Sammy’s Avenue Eatery
Cafe · Near North ·
Breakfast bites, sandwiches, soups, salads, pies, cakes
Breakfast bites, sandwiches, soups, salads, pies, cakes
"Sammy’s Avenue Eatery is known for its turkey clubs and ham melts, but don’t overlook the breakfast sandwich menu. Egg and cheese sandwiches, with a choice of pastrami, turkey, bacon, or chicken, all clock in around $6 or so." - Stacy Brooks
"Sammy McDowell, the very beloved late owner of Sammy’s Avenue Eatery, opened his Broadway Avenue sandwich shop in 2012, and it’s stayed open following his passing. Stop by for a turkey bacon club, a chicken teriyaki sandwich, or a chicken salad sandwich, all around $6.75 — for a quick, hearty breakfast, the egg sandwiches all clock in around $6." - Alex Lodner
"Sammy’s Avenue Eatery is a mainstay of Broadway Avenue. Stop by for a turkey bacon club, a chicken teriyaki sandwich, or a chicken salad sandwich. For a quick, hearty breakfast, the ham and egg sandwich on Texas toast has a gooey, irresistible layer of cheese." - Justine Jones, Eater Staff
"On Broadway Avenue in North Minneapolis, I saw Sammy’s Avenue Eatery—opened by Sammy McDowell in 2012—as both a beloved cafe and a true community hub. Its food was immensely popular with neighbors, highlighted by a particularly stellar breakfast sandwich layered with fluffy eggs and cheese, and McDowell ran a steady catering business and even launched a pop-up at St. Paul's Golden Thyme cafe. The cafe regularly hosted local organizers, arts groups, and business owners, was guarded during the civil unrest after George Floyd's murder, and became a hub for mutual aid donations; McDowell often offered a listening ear, fed customers who couldn't afford meals, gave spiritual and practical words of encouragement, created jobs, and helped people feel like they belonged. Featured on the YouTube series Small Business Revolution in 2021, the eatery embodied McDowell's mission to expand fresh food options on the Northside and to use small business as a way to build community." - Justine Jones
"Chef Sammy McDowell’s sunny Broadway Avenue restaurant serves a mean breakfast sandwich — five of them, actually. Light-as-a-cloud eggs and American cheese accompany a choice of meat (turkey, bacon, pastrami, or chicken). Even better, bread is customizable here: Choose garlic toast, wheat hoagies, wraps, or gluten-free bread. On weekdays, find Sammy’s breakfast sandwiches over at Golden Thyme Cafe in St. Paul." - Justine Jones, Joy Summers