the street, and the name was changed when George?? Britton purchased it. (the Café now is in a building that was once called Cyko Art Camera and Record Shop)
It was later sold to Bonnie Jacobson who has been the owner for the past 23 years, but the name remained.
"

TGO thanks,I knew you probably had the info. Thanks.

Just tooled up a custom dice box for Britton's Café! Donating it on behalf of all the BWCA.com members! Look for it next week! Always eat there when in town!

dicecupmaker: "Just tooled up a custom dice box for Britton's Café! Donating it on behalf of all the BWCA.com members! Look for it next week! Always eat there when in town!"

So, maybe double-or-nothing on our next stuffed hash browns?! :-)

bwcasolo: "love that place!"

I'm with you. We stumbled upon it very early morning while bumming around town very early one morning while waiting for our outfitter to open up. We've been eating breakfast there every trip since.

dicecupmaker: "Just tooled up a custom dice box for Britton's Café! Donating it on behalf of all the BWCA.com members! Look for it next week! Always eat there when in town!"

very generous of you! must be a huge box to have all our names on it!