Month: March 2017

For over two centuries, the Library of Congress (LOC) and its staff have served as invaluable resources for American legislators. But their mission isn’t limited to U.S. politics. With a diverse inventory that includes iconic films, historical documents, and your tweets about lunch, the LOC is a cultural treasure. Here are 11 facts worth knowing about the Washington D.C.-based establishment.

1. IT’S THE NATION’S OLDEST CULTURAL INSTITUTION.

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is America’s oldest federal cultural institution. It was established by the same bill that officially moved the capital from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. The library was conceived of as a resource available exclusively to members of Congress, containing “such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress.” That remains the case today, though citizens can read books on site or request them at their local library through an interlibrary loan.

2. THOMAS JEFFERSON HELPED REBUILD THE COLLECTION AFTER A FIRE.

Not long after it was established, tragedy struck the Library of Congress: Its contents were destroyed when the Capitol Building was set on fire by British Troops during the War of 1812. Approximately 3000 books (mostly law-related) were lost in the blaze, but luckily a friend of Washington D.C. owned a collection that was even bigger. Thomas Jefferson’s personal library comprised well over 6000 volumes, making it the largest library in the country at the time. He agreed to sell all of his books to Congress for $23,950 in 1815. Jefferson’s contributions significantly expanded the scope of the library, by including books on art, science, and philosophy. (The increased diversity of the collection was a subject of criticism at the time, to which Jefferson responded by saying “there is in fact no subject to which a member of Congress may not have occasion to refer.”) Sadly, the library met with another tragedy when a second fire tore through it on Christmas Eve 1851, burning two-thirds of Jefferson’s contribution.

3. JAMES MADISON FIRST PROPOSED THE IDEA.

Seventeen years prior to the LOC’s official formation, James Madison proposed the idea of a special library for Congress. He planted the idea as a Continental Congress member in 1783 when he suggested compiling a list of books to which lawmakers could refer. As president, Madison approved the purchase of Jefferson’s personal library in 1814.

4. IT MAKES CONGRESS’S JOB A LOT EASIER.

Congress members drafting legislation don’t necessarily need to do the nitty-gritty research themselves: There’s a whole team [PDF] of lawyers, librarians, economists, and scientists employed through the Library of Congress to do it for them. Established in 1914, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a legislative department within the LOC responsible for supporting lawmakers through every step of the lawmaking process. Based on what’s asked of them, CRS employees supply House and Senate members with reports, briefings, seminars, presentations, or consultations detailing research on the issue in question. The CRS is currently staffed with 600 analysts. In any given year, a single researcher responds to hundreds of congressional requests.

5. IT’S THE LARGEST LIBRARY ON EARTH.

With over 164 million items in its inventory, the LOC is the world’s largest library. In addition to the 38 million books and other printed materials on the premises, the institution contains millions of photographs, recordings, and films. It also houses some record-breaking collections; more maps, comics, newspapers, and phonebooks can each be found there than any other place on Earth. The whole thing is stored on about 838 miles of bookshelves.

6. IT CONTAINS SOME SURPRISING ITEMS.

The Library of Congress is home to an eclectic collection, with books ranging in size from a tiny copy of “Ole King Cole” to a five-by-seven-foot photo book filled with color images of Bhutan. Some items, like a Gutenberg Bible and a rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, feel right at home in the historic library. Others, like Rosa Parks’s peanut butter pancakes recipe, are a bit more unexpected. Additional noteworthy artifacts include Bob Hope’s joke collection, George Gershwin’s piano, and the contents of Abraham Lincoln’s pockets the night he was shot.

7. THE LIBRARY OWNS MATERIALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

The Library of Congress isn’t solely dedicated to American documents. The institution possesses materials acquired from all around the globe, including 3 million items from Asia and 10 million items in the Iberian, Latin American, and Caribbean collections. Over half the books in their inventory are written in a language other than English. In total, over 460 languages are represented, and their end goal is to eventually have at least one item from every nation. The LOC also maintains overseas offices in New Delhi, Cairo, Islamabad, Jakarta, Nairobi, and Rio to acquire, catalog, and preserve items that might be hard to access otherwise.

8. IT PRESERVES AMERICA’S MOST IMPORTANT FILMS.

Since the National Film Preservation Act was passed in 1988, 700 “culturally, historically, or aesthetically” significant films have been selected for the LOC archives. Up to 25 entries are chosen each year by a board of industry professionals, and the only rule is that submissions must be at least 10 years old. Beyond that, they can be anything from beloved comedy blockbusters like Ghostbusters (1984) to health class classics like The Story of Menstruation (1946). Pieces added to the National Film Registry are kept in a climate-controlled storage space where they can theoretically last for centuries.

9. IT SERVES PATRONS OF ALL ABILITIES.

In 1931 the Library of Congress launched The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). Today the service offers free braille and audio books, either through digital downloads or physical deliveries, to people with visual impairments or other issues that limit their reading abilities. Offerings include a wide array of books and magazines, as well as the world’s largest collection of braille music. NLS librarians are currently undertaking the painstaking process of scanning every sheet of braille music onto their computer system. Once that project is complete, the National Library Service’s entire collection will be fully digitized.

10. ONLY THREE LIBRARIANS OF CONGRESS HAVE BEEN ACTUAL LIBRARIANS.

When nominating someone to head the largest library in the world, presidents rarely choose actual librarians. They’re more likely to select a scholar, historian, or some other veteran of academia for the job. Of the 14 Librarians of Congress we’ve had, current title-holder Carla Hayden is one of just three to come into the role with prior librarian experience. (She is also the first woman and the first African American to hold the job.) On top of running the world’s largest library, Hayden is also responsible for managing relations with Congress, selecting the Poet Laureate, and overseeing the U.S. Copyright Office.

11. IT RECEIVES EVERY PUBLIC TWEET YOU WRITE.

The government isn’t just responsible for cataloging tweets coming out of the White House. In 2010, Twitter agreed to donate every public tweet in its archive to the Library of Congress. That amounts to several hundred million tweets a day. In addition to documenting the rise and fall of #dressgate and live tweets of The Walking Dead, the archive would also act as an invaluable data source for tracking language and societal trends. Unfortunately, that archive isn’t much closer to being completed than the day the deal was announced. The LOC has yet to develop a way to organize the information, and for the past seven years, unprocessed tweets have been stored out-of-sight on a server. There’s still no word on what the next step will be, but that might change with the newest Librarian of Congress. Unlike her predecessor, Carla Hayden is known for taking a digital-forward approach to librarianship.

Historians who want to know what a place looked like 100 years ago can refer to photographs. If they’re lucky, they might even find voice recordings that capture the sounds of that environment during a certain time. But determining what a room smelled like in an earlier era isn’t so straightforward. That hasn’t stopped researchers at New York City’s Morgan Library & Museum from attempting to document the aromas that filled the institution’s John Pierpont Morgan Library when it first opened in 1906.

As Hyperallergic reports, an experimental historic preservation class from the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP) has embarked on an olfactory journey through time. Their mission: fabricating a scent profile of what the library might have smelled like 110 years ago.

“I try to get students to rethink how we can preserve objects in a creative way that reengages people with those objects,” professor Jorge Otero-Pailos, who leads the project with Morgan Library & Museum curator Christine Nelson, told Hyperallergic. “In architecture school, we teach everything about space, light, and color of spaces, somehow everything but the smell.” Also helping with the program are Otero-Pailos’s co-instructor, Andreas Keller, master perfumer Carlos Benaim, and organic chemist Subha Patel.

To collect the historic scents, students use something called “headspace technology.” They place a glass bell on the pages of a 100-year-old book and, using a wax needle, are able to sample the manuscript’s chemical aura without causing damage.

Anyone who’s flipped through the pages of an old book knows that distinct scent. A team of chemists once compared it to “a combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness.” A more accurate description would be a cocktail of acetic acid, benzaldehyde, butanol, furfural, octanal, and methoxyphenyloxime. But old books don’t always smell exactly alike; the GSAPP group has studied the differences between more than 1500 of them.

Musty book smell isn’t the only scent going into their roundup. They’ve also analyzed the museum’s fireplace, its 16th-century tapestry, and an old box of cigars that belonged to J.P. Morgan himself. Once the class ends, Otero-Pailos plans to continue the project, eventually turning it into a sensory art installation that transports the fragrance of the library back to 1906.

[h/t Hyperallergic]

A dispute between the U.S. and the European Union (EU) could impact Americans planning to vacation in Europe this summer. As TIME Money reports, the European Parliament has voted to impose visa requirements on Americans traveling within the 28-nation bloc by May.

The decision was a response to restrictions the U.S. currently places on five European countries. Citizens of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland, and Romania—combined, about 14 percent of the EU population—currently need to acquire visas before visiting the United States. EU lawmakers have taken a hard stance against these constraints by moving to make visas necessary for U.S. citizens entering the union, where only passports were required before.

The EU’s rules state that the EU Commission must retaliate against nations that don’t fully reciprocate their visa requirements following a two-year warning period. The U.S. was first warned of potential consequences in April 2014, and the EU says the new restrictions are overdue.

That doesn’t mean you need to scramble just yet; the resolution isn’t set in stone, and while the plan is to enact the stricter rules in two months, that will likely be delayed. The EU Commission emphasizes that they hope to reach a diplomatic solution to the problem before the May deadline rolls around (since making it more difficult for Americans to visit could hurt tourism economy). And even if the new requirements are passed, the EU says they will only be temporary.

[h/t TIME Money]

Whether or not breakfast is the most important meal of the day, where you choose to break your nightly fast is an important decision. To help you determine where to grab that morning bite, we’ve made a list of the best breakfast spot in all 50 states. And no matter what type of morning meal you prefer—a cup of strong coffee with a croissant or a full plate of eggs, bacon, and potatoes—we’ve got you covered.

1. ALABAMA // FARMERS MARKET CAFE

Location: Montgomery, Alabama

Farmers Market Cafe is serious about breakfast. Starting bright and early at 5:30 a.m., you can order authentic southern breakfast foods like biscuits and gravy, grits, and fried green tomatoes, made fresh every day.

2. ALASKA // SNOW CITY CAFE

Location: Anchorage, Alaska

This downtown brunch spot offers an espresso counter, “crabby” omelets with snow crab, and the Kodiak Benedict with Alaska king crab cakes. If you love salmon, order the sockeye smoked salmon cakes with two eggs, any style. Voted best breakfast in 2003, they’ve been serving Anchorage with delicious meals, including vegan and gluten-free options, since 1998.

3. ARIZONA // MORNING GLORY CAFÉ

Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Located on the grounds of the Farm at South Mountain, Morning Glory Café is a beautiful, relaxing farm-to-table breakfast and brunch spot to enjoy your first meal of the day. Lounge on the outdoor patio and chow down on the house-smoked trout omelet, huevos rancheros with chorizo, locally made sausages, or the brioche French toast.

4. ARKANSAS // RICK’S BAKERY

Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas

Sweet-tooths can browse Rick’s selection of birthday and wedding cakes (or post-breakfast treats like caramel apple turnovers and cream horns) while starting the day with a more substantive ham-and-cheese croissant or sausage roll—a smoked sausage filled with cheese and served in a homemade bread roll.

5. CALIFORNIA // ARIZMENDI BAKERY

Location: San Francisco, California

Besides coffee, espresso, and tea, Arizmendi serves stellar breads and pastries. The worker-owned cooperative sells freshly baked muffins, scones, and sourdough bread with unique flavor combinations such as corn-cherry and fig-fennel, just a few blocks from Golden Gate Park.

6. COLORADO // VILLAGE COFFEE SHOP

Location: Boulder, Colorado

At only 890 square feet, this coffee shop starts serving breakfast at 5:30 a.m. and continues for the next 10 hours. That way, even late risers can partake in a stack of fluffy buttermilk or blueberry pancakes, sides like sausage gravy and golden hash browns, or the breakfast burrito (which is smothered in pork green chili).

7. CONNECTICUT // BELLA’S CAFE

Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Bella’s Cafe focuses on seasonal ingredients, stylish presentation, and what they call “upscale comfort food.” You can’t go wrong with the omelets and pancakes, but consider the corned beef hash or a side of sweet plantains with sour cream for something extra special.

8. DELAWARE // NEWARK DELI AND BAGELS

Location: Newark, Delaware

Newark Deli and Bagels is a Delaware favorite for good reason: you simply can’t beat their bagels. Get a sun-dried tomato or onion bagel and top it with your choice of their homemade gourmet cream cheeses, apple butter, or sliced lox.

9. FLORIDA // ANDY’S FLOUR POWER CAFÉ AND BAKERY

Location: Panama City, Florida

Andy’s Flour Power is all about delicious, homemade food. You can build your own omelet, but the “I Want It All” omelet gives you a taste of everything—bacon, ham, cheddar cheese, onions, mushrooms, spinach, peppers, and tomatoes. And of course, all of that flour power is poured into the bakery, which offers plenty of muffins, rolls, walnut raisin bread, and baklava. Arrive early and bring your appetite.

10. GEORGIA // WEST EGG CAFÉ

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

This Atlanta cafe, named in honor of The Great Gatsby, serves breakfast all day and gives diners a unique take on modern southern food. The sour cream pancakes are served with syrup and spiced honey butter, and the fried green tomato wrap comes with roasted garlic grits.

11. HAWAII // LONGHI’S

Location: Multiple locations, Hawaii

With restaurants on Maui and Oahu, Longhi’s has been a Hawaiian culinary institution since 1976. Since they have access to the best fresh fruit available, having a standard yogurt and granola becomes a heightened experience when you can add a fresh Maui pineapple or papaya. Or, get your guava or passionfruit fix as a mimosa mixer, and go with the also-local banana macadamia nut pancakes for the main course.

12. IDAHO // BACON

Location: Boise, Idaho

Situated in downtown Boise, Bacon offers five flavors of bacon and sells more than eight tons of bacon each year. If you find yourself at this casual spot, try a Bloody Mary and the Boise Basin omelet, which comes with bacon, cheese, onion, and pepper. Plus, Happy Hour is served all day on Mondays (though, with that much bacon on the menu, isn’t every hour happy hour?).

13. ILLINOIS // OVER EASY

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Illinois is home to many great breakfast spots, but Over Easy might be the best. To satisfy your sweet tooth, order the candy apple French toast. If you’re lucky, the Fleur-de-Sel Fig French Toast—which is so exclusive it’s only served one week each year—will be on the menu. This limited-time special dish features fig jam, hazelnut pastry cream, raspberry coulis, and warm fleur-de-sel salted caramel.

14. INDIANA // CAFÉ PATACHOU

Location: Multiple locations, Indiana

With locations in Indianapolis and Carmel, Café Patachou serves a stellar breakfast to hungry hoosiers. Omelets and broken yolks (two runny eggs) come with toast and a small arugula salad, and the apple fritter French toast is topped with cinnamon sugar.

15. IOWA // DOWNTOWN CENTRAL PERK

Location: Davenport, Iowa

All the menu items at this coffee house and juice bar are vegetarian (and can be made vegan), but carnivores will find plenty of tasty options. Sip on the banana blueberry smoothie, savor a specialty Intelligentsia coffee drink, or eat the breakfast pizza, topped with scrambled eggs, potatoes, and Soyausage.

16. KANSAS // BANJO’S CAFE

Location: Topeka, Kansas

Since the 1980s, Banjo’s has fed hungry diners in a casual, down-home environment. The inexpensive diner—which is known for their huge portions and steaming hot coffee—serves popular items such as homemade buttermilk biscuits with country-style sausage gravy and cinnamon rolls. And be sure to try the chicken fried steak bowl, a local favorite.

17. KENTUCKY // GOLD RUSH CAFE

Location: Paducah, Kentucky

If you like meat with your breakfast, Gold Rush Cafe is the place to go. Their bacon cheeseburger skillet omelet and breakfast burger melts are rich and decadent, but the meatloaf omelet is truly an original. It comes with meatloaf bits, veggies, cheese, and barbecue sauce. If the thought of that much breakfast meat is giving you the sweats, try the bread pudding waffles with baked cinnamon apples on the side.

18. LOUISIANA // SLIM GOODIES DINER

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Although you might find a long line at Slim Goodies, this breakfast is definitely worth the wait. Choose to eat at the counter, in the dining rooms, or on the garden patio, but be sure to order The SinkHole, “the mother of all omelets.” It’s made with three eggs, cheddar and feta cheeses, chopped bacon, sausage, ham, and veggies, and topped with salsa, jalapeños, and sour cream.

19. MAINE // MAINE DINER

Location: Wells, Maine

Six million customers have eaten at this homey diner since 1983, and for good reason. The homemade biscuit and sausage gravy will stick to your ribs, and the lobster benedict and fresh lobster quiche will make your taste buds appreciate their famous local seafood.

20. MARYLAND // BLUE MOON CAFE

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore’s Blue Moon Cafe serves breakfast and brunch classics like fluffy omelets, French toast, and egg sandwiches, but you don’t want to miss their specialty pancakes. Try the bacon and apple pancakes for a sweet yet savory dish.

21. MASSACHUSETTS // ANDY’S DINER

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

This Cambridge diner has been a casual dining neighborhood staple since 1958. Some of Andy’s weekly breakfast specials (served all day) include banana bread French toast and cranberry pumpkin pancakes. Try the Cambridge Classic: French toast with two eggs, sausage, bacon, and coffee.

22. MICHIGAN // THE JAGGED FORK

Location: Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan

If you like to get creative with breakfast, head to The Jagged Fork. Sip on freshly squeezed orange juice while you decide whether to order the graham cracker-crusted French toast (with a cream cheese frosting) or the Reuben crepe, which is stuffed with corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese.

23. MINNESOTA // GOOD DAY CAFE

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Featured on Food Network’s episode “Best. Breakfast. Ever.,” Good Day Cafe is the only way to start your day in Minneapolis. Order a chocolate caramel espresso or smoothie, and save room for bakery items like sticky caramel pecan buns and beignets. You may want to end your day there, too. The Bad Day Bar serves up cheap apps, wine, and cocktails every day from 4 to 6 p.m.

24. MISSISSIPPI // THE BAYVIEW GOURMET

Location: Ocean Springs, Mississippi

If boozy breakfasts are your thing, take advantage of the brunch cocktails at The Bayview Gourmet. While you enjoy your Bloody Mary, Irish coffee, or mimosa, chow down on the Ocean Springs wrap, which contains shrimp, crab meat, scrambled eggs, scallions, and cheese.

25. MISSOURI // THE BRUNCHEONETTE

Location: Joplin, Missouri

Although The Bruncheonette has a small menu and tiny seating area, the flavors are larger than life. Start your day (Wednesday through Sunday) with half a bruleed ruby red grapefruit before moving on to the homemade drop biscuits with chorizo, bacon, and gravy. Or try their buttermilk pancakes topped with housemade 80-Acre beer syrup made with beer from Missouri-favorite Boulevard Brewing Company.

26. MONTANA // CAFE ZYDECO

Location: Multiple locations, Montana

This Montana cafe (with four locations in Helena, Billings, Missoula, and Bozeman) gives northern residents a convenient way to satisfy their cravings for deep-south Cajun cooking. Order the crawfish omelet and, if you happen to be there on a Saturday, try their ridiculously tasty beignets.

27. NEBRASKA // BAILEY’S

Location: Omaha, Nebraska

Bailey’s provides Omahans with a casual place to dig into comforting, homemade food. Begin your breakfast with a bacon Bloody Mary or Bailey’s coffee (named for the restaurant, but spiked with Bailey’s Irish Cream), and try the Porkasaurus, a massive plate of ham steak, sausage links, Canadian bacon, Andouille sausage, bacon, red taters, eggs, a biscuit, sausage gravy, and cheese.

28. NEVADA // KIMMIE’S COFFEE CUP

Location: Reno, Nevada

Since 2011, Kimmie’s has made dishes that feature fresh produce and never-frozen beef. Although the banana pecan pancakes are popular, you don’t want to miss the bacon avocado benedict, made with cherrywood smoked bacon.

29. NEW HAMPSHIRE // RIVERWALK CAFE & MUSIC BAR

Location: Nashua, New Hampshire

This café doubles as a music venue, and the coffee—fair trade and roasted on site—is just as heavenly as the live music is. Get the Chunky Spunky Monkey, a blend of espresso, chocolate, milk, banana, and peanut butter or try an egg sandwich with feta, spinach, tomatoes, and pesto.

30. NEW JERSEY // HIDDEN GROUNDS COFFEE

Location: New Brunswick, New Jersey

Since 2013, Hidden Grounds Coffee has provided freshly ground coffee, espresso, and bakery items to hungry patrons. While the coffee is exceptional, you’ll want to nibble on some of the spot’s creative foods, like the banana chai loaf, or sandwiches like the spicy grilled cheese or the savory melty bagel egg and cheese with Sriracha and honey drizzle.

31. NEW MEXICO // TECOLOTE

Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico

This family-owned restaurant serves an authentic Southwestern breakfast. If you find yourself at Tecolote, order the Huevos Yucatecos, a corn tortilla with black beans, eggs, Swiss and feta cheese, pico de gallo, and fried bananas.

32. NEW YORK // JACK’S WIFE FREDA

Location: New York, New York

Although Jack’s Wife Freda is open all day, you’ll want to arrive early to order from the breakfast menu. This modern, healthy Mediterranean spot (with two locations in Manhattan) serves an excellent green shakshuka with challah toast, as well as poached eggs with grilled tomato and haloumi.

33. NORTH CAROLINA // STACKS KITCHEN

Location: Multiple locations, North Carolina

Luckily, Stacks (located in Waxhaw and Matthews) serves breakfast all day to hungry diners. While their omelets and skillets are popular, you can’t go wrong with the banana walnut waffles or chocolate chip pancakes topped with strawberries and whipped cream.

34. NORTH DAKOTA // LONNIE’S ROADHOUSE CAFÉ

Location: Williston, North Dakota

This café cooks hearty, down-to-earth breakfast staples like chicken fried steak, hash browns, and biscuits and gravy. The walls and ceiling are decorated with ads for local businesses, creating a unique dining atmosphere. Pro tip: Get a side order of the kielbasa.

35. OHIO // KATALINA’S

Location: Columbus, Ohio

At this café, housed in a 100-year-old gas station, you’ll probably be happy feasting on the Mexican French toast, made with brioche toast sticks with grated nutmeg, cinnamon, and Mexican chocolate. But make sure to also order Katalina’s trademarked Original Pancake Balls. The delicious doughy balls can be filled with Nutella, dulce de leche, pumpkin-apple butter, or strawberry jam.

36. OKLAHOMA // BRAMBLE BREAKFAST & BAR

Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma

This farm-to-table spot in downtown Tulsa takes typical breakfast fare and turns it on its head. Order Bramble’s spiced apple steel cut oats (with brown sugar cream and smoked cashews) or the daily quiche, which is served with your choice of toast, duck fat fries, or a hash brown latke.

37. OREGON // THE VICTORIAN CAFE

Location: Bend, Oregon

Bend residents know that waiting in a long line for breakfast at The Victorian Cafe is totally worth it. Feast on creative dishes such as caramel apple French toast or Texas Hold’em Benedict, which features poached eggs alongside spicy barbecue pulled pork topped with ancho chili hollandaise sauce and fresh cilantro. And sip on a Bloody Mary or a mid- or man-mosa, their medium or large versions of mimosas.

38. PENNSYLVANIA // NANCY’S EAST END DINER

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

When owner Nancy Bielicki died in 2015 after 30 years of serving up home-cooked meals, new owners took over to continue the legacy of this neighborhood restaurant. Today, this Pittsburgh diner serves omelets, pancakes, French toast, and breakfast sandwiches. Order a bottomless cup of Tanzanian peaberry coffee or Nancy’s Breakfast Special (eggs, toast, and home fries or grits).

39. RHODE ISLAND // ELMWOOD DINER

Location: Providence, Rhode Island

Elmwood Diner makes homemade comfort food that will quickly wake up your taste buds. The fried chicken and waffle, soaked in buttermilk and served with two farm eggs, makes for a hearty breakfast, and the corned tofu hash offers vegetarian diners a meat-free option. For a healthier experience, you can also substitute gluten-free pancakes, waffles, or toast and opt for real maple syrup over regular pancake syrup.

40. SOUTH CAROLINA // THE DEVINE CINNAMON ROLL DELI

Location: Columbia, South Carolina

Cinnamon lovers rejoice! Run by a mother and son team, The Devine Cinnamon Roll Deli sells cinnamon rolls (with vanilla butter whipped cream cheese icing) and orange marmalade sticky buns all day. Not sure which cinnamon roll flavor to get? Try the black pepper bacon maple glaze, banana foster, or apple cobbler. For those lacking a sweet tooth, the deli also serves breakfast sandwiches.

41. SOUTH DAKOTA // JOSIAH’S COFFEEHOUSE & CAFÉ

Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota

At Josiah’s, the coffee is strong, the service is friendly, and the food will keep your belly full through lunchtime. Order a cappuccino or iced caramel macchiato and munch on a bowl of steel cut oatmeal, which comes with blueberries, banana, flax, and chia seeds.

42. TENNESSEE // BRYANT’S BREAKFAST

Location: Memphis, Tennessee

Bryant’s begins serving breakfast bright and early at 5 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The grits breakfast bowl and cinnamon roll French toast are two standouts, but if you can’t decide on just one thing, Bryant’s has you covered. Order The Sampler, which includes three eggs, three biscuits, country gravy, grits, a potato patty, and a small serving of bacon, pork tenderloin, sausage, and country ham.

43. TEXAS // PARIS COFFEE SHOP

Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Sip on coffee or orange juice between bites of French toast with turkey sausage or sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast tacos. Whatever you order, your appetite will be sated by the Paris Coffee Shop’s home-cooked meals, which they’ve been happily serving for 85 years.

44. UTAH // THE BAGEL PROJECT

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

The Bagel Project elevates the humble bagel to another stratosphere. Using a traditional fermentation process, the shop hand-shapes each bagel and eschews sugar, honey, eggs, and preservatives. Try a bialy (a baked roll with caramelized onions and poppy seeds) with a cup of kombucha.

45. VERMONT // DOWN HOME KITCHEN

Location: Montpelier, Vermont

Vermont probably isn’t the first place you’d think to go for Southern soul food, but Down Home Kitchen just might change that. After opening in Montpelier last year, it’s already wowed Vermonters with its Biscuit Benedict (served all day!) and country-fried chicken. Sip on a latte with a shot of maple or mocha, and try the homemade granola, made with Vermont maple syrup and honey.

46. VIRGINIA // DE CLIEU COFFEE & SANDWICHES

Location: Fairfax, Virginia

This spot serves coffee, espresso, cappuccino, and lattes made with beans from local, small-batch roasters. Once you’ve taken a bite of the Belgian waffle, sprinkled with chocolate chips and banana, or the broccoli cheddar quiche (on a homemade deep-dish crust) you’ll know you’ve come to the right place.

47. WASHINGTON // SAVOR CREPERIE

Location: Tacoma, Washington

Owned by a French Canadian chef, Savor Creperie is a crepe-lover’s paradise. The crepe scrambles come with fresh fruit and are filled with meats, veggies, and cheese. Get a small French press filled with Valhalla French Roast coffee, and if you’re gluten-free, ask for your crepe to be made with rice flour.

48. WEST VIRGINIA // BLUE WHITE GRILL

Location: Martinsburg, West Virginia

At this all-American diner, sit at the counter or hop in a booth to enjoy a classic breakfast. The blueberry hot cakes and vegetarian omelet are particularly tasty, and the framed photo of Elvis Presley on the wall will make you feel as though you’ve traveled back to a simpler time.

49. WISCONSIN // MARIGOLD KITCHEN

Location: Madison, Wisconsin

Marigold Kitchen uses fresh, local ingredients to create an extraordinary breakfast experience. Tired of regular old coffee? Order the hazelnut almond mocha or maple latte (made with pure Wisconsin maple syrup). Come hungry, too: You’ll want to devour the chili poached eggs. We also suggest the roasted sweet potato, kale, and basil walnut pesto hash.

50. WYOMING // THE BUNNERY BAKERY AND RESTAURANT

Location: Jackson, Wyoming

This bakery and restaurant has served baked goods like turnovers, scones, and flaky croissants to customers for four decades. Choose between a variety of quiches, omelets, and scrambles, and grab an O.S.M. roll, which contains oats, sunflower seeds, and millet, to take home.