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When I read back through the 70-odd posts I’ve written on this blog, I’m struck that I’ve only written about one eatery that wasn’t known for either its a. breakfast or b. dessert.* I do actually eat dinner out, and too often. But it’s the breakfast and dessert fixations that get documented on this website. And I’m not stopping now.

Because my newest breakfast obsession is Coca Café, and I want to tell everyone about it. I want to tell you about it despite the fact that I know I am late on the Coca bandwagon. I know this because a designer friend of mine whom I met within my first year in Pittsburgh suggested we meet at Coca way, way back in the day. I know it because Coca regularly wins on “Best Brunch” awards and places on critics’ lists. And I know it because every time I go, there’s a line out the door.

I don’t care. I know there must be at least a few sorry souls in PIttsburgh – and thousands outside our fair city, right? – who have yet to sample the quirky takes on traditional breakfast fare that Coca offers. I live to serve.

Coca was in Lawrenceville before Lawrenceville was cool. I think that means the café invented the Pittsburgh-shabby-grunge-art-chic that so many other places in the neighborhood emulate. The decor is bright and airy, befitting a daytime-only joint, and pretty much everything on the walls is for sale… but my favorite part is how the coffee bar menu manages to match the art on the walls.

But you come here to read me write about food. And the food at Coca, thankfully, is worth writing about. Scheidt was immediately drawn to the avocado omelette on our first visit, while I tried pumpkin and mascarpone stuffed French toast. The next time, Scheidt had steak and eggs, and I had the best breakfast entree I have ever had, ever, seriously: mushroom bread pudding in a white wine and leek sauce and a massive serving of truly awesome scrambled eggs. It not only sounded heavenly, it was.

And the menu goes on – from an apple cinnamon panini** to some inspired omelettes to reimagined breakfast classics like challah French toast and a breakfast sandwich the size of laptop. And as far as I know, it’s all fantastic.