Luft mit Essen

Looking at crazy vintage wallpaper while eating grilled cheese or eggs over easy. Or maybe stopping for a real ice-cream shake and a box of hairdye. If either of these things appeal to you, I recommend breakfasting at the Huntridge Diner, inside of the square-ish and mostly plain Huntridge Pharmacy. It is a relic from the glory days of the falling-down Huntridge Theatre - and being right across the road, one can imagine flocks of movie-goers through the decades stopping in for a malt between double-features... or even grungie Pearl Jam fams during the theatre's days as a music venue. Of course those guys were more likely stopping in for, like, smokes and a SoBe. Either way, the food is fairly priced, and they are open for breakfast and lunch 6 days a week... and a major bonus is the Savers thrift store in the same parking lot!

Yes, actual original wallpaper and sign ubove the pharmacy window... same sign font and coloring as a lot found further up Charleston, and at Decatur Drug.

Everything behind the counter - the fountains and fixtures - are original, as is the robin's egg blue speckled laminate on the kick-panels.

The new owner, Joel, replaced only the elements of the soda shop that needed to be. Here the original blue formica and chrome pedistals look pretty sharp betwixt the red reupholstery and New checkerboard tile floor.

Serving up those real ice-cream shakes.... sounds like breakfast to me.

From the parking lot: the Huntridge theatre across the street, and the Pharmacy on the right. Just past that cow.

If a vegan donut and a black coffee is more your speed, or even a frosting-y cake with sprinkles - then I should say Ronald's Donuts is more the place for you - though with plenty of its own orginal decor to soak about in. This place is no secret, apparently - as we sat both Saturday morning (with visiting vegan friendies), and again today, there was a steady stream of customers rolling in. But oh my gosh. This isn't a Dunkin Donuts - a fact that I revel in, but that somehow made Genesee cry... in fact their donuts are actually damn good. Really very darn good and tasty. Really. I couldn't say it enough... BEST DONUTS EVER. And two thirds of their generous selection is vegan... so take that.
And for one measly dollar, you can get one dozen donut holes. If that isn't old fashioned value, I don't know what is. And, there just so happens to be a Savers thrift store directly next to this place too. So if you ever want to have a vintage dining establishment and mini thrift tour - !

Call me.