Photos by L.G. Patterson

Lively community chatter, bright colors, biscuit baskets, the aroma of almost-famous pancakes and a big smile from the host. That’s just the first taste of the experience that awaits you at JoJo’s Biscuit Company. Owner Jason Paetzold opened JoJo’s this year to create an inviting, family-friendly breakfast spot that evokes memories of childhood, while focusing on delicious food and a commitment to exceptional hospitality.

“My favorite memories were going out on Saturday morning and having pancakes,” Paetzold says. “What we’re doing here is bringing a fresh perspective to breakfast.”

The heart of JoJo’s hospitality lies in creating a space where families can truly feel at home — a place to relax and simply enjoy great food, warm company and attentive service. “The best are young kiddos having pancakes with their parents. It’s super special,” Paetzold, who also owns Bud’s Classic BBQ downtown, says. “Families feel fully comfortable coming out and just letting loose.”

Family ties run deeper than just the customers that walk in. JoJo’s is named after Paetzold’s son, Joey. “When he was a little kid, we called him JoJo,” he says. “We’d go out and have breakfast and pancakes. That was our time together, so it’s named after him.”

A big part of the experience comes from having a staff that’s both skilled and genuinely happy to be there. “We’ve empowered our entire team here to make memories,” Paetzold says. “Great servers make the food taste better.”

Beyond the atmosphere, signature flavors and chef-driven technique set JoJo’s apart even more. “The menu items that I love the most are the boldest,” Paetzold says. “The chilaquiles, the Shakshuka, anything that really expresses those flavors that are exciting, fresh and bright.”

Along with these dishes, the menu has many recognizable classics, including biscuit baskets with homemade jam and what Paetzold calls the “almost-famous” pancake. “Our pancakes are special,” he says. From traditional buttermilk to their cinnamon roll pancakes, glazed with cream cheese and cinnamon, each stack is worth savoring.

If you’re not into pancakes, JoJo’s has plenty of other sweet and savory options to choose from, including French toast, Belgian waffles, classic biscuits and gravy, chicken biscuits, Benedicts, salads and more. Obviously, biscuits are the name of the game. Whether served with homemade jelly, honey butter, chicken or gravy, the biscuits are flaky yet dense, buttery and soft. The “Eat Like Drinkwitz” meal comes with cage-free eggs, center-cut bacon, fresh fruit, a buttermilk biscuit and a cinnamon roll.

Even the most vehement avocado toast deniers will be turned by their take on the dish: a thick cut of bread, drizzled with honey, a generous schmear of fresh avocado, pickled onions and greens. Everything that comes out of the kitchen is colorful, flavorful and filling with their lavish portion sizes.

The community has responded so well to the addition of JoJo’s that Paetzold already has plans to expand to South Columbia, St. Louis, Kansas City and more. “We haven’t done a lick of advertising and have just been overrun with people,” he says. “It’s going to be really special opening in the south (because it) is underserved.” The plan is to take over the space formerly occupied by Fuzzy’s Tacos on Nifong by the end of the year. Paetzold aims to offer night hours at this location from Thursday through Sunday, making it the go-to spot for date nights or an evening out without stretching your budget.

As for the expansion throughout the state and the Midwest, Paetzold says conversations are in the works to make this happen in the next five years. “We have full confidence to grow and expand,” he says. “Between Bud’s and JoJo’s, every day I’m talking to people from Chicago, St. Louis and Dallas.” While all of this behind-the-scenes work happens to expand and grow, Paetzold hopes for now, people will come into JoJo’s, relax and enjoy brunch with friends or family. “When you walk in here, you hear the music, you see the artwork. We have a very carefully curated vibe here, but it’s really organized chaos,” he says.

JoJo’s is located at 540 Broadway Bluffs Drive, suite 111, and is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. In the end, JoJo’s offers more than a meal; it’s a reminder of how good food, good company and quality service can bring people together.