Nonna Cafe (Facebook / T: @NonnaCafe)
591 Ada Dr. SE (map it!)
Ada, MI 49301
(616) 920-7377
Open daily 7a-4p
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y
Visited: Monday, December 28, 2015 at 9:30 a.m.
On our Christmas travels in December, we met up with friends at a newer spot in Ada, Michigan, on the northeast side of Grand Rapids (fun fact: it’s where Amway is headquartered). There we had breakfast at the European-styled Nonna Cafe.
Nonna is an adorable one-room cafe in even-more-adorable “downtown” Ada. The strip includes restaurants, a deli, shops, all the quaintness you could want. You order at the counter and find a table. The place was pretty full on our visit; like many tiny eateries in the midwest, they lose their patio space in the winter months. Nonna serves breakfast and lunch, but it’s apparently been popular enough that the owners are building a second restaurant across the street to focus on dinner.
Nonna’s breakfast menu is pretty simple: omelets, avocado toast, maybe a special or two like baked French toast, coffee, and trays of baked goods. They have an espresso machine, so we put it to work by ordering a couple very nice espressos.
And when you’re standing at the counter, you can’t pass up goodies like a cranberry almond scone or a cheddar bacon biscuit. Both quite lovely.
The menu features an omelet with your choice of ham, spinach, mushroom, cheddar, or goat cheese. You can add “any or all,” the menu says. It comes with a side of toast with butter and preserves. Three out of the four in our party ordered omelets. They’re a good-sized portion, and are done very well without drying out the eggs.
I ordered the avocado toast and added the egg on top (I mean, come on – why not?).
As far as avocado toast goes, this one was near the top of my list. I loved the runny egg, but I liked most of all that they actually seasoned the avocado. It’s diced, tossed lightly in oil, then salted and peppered. I like this treatment more than just mashing it onto the toast like some ill-begotten guacamole.
If you’re traveling in or near Ada, make a stop at Nonna. It’s one of those quaint little finds, filled with friends and family catching up with one another, and featuring dishes prepared with care.
