"There's no goat cheese and garlic here ..."

[nzm136]

An article on another part of the Southern college sports scene: Waffle House

And not just college. By the 1960s, Waffle Houses were in many Tennessee towns, and they would be filled after Friday night HS football games and Tuesday and Friday might HS basketball games. An uncle of mine who was an Air Force officer who retired to his wife's hometown after two 13 months tours flying the wounded off Vietnamese battlefields made the Waffle House a staple on high school game days. That's where he became a true local. The last public place he would go, lugging the oxygen tank as slowly died of emphysema, was to Waffle House, where the talk always got around to college and high school sports.

I don't see Waffle House making it in Boston, but blue-collar Syracuse is the perfect town to become the northern-most outpost

They're pretty close to SU as is. I know of one on 81 just north of Carlisle, PA.

And for anyone who hasn't been to one, I'm a HUGE fan. You can get a good meal for less than $5 including the tip.

(Triple hash, a couple toppings, and water is about $3)

 

[nzm136]

Stella's is OK, but those Hispanic guys working at NYC corner delis can make an outstanding breakfast sandwich almost every time.

My go-to order used to be "Two scrambled eggs with sweet peppers on a buttered onion roll." Nobody can match that up here, made for you in like 3 minutes flat to go.

With "Dark" coffee - not black, not light. People don't even know what the hell "dark" coffee is up here. It's brown colored, with just a bit of cream. Morons.

I haven't been to Stella's in a hot minute...

 

[nzm136]

Diners in Syracuse mostly suck compared to New Jersey. Not even close.

And New York delis? Man, I miss those the most. You can't get a decent breakfast sandwich anywhere in Syracuse.

Yeah, but Syracuse doesn't have Rutgers, which is a net win.

 

[KellySyracuse]

Just 1 Bite in N Syr is damn good and so is the greek diner on Wolf St. across from Crouse Hinds. I'll give you that there isn't a good deli to be found in the entirety of the 315. If anyone knows of one please post it, it's like trying to find a unicorn around here.

 

[Frozen]

Stella's is OK, but those Hispanic guys working at NYC corner delis can make an outstanding breakfast sandwich almost every time.

My go-to order used to be "Two scrambled eggs with sweet peppers on a buttered onion roll." Nobody can match that up here, made for you in like 3 minutes flat to go.

.

This morning, from a deli on Third Avenue, I got eggs, bacon and home fries on a wrap with hot sauce. Made in three minutes. Perfection.

 

[Chip]

Yes, Syracuse has a lot of strong mom and pop type diners that would make it hard for any low grade chain like this to make it here.

Jim Gaffigan has an interesting take on Waffle House; made me want to try one on my first ACC road trip. Don't think I will be returning there.

Surprised he wasn't sued for it.

Picture going into a gas station bathroom. And they serve you waffles.

Great line.

 

[Toga]

Something something Julius Hodge.

My best post ever. It was actually picked up by some national media. Shhh, it's me, Julius.

 

[Toga]

This morning, from a deli on Third Avenue, I got eggs, bacon and home fries on a wrap with hot sauce. Made in three minutes. Perfection.

I'll have what he's having.

 

[721Comstock]

Funk 'n Waffles. Plus, any decent mom & pop Diner = zero need for Waffle House, ever.

 

[OttoMets]

Just 1 Bite in N Syr is damn good and so is the greek diner on Wolf St. across from Crouse Hinds. I'll give you that there isn't a good deli to be found in the entirety of the 315. If anyone knows of one please post it, it's like trying to find a unicorn around here.

Today's Special in the State Tower Building makes a good breakfast sandwich. Agree it's not the same as a quick bodega bacon egg and cheese on a roll, but there are passable versions of that around here. The deli thing is the real crime. How can a metro area of this size (with a good food scene, at that) have zero delis? And the bagel scene is brutal. There was a filthy Ukrainian dive on the Near West Side called the Welcome Inn, closed a year or so ago, made some of the best pastrami I ever had. Not quite a deli, but it was deli food. Wonder what became of that guy.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Denny's is still around. They're not bad, but kind of expensive for breakfast.

That's why I included the caveat of not dedicated breakfast.

 

[retro44]

I thought there was a waffle house in Auburn in front of tractor supply until a few years ago.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Camillus had one.

So did Pulaski. (What? No likes for Oswego County?)

 

[Trueblue25]

Manlius had a Waffle Works.


The only breakfast chain I'd ever allow in Cuse is Cracker Barrel.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I had a friend that was notorious for ordering one pancake at Waffle Works. It came to $1.80 and he'd leave a 20 cent tip.

 

[KellySyracuse]

Today's Special in the State Tower Building makes a good breakfast sandwich. Agree it's not the same as a quick bodega bacon egg and cheese on a roll, but there are passable versions of that around here. The deli thing is the real crime. How can a metro area of this size (with a good food scene, at that) have zero delis? And the bagel scene is brutal. There was a filthy Ukrainian dive on the Near West Side called the Welcome Inn, closed a year or so ago, made some of the best pastrami I ever had. Not quite a deli, but it was deli food. Wonder what became of that guy.

I believe he was ill and couldn't manage the place anymore. Welcome Inn was one place that I never got to no matter how many times I drove by it.

 

[Cuseregular]

Camillus had one.

Still does, only now it's called Nesticos too

 

[Townie72]

Manlius had a Waffle Works.

The only breakfast chain I'd ever allow in Cuse is Cracker Barrel.

No Cracker Barrel in Syracuse? At first that seemed odd. The food is fine and it doesn't feel like a chain restaurant.

But the again maybe there's no market for all that merchandise (crap) that half the floor space is dedicated to like wind chimes made out of beer cans and velvet portraits of Elvis and tea towels with homey sayings embroidered on them.

I think they make you wait for tables or at the cashier in the hope that your spouse or will wander around and find a miniature model of Mt Rushmore or a Kitty Wells CD they can't live without.

I have a friend who is going to visit from France in a few weeks. I think I'll find a Cracker Barrel and explain to him that THIS is what the non-Coastal, non-Elite, middle of the US looks like.

 

[Trueblue25]

No Cracker Barrel in Syracuse? At first that seemed odd. The food is fine and it doesn't feel like a chain restaurant.

But the again maybe there's no market for all that merchandise (crap) that half the floor space is dedicated to like wind chimes made out of beer cans and velvet portraits of Elvis and tea towels with homey sayings embroidered on them.

I think they make you wait for tables or at the cashier in the hope that your spouse or will wander around and find a miniature model of Mt Rushmore or a Kitty Wells CD they can't live without.

I have a friend who is going to visit from France in a few weeks. I think I'll find a Cracker Barrel and explain to him that THIS is what the non-Coastal, non-Elite, middle of the US looks like.

I believe theres one by Cicero, I'm not sure though. Haven't seen one around

 

[KellySyracuse]

I believe theres one by Cicero, I'm not sure though. Haven't seen one around

that's the only one, right next to I81N

 

[Townie72]

that's the only one, right next to I81N

That makes sense since it probably serves long distance travelers on Rte 81 and the locals.

In the South and West they are also located near Interstates, but sometimes not. They are a local favorite and the locals by themselves can support one.

It's a cultural thing. Regional tastes differ. Diners in NJ, Deli's in NYC, cheese steaks in Philly, crabs and crab cakes in Maryland, Beef on Wick in Buffalo, etc.

In Dallas, there was a Bar-B-Cue restaurant about every five blocks serving beef brisket and other meats. The menus in these places were almost identical.

Other areas on the country can't support more than a few. In DC, MD and No Va. there are like three of them.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Picture going into a gas station bathroom. And they serve you waffles.

Great line.

Ewwww! I laughed out loud at that one.

 

[MSOrange]

Stella's is OK, but those Hispanic guys working at NYC corner delis can make an outstanding breakfast sandwich almost every time.

My go-to order used to be "Two scrambled eggs with sweet peppers on a buttered onion roll." Nobody can match that up here, made for you in like 3 minutes flat to go.

With "Dark" coffee - not black, not light. People don't even know what the hell "dark" coffee is up here. It's brown colored, with just a bit of cream. Morons.

My mom and my brother and I were leaving the Atlanta airport in 1987 on our move from Syracuse to the Atlanta area. We got lost and kept seeing a Waffle House and were thinking - wow there is a ton of these places around here. There definitely is, but we soon realized we were seeing the same Waffle House from three different directions.

 

[orangenauburn]

Just 1 Bite in N Syr is damn good and so is the greek diner on Wolf St. across from Crouse Hinds. I'll give you that there isn't a good deli to be found in the entirety of the 315. If anyone knows of one please post it, it's like trying to find a unicorn around here.

Downtown Deli is pretty solid in Auburn

Reubens Deli in Atlanta was one of the best delis I have been too

 

[kingtidge]

When I want cigarette ashes in my eggs and end of the road waitresses, Waffle House is my go to place. Sometimes you just have to have it.

Why go there when u can get b'fast at Shoney's for $2.99?