Brother Juniper’s has been voted “Best Breakfast” by Memphis Flyer readers for more than 20 years. The classic breakfast joint on the Highland Strip serves famously delicious and large portions of original family recipes dating back over 50 years.
“It’s an honor to win,” says owner Sarah Elliott. “We keep trying to put out the best food that we can with high-quality ingredients.”
We talked over a plate of one of her favorite meals: a potato dish with bacon, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, green onions, sour cream, and an over-easy egg. I pierced the egg and watched the golden yolk coat the smoked bacon and roasted potatoes. “We get our eggs from an Amish farm. … They have the bright orange yolk … and we serve it with love.”
Brother Juniper was an Italian monk who cooked for St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th century. Brother Juniper’s restaurants, a product of a missionary-outreach program, began opening across the country in the 1960s. The last remaining location is right here in Memphis. Elliott’s parents, Jonathan and Pauline Koplin, bought the restaurant when she was 12, and she’s been working there ever since. Elliott recently purchased the restaurant, making her the new official owner. She says her family has been helping her with the transition. “It’s stressful, but I’m so excited. I’ve grown up here and know all of the ins and outs.”
Brother Juniper’s first Best of Memphis win was in 1999, the same year Elliot’s parents took over Brother Juniper’s College Inn in Memphis. Since then, they’ve added merchandise, hot sauces, jellies, catering, and most importantly, new and creative menu items. “There were about five omelets on the menu back then, now there are 15,” says Elliott. She’s the brains behind one of their most ordered dishes: the cinnamon roll pancakes. “Not to brag, but they’re really popular,” she says. The dish includes two massive pancakes with cinnamon sugar swirls and cream cheese icing. They also added a coffee bar in 2010, which serves classic espressos, lattes, and more. “Some people come in just for a cup of coffee or to-go drinks, and we had to keep up with the hipster coffee spots,” says Elliott.
Many of the menu items come from Elliott’s family. “A lot of it was my dad, Jonathan. My grandmother was such a good cook that he learned most of it from her.” Besides the Koplin family’s contributions, other recipes originated from previous Brother Juniper’s owners across the country. The familial contributions are what take their dishes to the next level.
Besides serving the best breakfast in Memphis for over 20 years, Brother Juniper’s also serves Memphis citizens and nonprofits. Local artists’ vibrant paintings add pops of color to the walls by the coffee bar. Elliott mentions Lindy Tate, a frequent customer who’s had art on the walls “forever.” Beyond that, they promote and support different nonprofit organizations each month on their “Community Spotlight” bulletin board. There’s a tip jar by the entrance for cash donations and information about each organization. Brother Juniper’s also welcomes all Memphians to a free Christmas dinner every Christmas Eve. To Elliott, these parts of her business are nonnegotiable. “We want to be more than a restaurant.”
While my fork scraped the bottom of my plate, Elliott painted the scene of a typical Sunday morning at Brother Juniper’s. “There’s a crowd waiting outside the doors. … The dining room fills up, and people start running around like chickens with their heads cut off.” They’ll serve hundreds of customers in the 10.5 hours they’re open on Saturdays and Sundays. The restaurant runs with an all-hands-on-deck team effort, says Elliott. She’ll wait tables if they’re short-staffed, run food, take coffee orders, greet arriving guests, and even step into the kitchen to help cook. She mentions Brother Juniper’s feature on Rachael Ray’s show, $40 a Day. “She kind of put us on the map for nationwide attention. That helped us blow up a bit.”
As Elliott takes the reins, she’s preparing to pass on the same traditions to her own children. “I have two little kids who will grow up here, and they already help me out. It’s great to keep the legacy.”