What's Your Favorite Cafe?

[Carol Dee]

Around here we have to look long and hard for a Mom and Pop-type Cafe. Most of the restaurants are run by immigrants from Armenia. That means the food and the prices are pretty much standardized. It then becomes about the people (owners) themselves. A couple of these are on our 'scheduled' dining habits.

We did find one owner run cafe whose place we very often choose for breakfast. 16 oz coffee cups are her trademark, but the food is good and the prices are reasonable. She closes at 1:00, however, so we've seldom been there except for breakfast.

DH never was one to find adventure in new places or different tastes. When I get the opportunity -- usually with Gypsy -- I check out the ethnic dining just for fun.

Our choices are limited also. Sadly most places are chain restaurants or Bar & grille places. (more bar and DH dislikes eating in bars.) The few Mom & Pop cafes are also owned by Armenians, too! Unfortunately the food is bland and pie is not home made. (From freezer to oven or thaw and serve!)

 

[bobm]

When we first moved to Wa., there was a VERY GOOD restaurant at the small town next to ours and known far and wide for it's breakfasts. People standing in line out the door to the parking lot. A year ago, they closed that place and opened again in a much bigger and better brand new building in our small town. Needless to say... they lost their focus as the food lost its flavor and savorisness with the move.

 

[canesisters]

When I used to run rescue there was a place down from the station called 'The Bait Shop'. It was a sporting goods store that had a little restaurant in the back. The first time they took me there I thought for sure it was one of those FAMOUS EMS pranks. Turned out that they had the best scrambled omelets EVER!!!!

 

[majorcatfish]

have to be in the mood to go out for breakfast, if we do it's parkers a little cinder block restaurant best hash browns..
lunch...tripps its a chain but great burgers, and times we hit the hot dog cart at the bi-rite grocery store they do chicago style hot dogs...
dinner that depends.
china gourmet, village pizza,stokeridge grill, leblon brazilian

 

[baymule]

In Livingston, where we used to live, is Florida's Kitchen. A true mom and pop, an old frame house added onto in several directions, dirt that passes for a parking lot, outside of town on a country road, and the food is to die for. A poor black couple cooked lunch, called businesses, took orders and delivered. Before long, they opened their restaurant and never looked back. Well off now, they still work hard at providing good home cooking. No hostess greets or seats you, it's crowded. When no tables are available, you pick one that looks like the people are almost done and stand over them like hungry buzzards waiting for them to leave. LOL

Yes we like the "chain" restaurants, but we find the heart of America in the individuals who pour their best efforts out on a plate for our pleasure.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Man, we went to Loula's in Whitefish for breakfast Sunday - it was PACKED! Its the height of tourist season, and they have amazing food and homemade pie, and everybody knows it. We waited for a table, waited to order, then waited 45 minutes for our food but WOW it was good. Can't wait for Labor day, much less traffic and tourists

 

[Lavender2]

We don't go out to eat often, DH enjoys cooking too much.
But we have a couple favorite places. Matthew's Cafe was a family run place that is now owned by a chef and his friend. Thankfully they kept the 'cafe' menu and food. Everything is homemade- breads, pies, even their strawberry/rhubarb jam. They have the best veggie omelet and hash-browns! And old time favorites like hot roast beef sandwich and mashed potatoes, meat loaf, and all-you-can-eat fish fry on Friday nights. Prices reflect the times, but service that's hard to beat!

Key's Cafe is much the same, still owned and operated by the family, and they have three locations now. Their turkey dinner comes on a platter and is three meals for me! Only order one pancake, trust me. I don't know if anyone finds room for dessert, but we usually leave there one of their homemade pies. Their Dutch apple is the best pie I have ever eaten!

You have to get there early or expect to wait, at both. Sad there is not more of them.
Sports bars are everywhere.

 

[Lavender2]

I used to work for a little mom n' pop truck stop diner as a waitress. Super good home cooked food and the prices were dirt cheap. Man, I miss that good coffee too. They eventually got closed down by the health dept when they refused to go non-smoking after the laws changed. Such a shame. I made really good tips there too, making over $2000/month waiting tables and this was like 12 years ago, so that was a lot of money then. I had quit and moved on before they went out of business though.

Really jogged my memory back in time @journey11 !
One of my first jobs was waitress at a small cafe called Bill's Gourmet Kitchen. Not sure about the 'gourmet', but Eggs Benedict was on the menu, so there ya go. Nobody ever ordered it and the cooks usually didn't even know how to make it. I remember when Bill had to tell the cooks, no more smoking while they were cooking! I liked to work the bar run, tips were way more than my paycheck.

Funny ending to the story, this is where I met DH, and Bill ended up being my FIL. Although there was a disappointing end to the business, I guess Bill's Gourmet Kitchen is still my favorite cafe.

 

[Beekissed]

No true cafes around here any longer but our favorite place to eat is a Chinese buffet place where we can eat all we want for $5.79 and the food is great! We like the thought of eating cheaply while out on the town, so we tip big in appreciation and in hopes that place stays open.

We don't eat out much, but when we do, it's usually the same place...we don't grow tired of it.

 

[so lucky]

Really jogged my memory back in time @journey11 !
One of my first jobs was waitress at a small cafe called Bill's Gourmet Kitchen. Not sure about the 'gourmet', but Eggs Benedict was on the menu, so there ya go. Nobody ever ordered it and the cooks usually didn't even know how to make it. I remember when Bill had to tell the cooks, no more smoking while they were cooking! I liked to work the bar run, tips were way more than my paycheck.

Funny ending to the story, this is where I met DH, and Bill ended up being my FIL. Although there was a disappointing end to the business, I guess Bill's Gourmet Kitchen is still my favorite cafe.

That bit about telling the cooks they couldn't smoke while cooking made me chuckle: In my younger days, there was a truck stop that sold beer, burgers and such. The owner, Mary, was a rather large woman who chain smoked. I vividly remember watching her flip burgers on the grill, with a cigarette hanging out of the side of her mouth. As the ash grew longer and longer, we were wondering who would get it on their burger. If I ever got it, all it did was make those delicious burgers even better.