Henny’s
87 Brackett St., Portland
838-0199
hennys.me
When it opened in Portland’s West End in 2004, OhNo Cafe quickly became a local favorite for their outstanding breakfast sandwiches. In the September 2009 issue of The Bollard, I declared the OhNo egg sandwich dubbed the “Number One,” with maple-glazed prosciutto and Tabasco, “the best in Portland by a country mile.”
When OhNo closed last fall after 20 years, my friends in the neighborhood slipped into an emotional spiral. In light of high rents and industry trends, they were understandably concerned that any new place would be too fancy for regular visits.
A year later, Henny’s moved in and put those fears to rest. Rather than chase tourist dollars with frou-frou brunch offerings, Henny’s has aimed their breakfast and lunch menus squarely at locals. Prices are reasonable — or what passes for reasonable in 2025, anyway — and the options are varied enough to inspire repeat business. Plus, they open at 6 a.m., early enough to accommodate hungry commuters.
I met a friend there for breakfast on a recent weekday morning and grabbed a self-serve cup of fresh coffee from Kingfield’s Carrabassett Coffee Company ($2 small, $3 large). We ordered at the counter and chose a table in a sunny spot near the front window.
We both chose the Mill Stack ($9): sausage, egg, cheddar-Jack cheese and blackberry jam on two Eggo-style waffles. The lightly sweet, crisp waffles served admirably as sandwich “bread,” and the salty sausage contrasted nicely with the sweet jam. A little hot sauce added at the table helped amp up the flavor, though we both found the sandwich a little dry, which could have been remedied by more thoroughly melted cheese.
We also split a side of home fries ($4), which were nicely seasoned but uniformly soft, missing the crispy bits that are key to good breakfast potatoes.
A couple weeks later I placed an order online for takeout. Back at home, I tucked into the Rooster ($10), a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon and cheese inside my choice of wrap; I opted for a spinach tortilla, because eating green things makes me feel virtuous. The burrito was filling and flavorful, though once again I wished the potatoes were crispier.
The Henny’s Benny ($9, plus $2 to sub griddled ham for the standard bacon) was somewhat less successful. It’s billed as a “twist on the classic Eggs Benedict but to go,” however, the poached egg’s runny yolk made it too messy to eat with my hands. The English muffin was a bit dense, the Hollandaise sauce was too thick, and the slice of partially melted cheese felt unnecessary.
Henny’s has some room for improvement, but it’s off to a good start. Only time will tell if they can attract the same loyal following OhNo did, but I, for one, am rooting for them.
Henny’s is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
