Themed around the dichotomy of good and evil, the menu at Saints and Sinners Cafe delivers both health-conscious and calorie-heavy dishes. Allowing customers to watch the food being prepared, the atmosphere is more reminiscent of a friend’s kitchen than a restaurant. “One of our regulars compared us to the TV show Cheers,” said the cafe’s original cook, Jason Ramm.
With his office inside the building across from the main library, local attorney and co-owner Larry Dilabbio saw the vacant first floor restaurant space. Venturing into the food industry, Dilabbio with his friend and co-owner, Toby Czlapinski, renovated the downtown space, opening the sinfully appetizing Saints and Sinners in May of last year.
Friendly fare
Ramm met Czlapinski before the cafe opened and became a part of the restaurant’s team soon after. “Toby (Czlapinski) mentioned that he was opening a restaurant and I had been wanting to get back into a creative job, so it was a natural fit. He called me after the first day open and asked if I could come in the next day. The rest is history.”
Saints and Sinners prides itself on buying local, with protein coming from Milo’s Meats and produce from Sam Okun. This pride is extended to the entire menu— especially the sandwiches.
Recognizing the importance of social media, on weekdays, Saints and Sinners shares a daily special, usually a music-inspired sandwich created earlier that morning by Ramm met Czlapinski. “We always start the day with inspiration, and the ideas [for daily specials] usually pop into our heads. We like to be creative and do things most people wouldn’t think of,” said the creatives behind the tongue-in-cheek menu.
Previous specials have included the Tropic Bomb chicken sandwich, with ham and pineapple (named after a local reggae band of the same name) and the Mothership Burger, a nod to the band Parliament’s Mothership Connection album. The Mothership is notable for having Ramm’s specially-made ginger honey mustard.
Sinfully good
Playing on the good vs. bad motif of the restaurant’s name, the menu includes items that are both “sinful” and “saintly,” from whiskey-sauced sliders and heavenly fresh salads.
The sandwiches on the menu are the stuff of dreams. The classic favorite, grilled cheese, is served with your choice of bread (but why choose anything other than rye?), grilled with a super-melty blend of American, cheddar and cream cheeses. The Lenny (named for a customer’s favorite) includes house-made corned beef, salami, cream and Swiss cheeses all sandwich together between a bagel, accompanied by hand-made potato chips or French fries made-to-order.
To make options even more tempting, the cafe opens at 7:30am and also serves an impressive selection of breakfast foods like pancakes, breakfast sandwiches and bowls (eggs, meat, cheese and potatoes), as well as homemade sinnamon rolls (yes, that is spelled correctly).
7:30am-3pm Monday-Friday.
Saints and Sinners | 316 N. Michigan St.
(across from the main library).
419-377-0171 | facebook.com/SaintsandSinnersCafe
