By Erica Wayne

....Well, don’t that beat all!
....Colorado Boulevard east of Myrtle Avenue in sleepy little Monrovia seems to be turning into a mini Southern mecca. First it was Cajun Way (now Frank and Joe’s) with its New Orleans beignets, hush puppies, jambalaya and such; now it’s the Peach Café, which conjures up, at least to me and my spouse (a ramblin’ wreck from Georgia Tech), fond memories of Atlanta’s best.
....Now don’t expect grits, pigs’ feet or biscuits with red-eye gravy. Atlanta’s got a genteel overlay, and the Peach Café isn’t a dive. For those of you that know the city, it’d fit right into upscale Buckhead. The inviting, plant-filled front porch can seduce you into lazing for quite a spell on a balmy afternoon, the sleek Scandinavian-style beech and black tables inside are pretty comfortable, so you can linger over breakfast or lunch, both served all day long.
....It’s the breakfast menu that’s most intriguing, especially for an Atkins parolee. Buttermilk pancakes with a touch of orange and whole blueberries baked in ($5.25 for a full order/$3.50 for a half) are just the kind of treat I like to find on a bill of fare.
....Even better is a hickory maple waffle, stiffened with cornmeal, studded with smoky bacon and sweetened with syrup before baking ($6.50/$3.95).
....There’s French toast made from croissants soaked in a spiced egg batter ($5.95), and homemade granola (with coconut, yum!) served hot or cold ($3.95) or heaped into a parfait with fresh fruit and yogurt ($4.50).
....Eggs (three of them) come with a variety of sausages or slabs of salty country ham ($6.95), complete with toast and a choice of sides. The most unique is bourbon-and butter-laced sweet potatoes. There are onion rings as well.
....If these both sound a bit heavy for a pre-noon repast, the breakfast potatoes (with red onions, scallions and cream) may suit you better. Omelettes are do-it-yourself. And I love the cheese selection, which includes Jarlsberg, brie and blue.
....The lunch menu includes grilled panini made with LaBrea Bakery’s bread. The turkey, bacon and cheddar served with a dip of salsa ranch dressing ($7.95) is a treat. So is the open-faced country ham, brie and apple butter with whole-grain mustard ($7.95). The Peach Café uses pesto to liven up a couple of classics, like their BLTA, a grilled chicken club with bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado ($9.75, or lose the chicken for $8.50). The vegetarian wrap with avocado, cucumber, roasted peppers and a cream cheese-sun dried tomato spread ($6.75) is another of my favorites.
....Weekend brunch is especially festive at the café. There’s a concoction they call a Peach Café benedict, which takes the hickory maple waffle as its base, topped with country ham, eggs and a cheese sauce ($9.25).
....Crepes are filled with honey-sweetened ricotta and sliced strawberries ($7.25). And spinach quiche is fashioned with a layer of toasted pine nuts and golden raisins ($6.95). Chocoholics will like the Belgian waffle stuffed with chocolate ($6.50/$3.95).
....That indulgence is only available on weekends, but there’s plenty of chocolate to be found among the café’s everyday desserts. Chocolate sunshine cakes with ganache frosting, triple chocolate mousse tarts and red velvet cake ($4 each), chocolate raspberry bars or chocolate-dipped macaroons (3), chocolate-dipped biscotti ($1.50) and handmade Compartes chocolates ($2 to $2.50) should do for just about everybody who’s nuts about cocoa. But there are pear almond tarts, pineapple upside-down cakes (both $4), muffins, scones, citrus cheese-cakes and streusel coffee cakes as well.
....All of these go well with anything on their full-page drink menu. Peach café’s coffee, they inform us, is a custom creation of three blends: house, mild and decaf. All were developed through months of selection and evaluation with their roaster and are available exclusively at the café.
....I’m not sure any of this is relevant to me – my palate is only refined enough to know when coffee is too weak (almost always), and I don’t lay out $13 a pound for anybody’s blend, but a cup of Peach Café’s passes muster, and their cups are gigantic. I like it straight, but there are at least 16 variants with mocha, vanilla, espresso shots, etc.
....As I’ve said in my last three reviews, Monrovia is about as charming a place as any in southern California, with a small-town feel. It’s a welcome respite from the urban sprawl that’s oozing relentlessly outward from our more densely populated areas and turning every city into a clone of every other.
....In protest, I’ve made it a point to do almost all my pre-holiday shopping in Monrovia, where the stores aren’t quite as cookie-cut, parking is still free and there are welcoming places like Peach Café to refresh flagging midday spirits.

Pasadena Weekly 12/08/05

From Chowhound August 29, 2006

The Peach Cafe, Monrovia - Great find!!
Had a great meal at The Peach Café in Monrovia on Sunday. Had never been before and were walking by and decided to stop in. They have a menu which has breakfasts on one page, interesting paninis, wraps, sandwiches and salads on the other and a list of drinks on the back. Then they had “weekend specials” on a separate sheet and another 4 additional items on another. They use only the highest quality ingredients, specially blended coffee, and roast their own turkey breasts.

We sat for more than 20 minutes just deciding what we wanted to order! Mom ended up ordering the Summer Wrap which was on the specials list and consisted of chicken breast, Nueske smoked bacon, goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes all wrapped warm in a sun-dried tomato tortilla. I ordered the Monte Cristo which was also on the specials menu. They make theirs a little different than the regular MC – they have theirs on a croissant and they only batter the cut sides of the croissant (or at least this is wheat I came up with after noticing that it was not battered on the outside, but there was definitely batter there somewhere). Then they grill it a little, batter-side down and then add the turkey, ham and swiss cheese. Then it looked like they press it. You get a choice of a side - they offer breakfast potatoes (breakfast is served all day) with red onions, scallions and a touch of cream; Bourbon sweet potatoes cooked with sugar, butter and a pour of bourbon; Fresh Fruit Salad, Green Salad, French Fries or Onion Rings. We both opted for the salad – a nice blend of mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, and scallions. I got the zesty salsa ranch dressing, but will probably opt for the vinaigrette next time.

The Monte Cristo was FANTASTIC! Not greasy at all. It came with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a side of raspberry jam. So good! Mom’s wrap was just as good with the goat cheese all melty and warm.

Everyone was so sweet. The owner came over and welcomed us and we got into a discussion about their wines. She pointed out that they have two wines from Spain, so we ordered one of each (red Finca Antigua Tempranillo 2003 $7/glass and white Vina Sila Naia 2003 $8/glass). They were both very good. The red was dry and oaky and the white was somewhat sweet and perfect for this girl.

They bake their own pies and had a good selection – Nectarine (which I have not seen before), Peach, Apple, Blueberry, and something else that I could not tell what it was. They make their own ice cream. They do not make their bar cookies, lemon, layer, jam crumble, and am not sure if they make their brownies, either.

We ordered the Nectarine, Vanilla Ice Cream and a brownie. We were in sheer heaven!! The owner told me that they put as little sugar in the pies as possible so the fruit flavor shines. It was SO good.

We really had a nice time with great staff who kept checking in on us (not annoyingly so). They have been there for 17 months now. We will definitely be back – and soon!

Other Reviews and quotes:

"We can just imagine that this fun little place was lifted right out of a charming Atlanta neighborhood and plunked down in Monrovia. Delicious breakfast and lunch dishes (try the Peach Cafe Benedict on the weekends!) and a good place to pop in for coffee and baked goods." from Lippincott local favorites

Citysearch Editorial Profile -- By Martha Burr

"Artsy and historic Monrovia cafe offers fresh, gourmet all-day breakfasts and lunch .

In Short
Lofty ceilings, beams and brick at this century-old building are offset by striking contemporary art and sleek beechwood tables, where Monrovia locals linger over bountiful breakfasts or lounge on the verdant front patio with a book and latte. The kitchen emphasizes fresh, artisinal products like Nueske bacon and Compartes chocolates, and puts a gourmet spin on daytime diner classics. Specialties include blueberry buttermilk pancakes, hickory maple Belgian waffles, and mixed greens with candied pecans, blue cheese crumbles and grapes.

What to Drink
The coffee bar offers an exclusive custom blend coffee in strong, mild or decaf, comprising a long menu of espressos drinks. You can also purchase coffee by the bag, whole-bean or fresh ground.

Look Good
Regulars return for the unique sides like russets with red onions, scallions with a touch of cream, and bourbon sweet potatoes with sugar and butter. One side comes with breakfast dishes.

The Extras
Rev up with the decadent Belgian waffle stuffed with chocolate, which is served on weekends only."