Scoop: New owner of Beth's Cafe says night hours are coming back
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Breakfast at Beth's Cafe in Seattle. Photos: Courtesy of Mason Reed
Seattle's iconic breakfast joint is returning to "its full glory" with expanded hours and more dining options, Mason Reed, the new owner of Beth's Cafe, told Axios.
Driving the news: Reed, a musician and chef who also owns White Center's rising live music spot Tim's Tavern, took ownership of the cafe known for its 12-egg omelet on Jan. 1.
Why it matters: The popular Seattle destination spot, which used to be open 24 hours, floundered during and after the pandemic when hours were cut sharply, Reed said.
What they're saying: "Breakfast is hot and it's getting hotter; doesn't matter what time of day," he said. "Eggs, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, waffles and bacon are always a good idea."
The big picture: Stubbornly high food prices and lingering recession fears will have Americans gravitating toward buying breakfast as a budget-conscious splurge in 2024, predicts Technomic, a food industry consultancy.
- Even fine dining chefs — historically holding their noses at serving brunch — are reluctantly opening their restaurants in the morning, recognizing they can deliver showpiece meals to the power breakfast crowd, writes Axios' Jennifer Kingson.
- "All of a sudden, it's a huge business, and we're selling a lot," Laxman Narasimhan, Starbucks' CEO, said of breakfast in December.
- To capitalize on the trend and lure Seattleites back to one of the city's most famous diners, Reed says the restaurant will soon bring back late-night hours, as well as an expanded menu and more vegan, vegetarian and dairy-free options.
Plus: Breakfast's popularity is also soaring as people consider their health habits and how they can feel better and more energetic all day, Judy Simon, a clinical dietician with UW Medical Center Seattle, told Axios.
- Often they realize they are not eating in the morning and instead rely on coffee, Simon said.
- But studies show eating breakfast can prevent certain chronic metabolic diseases, such as diabetes.
- "I tell people to try eating a little something within two hours of waking up — it doesn't have to be breakfast food — and see if you have more energy for longer."
What we're watching: Beth's Cafe is open this week on Wednesday and Thursday from 7am–2pm and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 7am–3pm, but stay tuned for an announcement regarding the return of late nights.