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The Valley View Diner faces Highway 191, between Nazareth and Bethlehem. In a month or two, as we enter into winter, nearby farm fields will 
begin to fill with majestic snow geese. Not cold enough yet. This morning the temperature was in the low 60’s, the sky a breath-taking September blue. A slight breeze swept through the air. Perfect going-out-to-eat weather.
My son was my breakfast companion on today’s outing. When we arrived shortly after eleven the restaurant was a little over half-full. The Valley View is a popular diner that appears to do a steady business, morning and night.
On entering we were promptly shown to a booth of our choosing next to a front window. The diner’s traditional decor with classic mirrors made it feel airy and welcoming. A small vase of silk daisies provided an added homey touch to the soft turquoise and gray booth.
Our drinks were delivered quickly – coffee and water for me, a glass of Sprite for my son. A smiling waitress took our orders. The Valley View’s menu featured a broad offering, including a good variety of omelettes and pancake choices. The chocolate chip pancakes sounded delicious but I resisted my sweet tooth and instead asked for a bacon, tomato, and cheddar omelette. He ordered scrambled eggs, smoked sausage, and rye toast.
While waiting, we began catching up. Life changes when one’s child becomes an adult and moves away. The time spent together seems even more precious. We talked about our jobs and discussed other projects we’re each working on. I was warmed to hear about the desk he’s set up for his computer, using an old piece of furniture long in the family.
Suddenly our friendly waitress was delivering our meals on warm white plates. My omelette was delectable with small chunks of fresh tomato, tasty bacon, and cheddar cheese. It was moist and filled with flavor. As we requested, the homefries for both of us were browned and crispy. My son’s smoked sausage was split and grilled. He enjoyed it and the scrambled eggs. Servings were substantial, more than we could quite finish. Our pleasant waitress gave us terrific service.
The bill for our breakfast – my omelette, home fries, toast, and coffee; his eggs, smoked sausage, home fries, toast and soft drink, totaled a little over $14 (plus tip). Food, service, and atmosphere were all excellent and made our morning’s visit an even more enjoyable one.
The Valley View Diner is located on 570 Nazareth Pike (Highway 191) in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. In addition to a great breakfast menu, they also offer interesting lunch and dinner choices. I encourage a visit.
Sara
I came home this evening to find the Boil Water Advisory has been lifted. Looks like we’re back to normal for the weekend. It promises to be a fair and sunny one. Enjoy!
Sara
On the morning of September 17 a Mandatory Boil Water Advisory was issued for 9,400 homes and businesses in: Nazareth, Upper Nazareth, Palmer, Pen Argyl, Plainfield Township, Saylorsburg, Stockertown, Tatamy, Wind Gap, Bushkill Township, and Forks Township. (Easton was initially listed but was subsequently rescinded.)
The announcement stated there was an equipment malfunction at a water treatment plant, resulting in lower disinfectant levels. That caused “an increased chance that water may contain disease-causing organisms.”
Both Pennsylvania American Water Company and our municipalities did a good job informing the public. We received automated phone calls from the water company and our schools. There were a variety of media alerts, borough sirens, and patrol car announcements. Of course, there hasn’t been much word since, but I guess time goes slower when you’re living it. According to what I can learn from Internet searches, the Mandatory Boil Water Advisory remains in effect as of 4:41 am, September 19.
The experience reminds me anew how fragile we are. We’ve become so used to the ready availability of electricity, open roads, good schools, and clean, safe water. When something bad happens, as it will, we’re thrown out of our comfort zone. We rally, of course, and we cope. We’re Americans. We carry the genes of folks who endured far more than the temporary inconvenience of boiling drinking water for a few days. But somehow, for a short while, we feel a little less secure.
Most likely, BitV will be going farther afield for our breakfast outing this weekend. Somewhere outside the range of the American Water Company. Still, I feel confident the equipment malfunction will soon be fixed. Life will return to some degree of normalcy. It generally does.
Sara
Hartman’s Family Restaurant and Ice Cream Shoppe has a homey quality, unusual for such a large restaurant. Their decor is comfortable with wooden spindle-back chairs and wall-mounted antiques. Their home-cooked food is appealing and 
satisfying. Whenever we’ve visited for lunch or dinner, we’ve wondered why they don’t serve breakfast.
Well, now they do! As of this past summer, Memorial weekend we were told, Hartman’s started serving breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays, from 8 AM to 1 PM. My husband and I couldn’t be more pleased.
As we drove north on Sullivan Trail this morning, the sky was slightly overcast and the road damp with remnants of last night’s rain. Our talk centered around Hurricane Ike. Four million without power. Makes one glad to live in Pennsylvania, although our thoughts surely go out to those in Texas.
When we pulled into Hartman’s parking lot shortly before 9 AM, we saw only a few cars. Then we spotted the large “Open” signs mounted on the doors. I wonder how many don’t know about the new weekend hours.
After we were seated, our waitress quickly brought our coffee and large glasses of water. The one-page menu is deceptive in its simplicity. While many places offer a long list of various omelettes, Hartman’s offers a 3-egg omelette with your choice of three fillings. But it was the Belgian waffles that caught my eye, especially the one with ice cream. Hartman’s is famous for their ice cream. They’ve been making it since 1906. For some reason – still wondering why – I went with my usual breakfast fare – scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, although I did order a blueberry muffin for a change of pace.
While waiting for our order, we chatted about various news stories – teachers’ strikes in Souderton, in Saucon Valley, and possibly in Northampton. And we talked of the upcoming football season and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ history. Suddenly, our friendly waitress was delivering our food.
My husband orders steak and eggs about once a month. It was time. As he sliced into his thin rib-eye, he said it was a little overcooked (it wasn’t bleeding), but still tasty. My eggs were moist and filled with flavor, among the best I’ve eaten in a long while. The blueberry muffin was still warm – light, homemade and filled with fresh blueberries. Delicious! The home fries were thinly sliced, different from most places. We’d asked for crispy and they were, yet not overcooked. Wonderful flavor.
Great service, great atmosphere, great food! What more can one ask?
Our bill came to just under $20 (plus tip) for a small rib-eye steak, eggs, toast, and homefries for him, and eggs, homefries, and bacon for me, plus two blueberry muffins and two coffees (with ample refills).
Hartman’s Family Restaurant and Ice Cream Shoppe is located at 5920 Sullivan Trail, Nazareth (Belfast), PA. They are open for breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am to 1 pm. They are also open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
Sara
P.S. I’m still thinking of that Belgian Waffle with ice cream. Maybe next time!
UPDATE – On December 14, 2009, Hartman’s Family Restaurant closed its doors, as reported by the Express-Times. Sad to see another restaurant close.
What is your favorite weekend breakfast spot?
- An upscale city restaurant with linen napkins and silver coffee service?
- A homey country diner with its over-easy eggs and crispy home fries?
- A funky downtown breakfast cafe with croissants and espresso?
- Flipping flapjacks in the comfort of your own kitchen?
- Or . . . . ?
On the sidebar to the left is a poll, the first of many I hope.
Why a poll? Well, along with being interesting, this information will help me better understand what you’d like me to review or write about. So read, select, and click Vote. To leave extra comments, click Comments at the top of this post.
Thanks to all of you for reading Breakfast in the Valley. I’m enjoying it, and hope you are, too.
Now, it’s time to vote!
The Nazareth Diner is an institution in the Nazareth Borough. We’ve seldom driven by it when the large parking lot wasn’t at least half full; more often it’s packed. It’s a popular gathering spot for old and young, families and singles. The Diner is where we first ate after our move here (years ago) and is a dependable regular on our list of weekend breakfast sites.
When we arrived shortly after 9 o’clock this morning, the sky was already gray and heavy in anticipation of Hanna’s coming rain. On entering, we weren’t asked whether we wanted smoking or non-smoking. The restaurant went smoke-free a few months ago, in advance of the new Pennsylvania smoking ban that will take effect September 11, 2008.
We were seated in the main dining room, mid-way along the back wall. The room was crowded with only a few empty tables. Although the sky outside was darkening, inside was cheerful and bright with the light from the many chandeliers. Waitresses and busboys bustled efficiently around the room – taking and delivering orders, clearing tables. Soon a pleasant young waitress set glasses of iced water, two cups of coffee, and a carafe for refills in front of us then took our order.
As we waited for our food, my husband and I sipped our coffee and skimmed sections of The Express-Times and The Morning Call. We discussed a few of the articles. A sad story on mortgages and the nationwide foreclosures caught our eyes. Too much money easily available, too many willing to loan it out. Many excuses, few reasons. A gloomy topic for a gloomy day. We moved on.
Within minutes, our kindly waitress was setting our food in front of us – 
eggs, bacon, homefries and whole wheat toast for him, French Toast and bacon for me. As always our food arrived hot and filled with flavor. It’s strange how such a basic food as French Toast, bread dipped in egg batter, can so vary between restaurants yet still be so good. The Diner’s version is on thick bread, lightly dipped and grilled. Quite tasty. The bacon was more fatty than usual, but still good. All in all our meal was satisfying. The service was superb.
While we ate the staff started to fill the lunch buffet with iced salads and veggies. The steam tables were turned on. Our waitress checked on us now and then, unobtrusive and pleasant.
Our bill came to a total of $13 (plus tip) for eggs, bacon, homefries, toast and an order of French Toast and bacon, plus coffee. Reasonable. When we left the restaurant, Hanna’s rain had started to fall, but we walked away with a homey feeling inside.
The Nazareth Diner & Restaurant is located at the intersection of Highway 248 and South Broad Street in Nazareth, PA. It is open 24 hours a day.
Have you eaten breakfast at The Nazareth Diner? What was your experience? Please go to the top of the article and click Comments.
Sara
It’s September! Across the Lehigh Valley, the young ones are returning to school. Newspapers are running ads for school supplies. Crossing guards stand at busy intersections and schools of yellow buses follow the roads. The changing weather tickles memories of long ago. Remember the smells in those first few weeks of school? Waxed hallways, chalk boards, books, fresh cleaned classrooms, and new boxes of Crayola Crayons.
I’m sure you also recall hearing about the importance of breakfast in a child’s life. The Pennsylvania Department of Education cites studies that show there is “a direct correlation between breakfast…and academic performance.” Breakfast, they say, “improves school attendance, students’ attention spans, and performance of tasks.”
So why aren’t we paying more attention? How often do kids, or even us adults, dash out the door with little more than a gulp of orange juice, or a slice of dry toast to sustain until lunch?
Sure, time is short in the morning. Rising, washing up, getting dressed, gathering lunches, books, homework, gym bags and band instruments. Who has time for breakfast?
But maybe it is something we should make time for. Think about the importance of nutrition, and of spending a few precious moments with your loved ones before your family parts for the day.
Here’s a list of quick breakfast foods that take only minutes to make and eat.
- Wheat toast spread with peanut butter and topped with sliced bananas
- Breakfast casserole – make ahead and refrigerate
- Sesame bagels with cream cheese
- English muffin pizzas sprinkled with cheese & popped into the toaster oven
- Breakfast taco – tortilla shell, scrambled eggs, ham, and cheese
- Blend a smoothie with orange juice, vanilla yogurt, and your favorite fruits
- Granola cereal mixed with yogurt
- Breakfast sandwich – scrambled eggs with ham or sausage on a biscuit
- Breakfast muffins – make ahead and freeze
- Oatmeal topped with nuts and cinnamon or brown sugar
Plan your meal the night before. Set your alarm for 10 minutes earlier. Then sit down at the breakfast table with your kids and/or your spouse. Before you leave, be sure to give each other a goodbye hug. What a great way to start the day!
What is your favorite quick breakfast? Click on Comments at the top of this article and share!
Sara
Breakfast in the Valley 