Friendly Toast Up For Sale

, one of the most popular dining destinations for breakfast any time of day that has been frequented by Seacoast area residents and visitors for years, is now up for sale.

Melissa and Robert Jasper, the restaurant's owners, are selling the Congress Street restaurant and the Friendly Toast they own on Kendall Square in Cambridge, Mass., for $1.875 million.

The Bean Group in Portsmouth is listing both restaurants. On the Bean Group's Web site, they describe the Friendly Toast as "a very profitable and dynamic concept that does in excess of $5,000,000 in two locations. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner plus liquor with a uniquely designed atmosphere and menu."

They also say the restaurant's owners "have received accolades from many institutions and television programs over the years. Seating for 150 plus bar in each location."

When contacted by e-mail this morning, Melissa Jasper said she did not want to comment until after a sale is made.

"Who knows if it will even happen?  It is a recession...," she wrote in her e-mail.

"My husband and I are a bit bored and up for a new challenge -- which is Detroit. We have fallen in love with the city. We will probably open another restaurant there. Recessions are generally not too hard on diners, since they are affordable," she wrote in her e-mail.

The restaurant was recently featured on the "Man vs. Food" show on the Discovery Channel and was dubbed one of the five best breakfast places in the country by Good Morning America, according to the restaurant's home page.