Laverna's Coffee Shop

I have a preference for off the beaten path, quirky places with unexpected character. That's why I was pleased to find Laverna's while wandering around, waiting for an oil change. Tucked off Broadway at 220 Plumer, the place has a ski lodge look from the outside, but is all family owned greasy spoon on the inside. The charm of the traditional dinner style counter a la Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore is only complimented by the LIVING ROOM right next to it, in the middle of the restaurant. That's right. There's a sofa, TV and kids playing with toys on the floor, creating a momentary feeling of having wandered into someone's private domestic space, but it's okay, because - like the ghost of Christmas past - nobody really seems to notice I'm there.

I wasn't surprised to find that Tucson Weekly gave Laverna's the Best Working Man's Breakfast title in 1995. The scrambled eggs with chorizo, as pictured above, were just as spicey as I bet they were in 1995. The staff was very pleasant, also.