Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes Make A Difference In Palm Desert

PALM DESERT, CA — Breakfast Republic celebrated its new arrival in Palm Desert this summer and is already giving back to the local community.

The eatery located at 44491 Town Center Way announced Wednesday that it donated 100% of September sales from its Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes to The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert, which serves the local community.

"Thanks to the support of foodies and breakfast lovers in Palm Desert, Breakfast Republic sold 86 Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes — raising an impressive $860 for The Center of the Desert. Inspired by the warm welcome they've received and the charitable spirit they've discovered in their new home, the Breakfast Republic team has also made a personal contribution, donating a total of $1,250 to The Center of the Desert to support the positive change they are creating," according to Wednesday's announcement. "Breakfast Republic is excited about its journey in Palm Desert and looks forward to working alongside The Center of the Desert to raise even more funds and awareness for the fantastic work they do within the LGBTQ+ community."

The LGBTQ Community Center’s work is focused on ending isolation and loneliness, connecting people to resources and community, and enriching individual and collective experiences, according to the nonprofit's website. Its work stretches across the Coachella Valley with roots that go back to 1998.

Breakfast Republic, on the other hand, is new in town. The restaurant began welcoming customers in August and celebrated an official ribbon-cutting on Sept. 1.

The casual cafe offers new takes on American classics, such as Oreo pancakes, shrimp & grits, and s’mores French toast.

It is the brainchild of Johan Engman, who was born and raised in Östersund, Sweden, and moved to San Diego in 1997 as a teen.

Engman learned the restaurant ropes at an early age, starting off as a dishwasher while in high school. The years went by, but he stayed in the business, moving up the ranks, according to the Breakfast Republic website.

In 2008, Engman opened his first venture, Fig Tree Cafe in Pacific Beach, on a shoestring budget of $45,000. He lost money, but wouldn't give up. The restaurant finally turned a profit, and in 2011 he opened Fig Tree Cafe’s second location.

Lessons learned along the way prompted Engman to think about simplification and starting an eatery that served just one meal: breakfast.

In 2015, Engman launched his first Breakfast Republic in San Diego's North Park neighborhood, and that led to more and more locations. In addition to Palm Desert, the restaurant has spots in Carmel Valley, Costa Mesa, Culver City, East Village, Encinitas, Hillcrest, Irvine, La Jolla, Liberty Station, Long Beach, Mission Valley, North Park, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Scripps Ranch and West Hollywood.

The Palm Desert Breakfast Republic is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Get more information here.