Breakfast In Columbus

3133 North High St (Clintonville); Phone 265-9012
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After closing up last year, Nancy’s has re-opened.   This little, and I do mean little, diner has had extremely loyal fans for many years, and it has often been voted as one of the best breakfasts in Columbus.  If you like small, neighborhood greasy spoon joints, then this one may delight you.

I was not fond of Nancy’s in it’s previous life.  I never understood exactly why it got so many rave reviews (much like Jack & Benny’s a few blocks to the south on High Street).   I felt it was a duty to go back since they re-opened, though, and I’m glad I did go back.  In my opinion, the food was better and the place was cleaner than in years past. I also like the fact that they have now have a menu you can look at, instead of just having one menu painted on the wall.

The usual small diner midwest breakfast food: bacon, eggs, potatoes, biscuits and gravy, french toast, pancakes.  I had the Western Omelet this time, and my buddy had bacon, eggs, and potatoes.   The potatoes were tasty redskins, seasoned nicely, a tiny bit on the greasy side, but pretty good.  My omelet was cooked skillfully, with plenty of diced ham and green pepper, and it tasted quite good.   The eggs and bacon plate wasn’t fancy, the food was cooked properly and tasted fresh and was inviting and satisfying.

The toast was ordinary food-service-grade white, wheat, and rye.  I did like the fact that the default serving style was dry, with butter on the side.

The coffee was decent diner coffee, but apparently this isn’t the place to linger over coffee while talking with friends.  The diner’s motto “Eat it and beat it” is everywhere – on the walls, on the menu, and on the workers’ shirts.  I get the impression that they mean it.  There aren’t a lot of seats here, and I think  they need the empty spaces as soon as they can get ‘em.

For the two of us, the total was $16.  Not bad value.

1144 N High St, 43201

Phone: 291-8512

A tiny, classic diner with stainless steel counters; no tables or booths. Outside it looks like it’s falling apart, even with the improvements and paint put into it over the past year or so — you shouldn’t seen it BEFORE they spruced it up! It’s cleaner inside now.

You’d think the place would be cheap from the looks of it.  It’s not particularly cheap.  But it’s a fair value because, hey, the food is good.

The coffee is decent diner coffee; maybe a little better than average.

I got the spinach omelet with tomato, onion, and mushroom.  The veggies were plentiful and fresh, even the mushrooms.  It was delicious.  It had real cheese on it, and in it.

The potatoes were very tasty.  The toast wasn’t artisan, but it wasn’t crap either; it tasted good.

Friendly service from both the waitress and the cook.

The bill was added up wrong today; when I looked at it it said $12 – that would have been too much.  I pointed it out and they added it up again, and it came to $9, which is a decent value.

If you like classic, neighborhood diners, this is a place you’ll want to have experienced.

193 Thurman Ave,  43206

Phone: 443-8900

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If you like genuine old diners, you just might love this one. With old-fashioned wood paneling, it’s the kind of genuine neighborhood diner that won’t be around forever, even though it seems like it already has been. The German Village Coffee Shop is a Columbus institution, a landmark with a large and extremely loyal following.  It’s always busy.  If it’s a Sunday, expect a line and a wait.

It’s homey and friendly, and I’ve always had good service here.

The coffee is better than average for diner coffee.

A nice selection of expected Ohio-style breakfast food: egg, bacon, omelets, pancakes and so on.  Nothing unusual, or innovative, but good, solid, tried-and-true Midwestern fare prepared with skill and care.  It’s like they actually want the person who is eating the food to enjoy it. The food is better than most diners. Portions are plentiful.

My friend and I both had the Western omelet today.  We added a side of hash browns, since the potatoes aren’t included. The omelets were plenty plump with lots of filling.

The hash browns came with American cheese and grilled onions, and they were delicious.

For two people, the total was $19.75.  This is a good value.

914 W Broad St; 43222

Phone: 224-2422
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I guess my favorite thing about Tommy’s is the atmosphere. With a nice ’50′s decor and a warm, friendly atmosphere, Tommy’s Diner is a Columbus staple. The Columbus Dispatch calls it “a longtime Columbus institution.” Among the Marilyn Monroe and James Dean posters you’ll see autographed pictures of Ohio politicians, local celebrities and some bona fide stars. Tommy Pappas welcomes guests, waitresses are friendly and efficient, and the place does a thriving business with plenty of regulars. Today was Michigan Saturday, when Ohio State has a little football game with the team from “that state up North,” and the place was packed, but things were kept humming along, the wait wasn’t bad, and the service kept up with the rush very nicely.

The food isn’t all that special, maybe average or a little better.  There’s a nice selection of traditional Midwest breakfast food, and I like the spinach and feta omelet.  There’s also a chicken fajita omelet, along with waffles, biscuits and gravy, corned beef hash and so on.

Today I had one of the specials, a philly cheesesteak omelet. The food was adequate, and portions are plenty, though I was expecting more meat in the omelet. In my experience at Tommy’s, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of seasoning in the food (but maybe that’s the way people like it, seeing as how the placeis so popular).  The potatoes were pretty good, they’re sliced and fried on the grill, with a nice, brown, crispy surface.

The coffee at Tommy’s is pretty good.  It’s not gourmet coffee, but it’s not bad for diner coffee.

Prices are quite reasonable (another reason for the popularity); my bill came to $8.10.

684 S. High St.; 43215

Phone 443-1125

On a given morning you may see local or state politicians, businessmen, influential ladies, and/or lawyers here. A local landmark known for steaks, The Claremont is a top choice for high quality food, and breakfast is no exception.   Although the outside of the place provides no clues about what’s inside, it’s a white-tablecloth, high-class eating establishment.  Service is excellent.  Cooks are skilled and consistentl

y produce outstanding quality.

Sometimes tiny details can tell stories:  On a morning this week in November, my cup of fruit told me the Chef at the Claremont is exceptional.  The fruit was ripe, delicious, carefully prepared and cut to proper sizes, with a wonderful combination of flavors.  Such a simple, simple thing, but so telling.   I know that getting good fruit in November does not happen by accident.  Vendors have to get rid of everythi

ng they bring to town, and who do you suppose gets the lesser quality stuff?  Those restaurants that accept whatever is delivered, that don’t inspect every item every day, and that never reject what they are offered.   Obviously, the Claremont is not one of those places.  A simple little cup of fruit told me that there is an established relationship between the fruit vendor and the kitchen, one in which the vendor has learned by experience that this kitchen will not accept food that is not of the best quality.  My little mix of melon and banana told me of strict training of the cooks by the chef, and of the vendors by the cooks.   Well, at least that’s what my fruit told me.  Maybe it was lying, but I believe it anyway. I like a good story.

Eggs Benedict with Salmon and Spinach

Whenever I’ve been to the Claremont, the food has been excellent.

Today I had fresh-squeezed orange juice, the aforementioned story-telling fruit, and eggs benedict with salmon.   It was simply delicious.

Besides a number if traditional American breakfast dishes (waffles, steak and eggs, corned bee

f hash, omelets, etc.) The Claremont offers fried chicken livers for breakfast — an unusual breakfast item, but one that I enjoy.  When I first found out about this menu item, I knew I had to bring my mother here for breakfast, which I did, and she thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

I ate at the Claremont this week with my son, who had the same breakfast I did.  The bill for the 2 of us totaled $40.

The coffee….   ok, well…   it’s coffee.  Alas, one more of those places with exceptional food, but ordinary coffee.  I don’t understand how it happens.   Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad coffee.  It’s just not better than ordinary coffee. Sigh…

An excellent breakfast, knowledge of this local establishment will set you apart as somebody who knows where the best of Columbus is to be found.

Plenty of parking