Benny Polisi said when he was 13 years old, he started working as a busser at the same restaurant his mother worked at as a dishwasher. From there he learned every facet of the industry, and eventually, he and his older brother, “Big Benny” Polisi, dove into restaurant ownership.

The brothers own two restaurants in McKinney: They opened Italian Garden in 2009 and B&B Café in 2021.

Benny said although opening a restaurant in 2021 was not ideal, he is pleased with the growth of the business.

“We started very slow; I was very scared. I felt like I failed here, but I knew we’d get busy,” he said. “Now, on Saturdays and Sundays, we have at least an hour wait. Even during the week, we get very good crowds.”

Benny said his brother and mother focus their time at Italian Garden, while he, his wife and sister-in-law spend more time at the cafe.

He said family members helped create the menu, which features traditional cafe fare, such as eggs, pancakes, sandwiches and burgers, but it also has items representing a wider range of options. From fresh fruit parfaits to chicken-fried steak to classic crepes to breakfast quesadillas—they aim to please everyone. It also has options that fit specific dietary needs, such as gluten-free pancakes as well as vegetable and egg white omelets.

Benny said he sees many regular customers; some get the same thing every time they visit.

“Rick and the guys from the airport come almost every day,” he said. “One always gets a Bacado [omelet] and one gets a cobb salad.”

As the Polisi brothers look to the future, Benny said they don’t have plans to make many changes.

“I’m happy with the size of the restaurant,” he said. “A lot of people tell me to expand but I’m not going to do it, I’m going to stay small and controlled.”

He said he realizes there are a lot of nearby restaurants, which makes him very appreciative of his customers.

“The ones who come in, we treat them like kings,” Benny said. “We must do that. It’s not just because of the competition; we do it from our heart. ... We don’t want to disappoint anyone.”

B&B Café

1411 N. Custer Road, Ste. 100, McKinney

214-842-8337

www.bandbcafemckinney.com

Hours: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily

Top sellers at B&B Cafe

There are a number of top-rated items at the cafe.

• Triple Play ($13) consists of a waffle, two pancakes, crepes, classic French toast or signature cinnamon French toast with two sausage patties, bacon strips and two eggs cooked any style.
• Bacado ($12.25) is a three-egg omelet that includes crumbled bacon with fresh spinach, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado and Monterey cheddar cheese.
• The Buffalo fried chicken sandwich ($12.99) was created by Benny Polisi and features freshly breaded chicken, Buffalo sauce, Swiss cheese and tomato.