The Triangle

Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Francesca Martelli

Nestled on the corner of 10th and Fitzwater streets is Sam's Morning Glory Diner, a warm neighborhood joint that many fingers pointed towards when I first settled into Philadelphia last year.

The bright blue and lime green walls beckon a good morning from even the most sullen traveler as the tin cupped coffee flows. Booths and tables house parties of two and four, while a counter provides courtside seats to the cooking action. Stepping inside from the patio (be sure to stop by for seating in the summer), I find business people and families.

Like my coffee's glide into the cup, the serving team's smooth chemistry is fluid. Causally dressed and efficient, I get the feeling that they are running on low speed this lazy weekday morning.

Morning Glory does not take reservations or credit cards and it can become quite packed. When the weekend hits, the diner fills its 20 or so tables instantly. Whoever puts their name on the sign-in list first gets the seat. One weekend, I spent 30 minutes drawing stick figures with chalk on the patio floor before receiving a table. Therefore, it is imperative that the servers are on their game. This mid-week morning, however, there was no wait or haste.

Morning Glory serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch and between the three menus, only four items are priced over $10 - which is great - considering plate size and my meager college budget.

Breakfast options stack up quick with a fill-me-now list of morning muffins, which are changed daily, including chili mango and peanut butter chocolate chip. Also on the menu are a phenomenal selection of frittatas, challah french toast, pecan waffles, breakfast burritos, and did I mention everything is made from scratch?

Their daily special menu houses these favorites with a twist - for example, monkey French toast, which is the classic French toast stuffed with bananas. The entrées are filling, but it is the sides that really are the syrup on the waffle.

Each entrée involving eggs comes with a cute cup of sweet and tender stewed green apples and a crumbly biscuit. Breakfast and brunch entrées come with your choice of either potatoes, fully seasoned and crisp, or grits, which when flavored with Morning Glory's homemade mango peach cranberry marmalade are heavenly. For lunch, be sure to try the fresh mozzarella samwich, which comes with a scrumptious salad or breakfast potatoes.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools