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Due to the tiny space, guests must first stand in line along the building's back wall as they wait for others to finish their meals. It is common for diners to be instructed to move down the counter to allow newly seated customers to be seated together. Veterans of Al's are used to the instruction
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Frequent customers can purchase "meal books" and pre-pay for their food. This practice dates back to the 1950s, when Al
Bergstrom would accept prepayment from railroad workers that were only paid once a month. Hundreds of such books line the opposite wall, where two griddles are also situated.
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Phil
Bergstrom in 1973–1974. Doug Grina and Jim Brandes eventually took over around 1980. In 2016 Jim Brandes' ownership stake in the restaurant was purchased by the long reigning "Queen of the Weekend" Alison Kirwin. Al Bergstrom died at his residence in
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parted ways with another neighborhood restaurateur. Bergstrom had gained experience at the griddle and in kitchen management in the 1940s while working at the popular Jack
Robinson's Cafeteria during summers at the
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as a "famous fourteen-stool breakfast joint" near the U of M campus that has narrow walls "covered in grease-preserved foreign money." The description is a clear reference to Al's
Breakfast.
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music professor, David
Baldwin, composed special tunes in celebration of the restaurant's 50th anniversary in 2000. These were played in front of the building on May 15 by a local
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and first opened the doors on May 15. Initially, he produced three meals a day, seven days a week, but scaled back the operation to simply be a breakfast outlet after one year.
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A number of unusual trinkets line the front area of the diner. The stools and a
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stand by the time
Bergstrom took it over. The new owner renamed the diner to
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Restaurants" category. The award medal now hangs behind the counter at Al's.
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174:. The Dinkytown building he purchased dates back to 1937 when a neighboring
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style that he developed continue to be used at his namesake restaurant.
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and diners may be re-seated several times during the course of a meal.
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countertop run down the middle of the building. Specialties on the
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between two much larger buildings and is located in the city's
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parts. This was eventually rented out and was a Hunky Dory
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The restaurant as it is today came into being in 1950 when
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257:prepared in a number of different styles including
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54:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
315:Al's Breakfast has appeared three times on the
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114:Learn how and when to remove this message
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646:Buildings and structures in Minneapolis
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52:adding citations to reliable sources
344:"Al's Breakfast founder dies at 97"
210:in 2003, at the age of 97, but the
384:Al's Breakfast "Official" Facebook
379:Al's Breakfast "Official" MySpace
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298:, Minneapolis author, wife of ex-
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651:Restaurants established in 1950
39:needs additional citations for
641:Companies based in Minneapolis
283:In 2004, Al's Breakfast won a
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374:James Lileks: Al's Breakfast
129:is reportedly the narrowest
590:Charlie's Cafe Exceptionale
544:Pickwick Restaurant and Pub
342:Nelson, Rick (2003-06-11).
322:Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives
20:The front of Al's Breakfast
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656:America's Classics winners
369:Tim Holtan: Al's Breakfast
265:Awards and popular mention
407:44.9810272°N 93.2355288°W
325:in 2007, 2010, and 2014.
636:Restaurants in Minnesota
499:Freight House Restaurant
451:Restaurants in Minnesota
182:in the alleyway to hold
610:Triple Rock Social Club
564:Timber Lodge Steakhouse
412:44.9810272; -93.2355288
271:University of Minnesota
147:University of Minnesota
285:James Beard Foundation
208:Forest Lake, Minnesota
145:neighborhood near the
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554:Seward Community Cafe
534:Naniboujou Club Lodge
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504:French Meadow Bakery
172:Minnesota State Fair
48:improve this article
569:World's Best Donuts
403: /
216:short-order cooking
605:Stella's Fish Café
559:Snuffy's Malt Shop
289:America's Classics
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59:Find sources:
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352:the original
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309:Petal Pusher
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167:Al Bergstrom
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46:Please help
41:verification
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615:Walkin' Dog
600:Nankin Cafe
410: /
251:hash browns
184:sheet metal
135:Minneapolis
630:Categories
549:Pizza Lucé
524:Matt's Bar
398:93°14′08″W
395:44°58′52″N
329:References
244:buttermilk
178:erected a
131:restaurant
74:newspapers
519:Log Cabin
294:In 2007,
259:omelettes
196:Al's Café
192:hamburger
143:Dinkytown
464:5-8 Club
247:pancakes
242:include
236:linoleum
188:plumbing
139:alleyway
583:Defunct
574:Zantigo
494:Eggflip
457:Current
302:member
212:recipes
161:History
88:scholar
539:Owamni
253:, and
203:nephew
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275:brass
95:JSTOR
81:books
278:band
255:eggs
240:menu
214:and
186:and
180:shed
67:news
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