A Visit to Brookside Cafe, Norwood MA

A visit to Brookside Cafe, Norwood, MA was supposed to be exactly that: a one time drive by to grab some lunch on the way home after a morning of errands. The Brookside Cafe lies just outside of the center of Norwood MA on Washington St. a back road that is well traveled, but mostly by people trying to get to someplace else. That's not to say the area near the Brookside Cafe is without other draws. In the Norwood Flats area there is a sizable outdoor community swimming pool that is packed all summer long, an elementary school, funeral home, laundry and some other long standing, small business concerns. But the main stopping off spot for me on Washington St. after my first visit there continues to be the Brookside Cafe, Norwood, MA.

What brings me and my family back with some consistency to Brookside Cafe in Norwood is first and foremost of course the well prepared meals. Brookside is only open for two meals each day, breakfast and lunch. But that apparently allows them to concentrate on doing what they do very well. The breakfast menu is not overloaded but there are plenty of alternatives among the egg, pancake or waffle options. I usually go for the pancakes in part because I really like their syrup but other family members insist on the omelets.

The first time we went there we didn't know what to choose so we watched what was going by us and being served at nearby tables. Frankly it all looked pretty good. Now we have narrowed down choices and established our own favorites. Along with your menu choice here, comes a bottomless cup of coffee. While lots of restaurants offer that amenity, there are some where the coffee is not good enough to warrant a refill. Not so at the Brookside Cafe. Keep it coming.

No matter what you order you can depend on it being served up with reliable promptness. A stand out too, is the friendliness of the wait staff. The overall behavior of those who have served us in the past at Brookside Cafe makes one think that every server is somehow part of the owner's family. They all seem glad to be there and happy to welcome and serve you. I really don't mind tipping anyone who can get my meal to me quickly and with no whining or attitude and that's what you will find at Brookside Cafe.

You really don't have to accept any one person's review or account of Brookside Cafe. You don't have to believe that the place has a clean, homey feeling and a relaxed, child friendly atmosphere on any one person's say so. You can get an idea of just how good a breakfast/lunch spot this is without talking to anyone or even putting your nose in the door. Just drive by during the breakfast/ lunch hours and you will see a line of cars parked on both sides of the street in front of Brookside Cafe and you will get the point. This is a place locals frequent for a reason.

But don't be put off by the number of cars you see. There is some additional parking around behind Brookside to accommodate patrons only. Keep in mind that lots of cars at Brookside not only is customary but seldom indicates a long wait. Even when you see folks waiting outside the entrance, progress to your seat and a great meal is usually quick. From the outside the Brookside looks deceptively small. Once inside you will see that the floor plan and table arrangement really allows for considerable seating and there is generally plenty of waitstaff to help move things along.

Brookside Cafe is not a place to go for a quiet, romantic, upscale breakfast. But it is a wonderful place to enjoy a breakfast/lunch meal with family or friends who like good food served in friendly surroundings that seemed to say "come back soon". We will.