A local eatery known for its brunch offerings and unique mimosas is cooking up its second location.
Crumbs was born in 2018. After almost 20 years as next-door neighbors, Amy Sidhom and Jimmy Eliopoulos wanted to turn their love of gathering people for brunch into something bigger.
Located in Danville, Crumbs has become a go-to spot for breakfast and brunch, serving American cuisine at sensible prices, with plenty of gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and keto options. The menu includes pancakes, waffles, omelets, crêpes, French toast and breakfast burritos, as well as lunch items like burgers, sandwiches and salads. There are more than 15 mimosa flavors (including cotton candy) offered in flights, pitchers or bottomless, as well as other craft cocktails like Bloody Marys, mojitos, espresso martinis, margaritas and more.
What Now Media Group recently heard from Amy as they get ready to open their second location in Pleasant Hill.
Q: What are the current plans for Crumbs?
It’s with immense gratitude and enthusiasm that we announce the countdown phase to the opening of our second Crumbs location on the corner of Contra Costa Boulevard and Gregory Lane in downtown Pleasant Hill. This is an exciting milestone for our brunch family.
Our first Crumbs in Danville has been a place of joy, community, and delicious memories. We’ve served countless meals, shared laughter, and built friendships that make our business thrive. This new location will allow us to bring that same warmth and exceptional dining experience to even more people.
We’re committed to our standards of quality, creativity, and service. With our new team, we’re ready to welcome you all with open arms and your favorite dishes, plus some exciting new additions.
Q: What do you think is the most challenging part of opening a business?
A: Location: Finding the perfect location that fits the restaurant brand and offering. For Crumbs we wanted an accessible corner downtown location that is both beautiful, attractive and affordable, which can be difficult to balance.
Funding: Most restaurants require significant upfront capital for permits, design, location, equipment, inventory, and staff.
Hiring and training staff: Attracting and retaining skilled staff, while ensuring they’re not only trained to meet Crumbs standards, but also work well together efficiently and professionally. This is crucial to the success of the restaurant and can prove challenging at times.
Licenses and permits: Navigating the maze of local, state, and federal regulations, health codes, and acquiring the necessary permits can be time-consuming and stressful.
Managing costs: Overhead can easily get out of hand if not carefully monitored, both during the construction phase and after opening with food and labor costs that can fluctuate and are often unpredictable.
Building a guest base: It takes time and consistent effort to build brand awareness, develop regular customers, and get the word out about the restaurant. We have been extremely fortunate in Danville and consider ourselves blessed and rewarded for hard work. We never take it for granted and are very grateful to have survived the pandemic!
Q: What do you think is the most rewarding part of opening a business?
A: The most rewarding part of owning Crumbs often comes from a sense of fulfillment that follows hard work and dedication. Personally, these are some of the rewards that I truly enjoy:
Building a community: Crumbs Danville has become a part of the local community, a place where milestones are celebrated, and memories are created. We have designed a bright and cheerful space where regulars feel at home and new guests from all backgrounds and age groups feel welcome. Being a hub for connections and memories is very rewarding.
Creative expression: Owning Crumbs allows my partner and I to be creative through menu development, designing the space, or coming up with new ways to enhance our guests’ dining experience. Bringing our vision to life is deeply gratifying and is a gift that keeps on giving!
Creating memorable experiences: Seeing our guests enjoy the food, atmosphere, and service that we carefully crafted is incredibly satisfying. Knowing that Crumbs is part of their celebrations, gatherings, and special moments is a truly unique reward. Birthdays, wedding rehearsal brunches, gender reveals, baby showers, graduation celebrations, club and office gatherings, to name a few.
Sharing a passion for food: For us, the love of food is a big motivator! Being able to share our passion, introduce guests to new flavors, and showcase our chefs’ culinary talents is a constant source of pride and joy. In addition to an extensive classic American brunch menu, we have “snuck” in a few Mediterranean (Egyptian & Greek) dishes from our family (our favorite: Shakshouka) as well as delicious items from our staff family (try our red and green chilaquiles made from scratch in-house every day).
Positive feedback: Hearing guests rave about your menu, team, and overall experience is truly one of the most fulfilling parts of my job. My partner and I make it a point to walk around and personally welcome guests and check in to make sure they are having the best experience at Crumbs! I constantly tell Crumbs’ guests that talking to them is my favorite part of owning Crumbs. Getting compliments on my outfits is a distant second but it helps!
Personal growth: The challenges of running Crumbs has helped me personally develop problem-solving skills, resourcefulness, and resilience. Seeing our business grow and succeed due to our constant efforts is a huge personal and professional accomplishment for my partner and I.
See the full menu online or follow @CrumbsDanville for updates.
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