Highland Cafe & Bakery

Great little breakfast joint. Looks like they have a lot of loyal customers that have been coming here for years. The food was ok the service was quick to get the food out and the waitress was pleasant. This is a place that has stood the test of time, they’ve been around and know how to butter up the bread and grease the pans. In other words Don’t come here if you are health conscious.

I have been going here for a few years for the pancakes and good prices and quick service. Today my friends and I decided we were done. A couple times we were denied using our coupons which was not verified in the fine print. Just subjectively denied.
The bigger issue is a couple of staff who are just not pleasant. It’s like they are unhappy they run/​own the place. The price and speed of service is right, but the attitude is not. There is something to be said about HOW people are served. I would pay more to have eat in an environment where people are in a better mood with the customers. Sorry, but we are no longer going to patronize this spot.

I had a Groupon for $ 25 worth during dinner hour. I guess it helps to call ahead because we didn’t know it would close early for Halloween. So, we were bummed and ate at Sakana. Well, we came here early last Saturday after my wife’s volunteer work. I had the fish and chips with a side of broccoli and cauliflower. She had the pork dinner with mashed potatoes, broccoli, and stuffing. I think my wife got confused and wasn’t sure it was pork or turkey. Either way, it was way too dry and probably would of choked on it if it wasn’t for the gravy. My fish and chips were better and had generous portion of fish. I did accidently squirt some hot water from the batter fried fish. Ouch, so I was a little more careful when taking more bites. Also, we had some extra on the Groupon so brought home a slice of apple pie. The apple pie was pretty standard so no complaints. Overall, I think we made the most of the Groupon and the food was pretty decent. Maybe, just avoid the pork or turkey dinner which is a bit dry… Service was fantastic and I appreciated that the fries were fried to perfection. Also, the broccoli and cauliflower were not over cooked which often times happens.

Good food and service. Hollandaise sauce is pretty good and the portion sizes to price ratio are good. The only thing that was troubling was the screaming kids: they have a play area near the front door so you may be greeted, upon entering, with braying kids throwing toys and their depressed looking parents trying to ignore them in a moment of zen.

I live off of Hiawatha and like coming here for breakfast. Good food. VERY FAST. And good service. I like it.

Service was great
Food delicious
Rolls even better overall very happy with this biscuit here
Will be going back if I have time on the next visit

I like this restaurant it has had its ups and downs over the years with food but lately I’ve gone it’s great service and food is good simple tasty food that I like. my good comfort food but not a greasy spoon or too simple. their bread is fresh love it. they could update their plates they serve on and the cheese cake I had wasn’t that great it tastes sort of old or out of a box maybe it was too cold because they keep it in a cooler better to have taken home to eat it later same with the cake I had earlier.

I’ve been going here a little more frequently, always for take out. They are really nice people, and the food is always good. They make «off menu» items if you ask, and it appears that they have a very good lunch business. The desserts look really really good although I only admire them. I pick sweet rolls up for my mom on occasion, and while the dough is good, they are REALLY gooped up with frosting. She finds them cloyingly sweet. But still, the food is good and the menu varied and in general not too salty, so I’d certainly recommend them.

Great restaurant! ! Excellent service and excellent food!!! Would give 10 stars if I was allowed.

Why eat at Perkins and the like when this place has charm and much better food? I have only eaten breakfast here, but it has never disappointed. The caramel rolls are to die for, and the weekday breakfast special (served until 11:30 am) with many full meals offered under $ 5 is possibly the best breakfast deal in St. Paul.

I have only had breakfast here, but if what you want for breakfast is a greasy spoon, this is the place. Their bacon is excellent and the hash browns are always perfectly crispy. Definitely one of our favorite breakfast spots for your straight-​forward, no frills breakfast.

We were looking for a place at 1030 on a Saturday that could fit us in quickly. They were just the ticket. Breakfast for two of us and lunch (hamburger) for the other. Bakery goods (buns and rolls and toast) were amazing. I highly recommend as the neighborhood feel if this restaurant in highland area was wonderful and added to the experience.

I ordered the momos. I spent a semester in Nepal twenty years ago and have eaten momos plenty of times since. These were the first momos that really truly tasted like what I remember.
Service was friendly; we were there for lunch and I got ravenous before my food showed up, and so I flagged down the waitress and asked her to bring me something, anything, to keep me from keeling over at the table. She brought me out a thick slice of astonishingly good bread, and some butter to spread on it.
Anyway, I’ll definitely be back.

Came here with the in laws and had dinner… We didn’t get there until 730 and they close at 8. The waitress seemed really stressed out or frazzled? She was quick but not the most friendly. Three of us wanted the special but they only had enough for two. it was end of the night. Father in law wanted fish originally but she said they were out… when she came back to tell us they didn’t have enough pork chops she offered walleye? It became kind of annoying because then another person wanted walleye as well but she said it was to much trouble to unthaw two instead of one. Confused? Me too! Seconds later she came back because we all ordered baked potatoes and they only had two left… it was a lot of back and forth to say the least. So either the only waitress and the cook were not communicating or the waitress was a ditz? Up for debate I guess.
Dinner came out pretty quick and everything looked fantastic. Taco salad was really good, hubby said chicken was perfect and so was the shell, only complaint was salsa was from a jar (he is a snot) and he wanted avocado. where is he from? This is a bakery! Lol

Pork chops looked absolutely amazing, visually amazing! Taste? A tad dried out. Served with FRESH sautéed brussel sprouts! Omg! Soooo good! Everyone loved the brussel sprouts. Not sure how the troublesome walleye was, father in law got that and he would probably eat cardboard if you put it in front of him, he isn’t picky.
Besides the confusion. we would definitely go back!

Good, traditional food done well with a good wine list and half-​price bottle specials. (Tuesday and Wednesday?) Great place to take a friend, and the parents love it too. So much more room to move around in than the Grille. Great bakery, too.

All the menu items are good. Pretty regular diner fare, nothing terrible, nothing incredible.
With the exception of the cinnamon rolls. THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD.

I have driven by this place many a time and finally decided to stop by today. My parents and I were looking for a nice place to grab a quick bite and I thought about this place after hearing people rave about it for years.
Dining room is bigger than I thought it would be. Lots of big booths and tables.
Decent sized menu with breakfast served all day which is a plus considering I love breakfast fare any time of the day.
Ordered the Eggs Commodore with sausage which was really good. I love sausage patties and this one was just the right thickness with the right amount of hollendaise sauce.
Mom ordered one of the cinnamon rolls which looked really good. She said it was very tasty. It came with a huge dollop of whipped butter.
Dad ordered a a single buttermilk pancake which he remarked was really tasty.
Service was decent.
Nice looking cakes, desserts waiting to entice you as you walk in.
The menu section with the Samosas etc kind of threw me for a loop. Interesting…
Basic comfort food place.

I expected a dumpy Midwestern café with bland food, but you can’t tell a book by its cover. The décor was more up-​to-​date than what I would normally expect (think Bed Bath and Beyond), and it does seem they are trying to appeal to the yuppie crowd, serving wine and… South Asian food! The menu had momos and samosas. I just had to try it, so along with my Reuben (which was not particularly amazing but good), I ordered a mango lassi and samosas. The lassi had different spices than what I’ve had elsewhere, but it was sweet and tasty. I can’t vouch for the overall authenticity of the samosas, but the filling at least tasted very similar to what I’ve had at Indian restaurants in the U.S.
So, I will be going back because it’s close, and to try the momos. This was indeed a pleasant surprise.
Update (3÷15÷14): I returned for lunch yesterday, looking forward to South Asian food. They drastically trimmed the menu, and there are no more lassis and samosas. I was really bummed. They still had momos, and added kothe (fried momos). I had a vegetarian curry, and asked for it «spicy.» It had more kick than what I was expecting – a notch less than a «medium» that I ordered at a University Ave. eatery. The veggies were less cooked than I was expecting, but otherwise it was a solid curry.
The diminished supply and demand is to be expected, I imagine, since nothing about the exterior or name suggests ethnic food. Next time I want samosas I’ll have to go elsewhere.

So I have not eaten here. But I did stop by this morning on the hunt for some baked yumminess to take into the office for a special occasion. The gentleman there was more than happy to oblige, offering suggestions and doing a lovely job wrapping up the cake I selected. Sure I will be back to sample the fare and the legendary caramel rolls, but for now, 4 stars for very good service very early in the morning.
Oh, and the cake was delicious and a huge hit at my office.

Went here with a friend to check it out before a show.
Very diner-​esque type place — nothing fancy about the décor. Kinda like an independent perkins type place is how i would describe it.
The food was decent — I got the curry — which had zero veggies in it and it looked like a big glob of yellow in a bowl — and was served with a side of rice. It was tasty but the presentation needs some work…or more color on the plate or in the curry…My friend got the denver sandwich — which is essentially a sandwich with an omelet inside. That was pretty good. We also got a big piece of chocolate cake which had AMAZING frosting.
I would recommend coming here for inexpensive sandwiches and dessert — or breakfast — which would seem to be more their style.