When my favorite diner on Niagara Street closed, I thought that the world was ending. Seriously, I'm a big fan of breakfast, and I was hooked on the Riverview Family Restaurant. It was only a short time after that that I began to head out in search of a comparable diner-style eatery. Luckily, I found Sophia's. Of course I was aware of Sophia's, and had even eaten there a couple years back, but I was hooked on my favorite and that was that. Fast forward to today and Sophia's has become a hip destination selling some of the finest diner food around. Not that that wasn't always the case, but it just so happens that diner guru Guy Fieri's visit to the humble eatery has turned it into a happening hangout for not just the locals, but for people from around the region.
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Just this morning, while we were waiting for a table, the woman in front of us turned around and asked whether we had eaten at Sophia's yet. We answered that we had and she said, "I just can't wait. My husband and I are from Canada and we've been wanting to come here ever since it was on the Food Network (see BRO post...or YouTube)." We told her that she was in for some good eating, and then went back to our hover pattern. It was about a year ago when Sophia's expanded the restaurant, opening it up into a much larger space. Not that that helped to alleviate the hoards of food enthusiasts who clamor to get inside. The inside is a lot nicer these days (so is the outside), and event though they pack 'em in, it doesn't feel overcrowded thanks to the enhancements.
Sophia's has just about everything, food-wise, that you would expect from a diner. I always go for the standard eggs over easy, French toast, crispy home fries and a side of their homemade toast. My wife opts for a tuna club, although today she saw customers at the table next to us eating the breakfast skillet and told me that she might finally try something new. The service at Sophia's is some of the best in the city, partially because all of the waiters and waitresses help each other out with coffee refills, order drops, etc. There is certainly a diner-vibe about the place, but it also has the creature comforts of a full scale restaurant. There's a lot of action in the kitchen, which is viewable from the dining area, and since it's a family owned operation, there's a bit of friendly banter between kitchen staff and servers.
If you've got a hankering for diner food, and you want to try a place with awesome atmosphere, friendly people... and you don't mind waiting by the door for a few minutes before sitting down, then you just can't beat Sophia's. You also can't beat the price. Our breakfast/lunch rang in under twenty bucks, and we got two coffees and a large OJ. Now that's what I'm talking about.
Sophia's Restaurant
749 Military Rd (Black Rock)
Buffalo, NY
716.447.9661
$0.53 Tip eh?
That must be the Canadian woman's check. (Just kidding.)
maybe if my fellow Canucks weren't spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars at the Walden Galleria, Boulevard Mall, and Fashion Outlets every weekend and thus keeping Erie and Niagara Counties in the black year after year they would actually have money left over for a tip! lol :P
Well, there are clean-up costs incurred from all the merchandise boxes left back in the parking lot so they can drive back through customs wearing four pairs of socks, three shirts, two pairs of pants and and several jackets. "No, just cold, eh."
What's the difference between a Canadian and a canoe?