The cover of Tom & Joe’s Diner menu says it all. “Tom & Joes’s Diner…Where People Meet and Eat. Generations Serving Generations.”
I’ve told you many times that the people we meet on our travels are the most important part of our road trips. It’s the “locals” who set the tone for the “feel” of the cities and towns we visit. And our early morning breakfast at this iconic Altoona diner was certainly no exception!
Brothers Tom & Joe Batrus began their restaurant journey in 1933, and in the late 1940’s Tom bought Joe out. But Tom continued to run the business under the name Tom & Joe’s. Their location has changed several times, and their footprint has grown over the years, But it is still family-owned by George Jr. who purchased the diner from George Sr., Tom’s son. Generations serving generations in Altoona, PA.
Mark Ickes and Patrick Schurr from Explore Altoona treated us to breakfast that morning. But, as always, all my comments and reviews are mine and mine alone.
The decor in this vintage inspired eatery quickly set the tone for our meal. If only these old walls could talk!
The restaurant furniture has been updated, but George has kept the vintage vibe.
Meet Kim!
As the four of us sat down in a comfy booth we were quickly greeted by Kim. She’s the granddaughter of one of the founders. And she’s a cousin of the current owner, George.
We quickly realized Kim’s larger-than-life personality was EXACTLY the kind of server we love! Her sass and her spunk made ordering a real treat!
As I studied the extensive menu I realized Tom & Joe’s Diner serves all kinds of dishes for breakfast and lunch. Some dishes that take me way back to my childhood! Everything from Jello topped with Whipped Cream, to Hot Turkey Sandwiches, and Chipped Beef on Toast.
My Breakfast…The Mess!
Mark suggested I should consider ordering one of the breakfast specialties at the diner. It’s called The Breakfast Mess…With Everything! And boy, was it delicious! And HUGE!! It was a mixture of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, onions and peppers. I did leave off the cheese that morning. (Watching my waistline.) LOL!!!! (Dream on, My Friends!)
Once again, Peepaw and I should have SPLIT that meal! But once again, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs, as my dear old dad used to say!
The Pennsylvania made rye bread made my toast crispy and flavorful.
And that feisty and friendly server, Kim, made sure our coffee cups were always full.
Mark and Patrick were the perfect dining companions that morning. My only regret was that I spent so much time visiting with our congenial hosts I forgot to take their picture at the table! (But I’ll introduce you at our NEXT stop. I promise!)
Before we gave up on finishing those huge plates of food, Mark insisted I box up a hot from the oven blueberry muffin Kim had described earlier. So of course, I did. (You’ll see it later!)
After this amazing breakfast shared with our new Altoona friends, we headed out the door for our next stop. Now let me set the stage for THAT journey! It was an UPHILL WALK on a FULL STOMACH to our NEXT adventure. Now believe me when I tell you I uttered a few prayers under my breath as I huffed and puffed up that massive Allegheny Mountain Altoona hill. And prayers were still the order of business when we arrived at our destination.
You’ll see what I mean when we get there!
[…] Please notice I had enlisted Peepaw to carry that blueberry muffin from our earlier hearty breakfast. I needed both hands free to take all of these photos! (Read about our breakfast right here!) […]