Days like today require homey, comfort foods and a warm atmosphere because let’s face it, Mondays are hard but they become significantly easier with a larger-than-average dose of maple syrup.

Enter Hazel’s Northeast. 

This mainstay has become a total hot spot on the corner of Johnson Street and 29th and let me just say, in my humble opinion, it’s worthy of the hype. 

Formerly a little contemporary café called, Pop. The current owners, Andrew and Adam Sieve, named the place after their grandmother Helen, nicknamed Hazel, who opened up the Traveler’s Inn in Alexandria, MN. 

Lots of restaurant heritage in this family.  

The place offers a full daily breakfast, which is why it’s so good for Mondays. Or brunch. Or lunch. Or Dinner. Ok, so all of the above. 

I am a fan of their Hippie Cakes but they are known for the Drunken Banana French Toast, Jean’s Mean Fried Egg Sandwich, and “Meat Waffles.”

Note: expect a wait – but it will be worth it, I assure you.