Toast: best thing since sliced bread

Toast is an upscale diner that fits the bill for a morning meal or afternoon munch. Seated right off of Sante Fe and Alamo, the restaurant gives Littleton its own quirky breakfast spot.

Toast is a popular joint for early-risers, so customers are often seen waiting outside of the restaurant at breakfast time.

Featuring locally roasted Novo coffee, an order of a latte or hot chocolate will only get you one size, but a generous one ($3.75).

The menus have historical or humorous tidbits under each section heading. Under the omelets category it reads: “Napoleon Bonaparte once ordered the townsfolk of Bessieres to gather all the eggs in the village to prepare a huge omelet for his army.”

The dish deemed the Denver Omelet includes: brown sugar cured ham, green peppers, onions, and cheese enveloped in appropriately cooked eggs, potatoes, and toast ($8.99). Mild in flavor, the omelet isn’t as exciting as the savory and lightly seasoned diced potatoes.

Toast prepares the majority of the dishes from scratch, including house-made Hollandaise sauce. The better-than-average bright yellow sauce is a bit salty with a hint of lemon.

Toast also specializes in making dishes gluten-free. It carries Rudi’s gluten free bread and with it can make sandwiches and French toast. Additionally, tomato bisque, omelets, benedicts, and garnished salads can be prepared gluten-free.

The wait staff is attentive, but expect to wait for service when the 10 a.m. breakfast rush comes around.

Toasters are backlit by colored lights and artfully arranged on custom shelving around the restaurant. The décor theme playfully utilizes the restaurant’s name to the fullest. The natural light streams in the large windows on the west side giving a great view of the Rockies. Toast-shaped canvases line the walls.

The place is loud with families, children, and young couples. The square room echoes every little noise including chatter from conversations and clanking of dishes.

The restaurant is kid friendly and provides a toast-shaped piece of paper to decorate and then hang in the hall of toast.

Bill Blake and Jason Parfenoff are co-owners of Toast and involved with the workings of the restaurant. Blake and Parfenoff are often seen seating tables, checking out tickets or making friends with customers.

Toast provides quick but classy diner food in a clever environment. It’s the playful place for a laid-back family outing or a starting point before a downtown Littleton antique shopping adventure.