Though we’re known as Little Rhody, our appetite for food is anything but small – a fact that the owners of Mimi’s Cafe know well. Noel Abi-Kharma and Dave Card opened their inviting eatery this summer on a mission to serve up heaping plates of pancakes, along with beloved breakfast and lunch classics, in East Greenwich.
Named after his daughter, Millani, Abi-Kharma, who used to work in car sales, explains that this new business venture is inspired by her. “The whole reason I named it and made these changes [in my life] is so I can be the best father for her,” he shares. It doesn’t hurt that his daughter also has a sweet tooth: “Pancakes are our favorite breakfast meal. We always get a pancake, and we split it,” he shares.
The fledgling diner has already made a name for itself thanks to their signature Crazy Pancakes – which is where nextdoor neighbor GiGi’s Scoops comes into play. Mimi’s co-owner Card and his wife opened the ice cream shop in 2022, and the opportunity for the two businesses to collaborate on indulgent specials was too good to pass up. GiGi’s Sundae, on Mimi’s menu, is three warm pancakes topped with a scoop of GiGi’s vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, sprinkles, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. Other decadent options include the Oreo Craze and the colorful Funfetti stacks.
On the savory side, a customer favorite is the Breakfast Deluxe, which comes with two eggs cooked in any style; a choice of ham, bacon, or linguica (pick two); and a side of French toast or pancakes. The Veggie Lovers Omelet is another popular choice, filled with spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and provolone cheese. “Although our go-to meal is pancakes,” says Abi-Kharma, “it’s a traditional breakfast spot – you can get your scrambled eggs, benedicts, breakfast wraps, and bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwiches, too.”
Autumn brings all things pumpkin-spiced to the menu, from pancakes, French toast, and muffins starring the festive gourd to coffee specials like the ever-trendy pumpkin spiced latte, in which the pumpkin essence is infused in the bean rather than added in syrup form. The Caramel Toffee latte is also a can’t-miss late-fall treat.
Mimi’s Cafe recently added wine, seasonal beers, and cocktails like mimosas and Bellinis to please brunchers. Though they only rolled out the breakfast menu to start, now the cafe is expanding into lunch items, too, including burgers, the Double Mozzarella Grilled Cheese – with the mozz sticks grilled between two pieces of bread, and marinara sauce on the side – and more to come.
“Customer service is our top priority. You can get breakfast anywhere, but what truly sets us apart is having unbelievable customer service,” says Abi-Kharma, who adds, “With GiGi’s Scoops on one side and pancakes from Mimi’s Cafe on the other, we’re the tastiest corner of Rhode Island!”
1855 S County Trail, East Greenwich
522-3178 • Facebook: Mimi’s Cafe
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