There are plenty of ways to melt cheese on a sandwich. At Milo’s Cafe, they do it with a blow torch.
Beneath a burst of flames, two slices of gruyere wilt and bubble around a crispy chicken cutlet on the cafe’s schnitzel sandwich, the most popular menu item at Milo’s. Stuffed between slices of focaccia bread you’ll find a crunchy yuzu slaw, a zippy spicy mayo and that cheesy schnitzel, a signature sandwich in this buzzy, unassuming roadside cafe.
Milo’s Cafe has been named the Best Sandwich Shop in the Triangle, winning the latest foodie poll decided by News & Observer readers.
In the midst of the Triangle’s golden age of sandwiches, Milo’s appears to be at the top of the class, besting runner-up Poppyseed Market and a few dozen top sandwich shops to take this crusty crown.
Milo’s Cafe opened in 2024 in a former motorcycle shop in Morrisville. Married couple Menad and Liliana Haliche transformed the cinderblock building, with its polished concrete floors, into a warm Europen cafe, fueled by an espresso bar and pastries, sandwiches and crepes.
By lunchtime, most tables are full of guests with cups of coffee steaming in the sunlight. On the weekends it’s even busier, drawing diners with brunchy bites like brioche French Toast.
Sandwiches, though, are at the heart of Milo’s and perhaps the owner himself.
The Sandwich Man
When he was young, Menad’s friends called him “The Sandwich Man” for his ability to dig into a refrigerator and create a masterpiece out of what he was able to find.
Menad and Liliana met in Paris, where she says she got to experience The Sandwich Man.
“He could take anything from the fridge and make an amazing sandwich,” she said. “I’ve always been a basic sandwich person, but he can make this amazing thing out of what he finds.”
“I was trying to impress her,” Menad said of his sandwich skills.
Now he hears versions of that from regulars, praising the schnitzel sandwich, or the prosciutto and pesto or the spicy salami with harissa.
“We hear it every single day, someone says, ‘That’s the best sandwich I’ve ever had,’” Haliche said. “That means so much to us.”
Born in Algeria, Menad started working in restaurants in Paris when he was 14 years old, largely waiting or busing tables. He developed his tastes from neighborhood cafes and bistros brewing espresso in the morning and serving sandwiches and salads throughout the day.
Milo’s takes its inspiration from those cafes. While the menu features pour over coffee and a trendy, minimalist design, Haliche makes a distinction.
“We’re not a coffee shop,” he said. “We’re a cafe. Our focus is on sandwiches. ... I’m a little bit of a perfectionist.”
What Haliche means by that is every detail on the Milo’s menu is intentional. He sought out Lavazza beans to mirror most European espresso bars. He opted for focaccia over baguettes, working with Ninth Street’s sourdough version.
“It’s the ingredients that really make the difference,” he said. “We make everything in-house.”
The menu at Milo’s changes seasonally and has featured specials like a “Beef bourguignon” sandwich in the winter and, currently, a chicken Caesar wrap with fried onions.
Menad and Liliana said Milo’s thrives on the diversity of the surrounding Morrisville area and aims to keep an international perspective on its menu. Liliana is from Columbia and grew up near Lake Norman, while Menad grew up in France and has traveled the world.
“The space in Morrisville is not in a shopping center, it’s a stand alone building,” Liliana said. “Our success has come from word of mouth, we have a lot of regulars who come in every day. Our customers are very international. ... It’s a melting pot here, which I really, really like.”
The couple built Milo’s when they were expecting their first son. The name comes from one of the names they were considering for their baby, who they named Milan. Now, Milan is three, and Milo’s continues to thrive.
“My husband has put so much though and effort into (Milo’s),” Liliana said. “From the beginning, he wanted to have the best sandwich in the whole area, that was his main goal. For us, we are very proud.”
Milos Cafe is located at 10119 Chapel Hill Rd., in Morrisville.
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