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Competition for the Blue Star in Rozzie Square

Derna's

I've long wanted to try that tiny breakfast joint next to the Village Bookshop on South Street (one guess from the photo what its street number is) - if for no other reason than I could say I've eaten in every single one of Roslindale's breakfast places (yeah, all five of them, not including the McDonald's on American Legion or the Burger King on Washington). But it was always closed. Finally, sometime over the past, oh, two or three months, it re-opened under new ownership.

Derna's is about about as no frills an eatery as you'll find anywhere. No fancy disco brunch here - not even any whole-wheat toast here. The food is basically exactly what you'd make at home if you weren't too tired (while I was there, a woman sidled up to the counter and when the owner asked if she wanted coffee, she sighed: "Yes, PLEASE!"). You get white toast and you like it (well, or French); you get your choice of eggs and breakfast meats and that's about it. Oh, and home fries. This is not food that will make you ooh and ah, but again, if you've had a long night, well, it's food.

You sit on stools around a U-shaped counter straight out of the 1960s (right down to the boomerangs imprinted on the Formica) - there are no tables. The short-order cook is also the short-order server and short-order cashier, but he cooks things up quickly. Plus, regulars know they can refill their coffee themselves at the Bunn-o-matic - and go behind the counter for an old Herald to read (while I was there, everybody who came in was by themselves, myself included).

It's open every day at 5 a.m. So next time you head over to the Blue Star and it's full and you're just looking for the basics, walk over to Derna's.

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Comments

We went there many moons ago and it is quick, easy, and pretty inexpensive. It is for the people who can't stomach another Egg McMuffin, but are too underdressed for the fancier places or don't want to wait long for their breakfast.

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am i allowed to park n front of this place?

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Sure, if there's a space.

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Right, I forgot about that: $5.95 gets you three eggs, bacon or ham, toast, home fries and coffee.

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I love plain jane breakfast places. Now I'm thinking of finding a place for breakfast this saturday. I could go for some homefries!

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I went there with a visiting friend before it came under its new ownership and while it was satisfyingly no-frills, the service was pretty slow and it felt like we spent all morning there. I've got to try it under the new ownership now to compare.

For breakfast in Roslindale, I recommend the place on Centre Street opposite the Yucatan Mexican restaurant. They do a great breakfast with Greek sausage. And, the Blue Star of course (they do a Full Irish Breakfast).

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