Daily Archives: December 1, 2011

For five good friends heading East to West, there’s nothing more rewarding than a delicious meal after hours of sitting in a van together.

1) New York, NY- Café Cluny

To start the trip off right, we began our day with a beautiful brunch at this adorable restaurant in the West Village.  The food and service are of the finest quality, but it’s still totally affordable.  We were greeted by perhaps the friendliest hostess in all of Manhattan, and seated in a sweet little booth by the window.  The coffee is delicious and strong, and they serve everything from French toast to a Breakfast Sub.  They are known for their light and fluffy herb-roasted potatoes, so don’t forget to ask for a side.

2) Albion, MI- Alice’s Diner

Breakfast is very important to us, and as soon as we walked through the door of Alice’s Diner, we knew we’d come to the right place.  The florescent lights keep the small room bright and the windows look out onto the street.  Our waitress was incredibly friendly, and our coffee cups were never empty.  No pancakes here, but delicious eggs of all kinds make up for it, as well as biscuits and gravy!  Our local friends told us about some secret items, like a huge veggie omelet that’s not on the menu.  A legitimate diner, for sure.

3) Chicago, IL- Boiler Room

There are a million places to eat in Chicago, but we had a particularly enjoyable dinner at Boiler Room in Logan Square.  This bar/restaurant takes beer and pizza to a whole new level.  They have a huge list of amazing beer, and even some Jameson on tap!  The pizza has thin, crispy crust and any topping you can think of.  The Cuban came with ham, chicken, and PICKLES!  Delicious.  Make sure to get a whiskey soft-serve ice cream cone after dinner.

4) Minneapolis, MN- Bryant Lake Bowl

This place has everything you could ever ask for: Cheap Bowling, delicious microbrews, and pub food of the finest caliber.  Much of the fare is made from organic ingredients, and they make a bunch of their sauces and dressings from scratch.  The pulled pork sliders and mock duck rolls are not to be missed, as well as the homemade Green Goddess dressing that comes on the house salad.  This place was featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” but it doesn’t really fall into any of those categories.  It’s delicious and cozy, and an awesome place to hang out for the night.

5) Iowa City, IA- The Wedge

Getting close to the middle of the country and feeling pretty tired, we decided to order some pizzas from the Wedge.  SO GOOD.  One pizza had pistachios and pesto.  Another pizza was called the Taco and had pieces of chicken, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, and tortilla chips.  Need I say more?