By Chanda Temple | For The Birmingham Times
Colette Lewis remembers how excited she was to get her first Easy-Bake Oven.
It was Christmas morning, and she was about 7 years old. She pulled out packets of cake mix as her father plugged in the toy oven. After the first layer was done, Colette’s brother, Charles, who was about 3 years old, couldn’t wait to try it.
“That was our first time cooking,’’ Charles recalled. “It was good.’’
Now, decades later, the siblings, who grew up in Flint, Michigan, are excited to be cooking up something together again, but on a much larger scale. On Monday July 14, they hosted the grand opening for The Toasted Yolk Cafe, a breakfast, brunch and lunch spot in downtown Birmingham on 20th Street South, between Synovus Bank and Panda Express. Their franchise is part of the Houston-based Toasted Yolk brand. Birmingham is the company’s 51st store.
“We are offering good food, good portions and a good vibe,’’ said Charles. “It’s what Birmingham needs.’’
Another way Toasted Yolk is connecting to the city is by being a part of the 15th annual Birmingham Restaurant Week, where participating eateries, bars and caterers offer special deals and unique dishes.
Ahead of this week’s opening the two talked about their new business as the restaurant buzzed with activity.
Near the bar, an employee rolled up silverware in crisp, white linen napkins while the sound of a drill cut through the air as a group of men worked on the entrance. Meanwhile, teams huddled at tables, talking strategy and smiling. A crew in the kitchen plated some of the restaurant’s popular entrees.
“Never Too Early to Get Toasted”
The energy made Colette smile because she imagined what this type of activity would be like seven days a week. “It puts me in the mind of happy clients bonding over great food and wonderful conversations. That’s my dream for The Toasted Yolk,’’ she said.
The restaurant, which has seating for 132 in booths, tables, high top tables and at the bar, features the company colors of soft cream, tan, yellow and green. But Charles and Colette wanted to pull Birmingham into their décor, too. They recruited Glen Iris artist Dewon Moton, 33, to paint two large murals in the restaurant.
One mural shows the Toasted Yolk egg and toast dish blended into the company logo. The other mural has the tagline, “It’s Never Too Early to Get Toasted in Birmingham,” along with a piping cup of coffee, a stack of buttered pancakes, fruit, a mimosa, a Bloody Mary and caramel drizzled down the side of a tower of churro doughnuts.
Moton said that he used a company image to inspire his work, while also adding his own flair to set the mood.
“From the moment you walk in, you feel like you are going to have a great warm meal,’’ said Moton, who has done about 10 murals around Birmingham, including the one featuring five women across from the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex at 19th Street North and 10th Avenue North. “It’s an honor to be a part of what people experience in a place.’’
Colette and Charles plan to have a third mural installed over the bar. That one will pay homage to the city’s rich history and popular landmarks.
“The heart of our café will be Birmingham,’’ Colette said. “It’s important to bring to life what makes Birmingham and show whom we are becoming.
Besides the food and décor, soft music playing in the background will also contribute to the vision the Lewis siblings have for their cafe.
“You may come in and hear Frank Sinatra, Usher or Beyonce. Or ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ could be playing,” Charles said. “It will be a nice vibe. It will be a nice vibrant place.’’
Positive Feedback
For the last three years, Charles, who lives in Hoover and Colette, who lives in Birmingham, have worked to make their Toasted Yolk location a reality. It took them nine months to solidify a location. When they finally did, they built the space from the ground up. “There was just gravel here at first,” said Charles.
But it was in the floor where they planted their faith. Underneath the floorboards of the café’s front door are three scriptures they wrote into the concrete foundation: Deuteronomy 8:18 {“But thou shall remember the Lord thy God; for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which he sware unto the Fathers, as it is this day.” KJV]; Philippians 4:19 [“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.” KJV; and Proverbs 10:22 [“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich and He addeth no sorrow with it.” KJV]
“Every day, we walk over the scriptures, and it’s us agreeing for prosperity, community, development and expansion,’’ Colette said.
Even before they opened, they’d already received positive feedback from supporters. A soft opening they planned for July 11 and 12, booked up within two days of them announcing it. They were surprised at the quick response because they thought it would take longer to fill the reservations. But people sent them congratulations via social media, text messages and calls, thanking them for bringing another dining option to the Magic City.
The Menu
The menu boasts sandwiches, pancakes, French toast, soups, shrimp and grits, omelets, egg specialties, five different types off Eggs Benedict, patty melts, churro doughnuts with a side of caramel dipping sauce, brunch bowls, cocktails, mimosas, coffee, espressos, cappuccinos, “Breakfast Shots,’’ and more.
There’s also cake-style blueberry doughnuts with blueberry compote; a hand-battered chicken breast paired with a tangy BBQ ranch dressing, fried onion strings and thinly cut dill pickle slices served on a soft, grilled pretzel bun with a side of seasoned fries; the Toasted Yolk, which consists of two slices of sourdough bread grilled with an egg in the middle and served with a choice of a breakfast meat; and a BLT made with two pieces of lightly grilled and buttered sourdough bread and slices of Toasted Yolk proprietary bacon, meaning that this kind of bacon can only be found at the restaurant.
Salads are available for those wanting lighter fare, including the grilled shrimp cilantro salad with a spring mix, cherry tomatoes, roasted corn, feta, seasoned in-house flour tortilla salad points and homemade lemon za’atar vinaigrette.
“I love that most of the sauces we make are fresh. We make our own honey mustard sauce, too,’’ said Colette.
Charles, who is a partner in a Birmingham-based engineering firm, said he believes it is God’s purpose to build, and that is why he feels that he and his sister were led to open The Toasted Yolk.
“It really hits different to see where we started and now, we will have a flourishing restaurant and business. We just want to do it in excellence and show other people that God’s purpose is for us to build,’’ he said. “The store was untouched soil. We planted a seed, and now it’s starting to grow into what God has a purpose for.’’
The Toasted Yolk is now open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and drinks. In the fall, they will start offering “Toasted Yolk After Dark,’’ which is when they will be open later hours on certain days and be available for private events. They will also do catering, have a rewards book club for children and special deals for adults.
Toasted Yolk is located at 231 – 20th Street South on the first floor of the 20 Midtown apartment building. Parking is available on the first and second floors. For more visit www.thetoastedyolk.com.
Updated at 8:30 a.m. on 7/16/2025 to add a line about Birmingham Restaurant Week
