by Jeff Shaw
I don’t know how many times the term, “best breakfast on Cape Cod,” has been typed into a search engine, but if I had to guess, Good Friends Café, West Dennis, would be a top result. (Actually, I just typed that search and guess what, Good Friends Café was #3 on Google.)
To be clear, Good Friends Café has plenty of company friends [restaurant name pun intended] in the category of best breakfast, which, quite frankly, is too broad a category. Breakfast options range from grab and go bakeries to sit-down restaurants to five-star brunches.
Plus, geography on Cape Cod makes long drives for breakfast unlikely. If you live in Sandwich, you’re probably not going to Grumpy’s for breakfast; similarly, if you live in East Dennis, you’re probably not going to Marshland for breakfast. The key joy is checking out these places when you happen to be in the area.
But Good Friends Café has a few unique features which separate itself, enough to warrant special attention.
Indoor and outdoor seating (seasonal). Many restaurants expanded outdoor seating during the pandemic, and most have kept it as customers like an open air dining option. It was raining on my visit, but the front patio has a clean, sleek look that is welcoming and comfortable.
Homemade grilled breads. The self-described, “Famous, thick sliced” homemade grilled breads are delicious. My version of eggs benny came with a foundation of homemade grilled cornbread, and I could not get enough of it.
Name board. If your first name happens to be written on the chalk board hanging from the dining room ceiling, free coffee is headed your way. It’s the little things, right?
Open kitchen bar top seating. Not exactly unique, but that section of the dining room is decorated to resemble your friends’ kitchen. The bar top seating is clean, bright and somewhat secluded, so has a neighborhood hangout feel.
Excellent service. Despite a brief wait, customers are welcomed to self-serve coffee while waiting. Similarly, once seated, the wait staff was friendly, answered questions they’ve probably been asked hundreds of times politely, regularly checked on coffee refills and provided updates on when the food would be out. I’m a little disappointed not to be briefed on the staffing schedule the following week, nor the upcoming kitchen deliveries.
It is said that time flies when you’re having fun. That’s pretty much how I felt upon leaving the Good Friends Café.
November 9, 2023