Where Nothing Could Be Finer Than To Eat at Sandi’s Diner

Hana made sure to get her steps in before breakfast.

Author’s Note: Last weekend, our usually sleepy fur baby Hana the dachshund, decided to play rooster around 5:45am to make sure we all had a productive day. While I was hoping to have a lazy Sunday, we took her soothing whines to get up and going. A cool morning walk to Ridgevale Beach and down a few side streets worked up our appetites (and tired her out) to the point where we decided to play “restaurant roulette.” The game is comically simple; we pick up the local newspaper (in this case, the Cape Cod Chronicle) and open a random page. Which ever restaurant advertisement is read first is where we go for breakfast. (Restaurants, take note, you may want to increase your ad budgets!) Page 3 of the edition was none other than, “Where Nothing Could Be Finer Than To Eat at Sandi’s Diner.”

 
It often feels like the breakfast culture on the Cape is increasingly shifting to “grab and go” away from the traditional sit-down meal. The reasons are obvious; it’s fast (race to get that beach parking space); less expensive for customers (though no free re-fills of coffee!) and possibly less costly for the restaurants (less wait staff; smaller menu may mean less ingredients). Fortunately, the tourists and beach-goers are not completely succeeding at changing the breakfast landscape, as restaurants like Sandi’s Diner remain packed and enjoy a loyal following.
The patio of Sandi’s Diner may be the best seat “in” the house.

If you need a refresher, Sandi’s Diner is a downtown Chatham breakfast/lunch spot that opens at 4:30 a.m. EVERY DAY. The menu is straight-forward, one page menu with just the right amount of omelet, pancake, waffle, egg sandwich, fresh fruit options. The wait staff moves quick, even on busy mornings. The dining room, with counter service, is small and can “heat up” when full. There air conditioning is an exhaust fan. If you want a cooler, quieter seat with a charming view of Main Street, grab one of the two tables outside on the front porch. Though, the exhaust fan does blow near the table closest to the door.

The price is right on Sandi’s menu.

We only had to wait a few minutes until our table for four was ready. Always one to pair coffee with breakfast , the brew was nothing special, but that’s to be expected for a diner. However, my cup was filled every time it was half full. All of us had different food selections in mind. Ellen, the better half, went with pancakes, Mom had a fruit bowl, Dad had a muffin sandwich and I went with the Benny. The presentation was a plus, food was hot, portions were plentiful and taste was above average, especially considering the range of items ordered. The pancakes were noticeably fluffy. The price was right.

The goods.

We followed our breakfast with a slow stroll through a still deserted downtown as all the shops were just beginning to show signs of life. We turned around “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” (unfortunately they were not yet open), looped back and drove back to the house.

Astonishingly, the puppy who kicked off this day was wide-eyed and bushy tailed when we returned. We ended up getting in a second walk to the beach that morning. Thanks Hana and Sandi’s!