I used to live a couple of blocks away from Café Niche. It was my go-to birthday dinner spot, my neighborhood brunch joint, and the place I went to when I was craving my vegetables. Then in 2019, I moved from East Downtown to the faraway wilds of Millcreek. And I forgot to visit my former neighborhood friend. I owe Cafe Niche an apology. I recently went back for a joint-girls-birthday-ish breakfast, and I fell back in love with my long-lost neighborhood joint. And of course, one of my longtime food crushes: the Café Niche Croque Madame.
Now, what is a food crush? Let’s define it, shall we?
Food Crush (n.) / ˈfüd ˌkrəsh
A culinary infatuation that hits hard and fast—the kind of place, plate, or chef that makes your tastebuds swoon, your camera come out, and your inner food lover want to shout it from the rooftops. It’s not about trends or hype. It’s about the dishes that you crave on a random Tuesday, the small bites you plan your day around, and the chefs who are quietly (or boldly) changing the local food game. My food crushes are the dishes that I keep coming back to, which always show me some love in return.
A traditional Croque Madame is one of my food joys. I had it on my first day in Paris on my first trip abroad. It was magical then, and it has stayed magical ever since. It consists of toasted bread, well-buttered, a layer of salty French ham, Gruyère cheese, topped with a rich bechamel sauce, then broiled, and finally topped with a sunny-side-up egg. Objectively better than the Croque Monsieur, which skips the egg, this open-faced sandwich is a knife-and-fork kind of meal and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a late-night snack.
Café Niche boldly plays with tradition. I can be a bit of a purist when it comes to the classics, but I approve of their variation. Made with grilled marble rye as the foundation, char marks with smoky notes, and a little bonus color. The caraway seeds in the rye also add some pleasant nuttiness. Utah-made Creminelli ham and Fontina cheese make up the gooey middle, with not just one, but two cage-free eggs (your style) resting on top. The spicy highlight is the Calabrian chili aioli, in lieu of the bechamel, which makes for a less rich, more zingy breakfast sandwich. I’m not 100% sure it qualifies as a Croque Madame without the béchamel, but the folded layers of ham and the extra runny yolk to sauce the sandwich make it crush-worthy.
Your breakfast comes with a side, and the perfect pairing here is the hash browns. They’re diner-style crispy, perfect for soaking up the egg yolk. Think borderline shoestring fries—totally delicious.
Another longtime favorite of mine is the Café Niche house-made Wagyu corned beef hash. It’s rich, salty, cured, slow-roasted, then thinly sliced and seared. It’s served over those tasty shoestring hash browns. A dollop of crème fraîche provides a cool, tart contrast, much like sour cream with Latkes.
A true café, Niche is open from 9 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday, and 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday and Sunday. I miss the days when they were open for dinner as well. But I’m thankful my old friend is still around for brunch.
When you go:
Café Niche
779 E 300 S, Salt Lake City
caffeniche.com
Looking for more brunch ideas? Check out Brunch at Urban Hill, Marmalade Brunch House, or Italian-style brunch at Matteo’s.
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