Benedict's Restaurant — 4800 Belt Line

SE corner of Inwood Road


This place has been around for decades. It offers a semi-fine dining experience with similar prices. The dress code, however, is very casual. When it is offered, try the half sandwich plus soup ($6.50). Their breakfast specialty seems to be omelettes ($9.25-$10.75) which come with country fried potatoes and your choice of English muffin or toast. One of these days I'll try the aspergrass (their spelling, not mine) omelette (their spelling, not mine). Also available are hot cakes (pancakes) and waffles. Both are $6.95 and up.

Lunch begins with French onion soup ($4.25) or an assortment of salads ($8.95 and up). Sandwich selections include an 8 ounce burger ($7.95), French dip ($9.95), club ($9.25) and chicken chipotle ($8.25). The crab melt ($10.95) begins with a slice of grilled sourbread topped with lump crabmeat salad, tomato, sliced avacado and Swiss cheese, broiled and served open face. All sandwiches come with country fried potatoes or chips.

Benedict's decor is New England reminiscent with wainscoting and Cape Cod chairs. Music by James Taylor and Smokey Robinson. Kids menu available.

Hours:
6:00am - 2:00pm Mon-Fri
6:30am - 3:00pm Sat-Sun

Google map is here.

Denny's — 4301 Belt Line

Stumbling distance to Motel 6, if necessary.


Home of the Grand Slam breakfast and other classics. What more needs to be added? Very busy weekend mornings.

Hours:
They're open

Pete's Cafe — 3610 Belt Line

Just west of Marsh.



This place is so far out west in Far West Addison that it's actually in Farmers Branch. Barely. But it's an instution, very popular and should be included here. The booths (there are no tables) are clean and functional but the walls, floor and ceiling are low-rent lake cabin. The cash register is an old NCR model but they do take credit cards. KLUV is the radio station of choice. There are no TVs.

But behold! They do have a web site with menus and prices. Be sure to check out the "specials menu" which includes the Early Bird Special available during the week (Monday-Friday except holidays). Two eggs any style, bacon or sausage, hash browns or grits, and toast or bacon and gravy for just $4.25. Cheap. Smoking to the far right weekdays. No smoking on weekends, when you can expect a wait to be seated.

Closes daily at 2:00 pm.
Opens:
5:00 am Mon-Sat
6:00 am Sun

Google map is here.

IHOP — 3910 Belt Line

West of Midway, past Sam's, keep going, it's under the blue roof on your left.
They're all pretty much the same and you've probably eaten at an IHOP before so there won't be a review here. This is for visitors and workers who didn't know that Addison ventures this far west. Smoking section except for Saturday and Sunday mornings. Popular for lunch too.

The International menu in English.

Hours:
They're open.

Google map is here.

Cindi's Restaurant & NY Deli — 2001 Midway

Just north of Lindbergh on the California side of the road.

Is this a great country or what? Here's a New York style deli owned by Vietnamese-Americans with a kitchen staffed by cooks from south of the Rio Grande. Cindi's is actually in Carrollton but you can throw a kaiser roll just right and it will land in Addison. Before you go check out their menu because flashlights and reading glasses become useful ordering utensils once you get there. They obviously put to use a very effective dimmer switch.

Did your favorite bagel place shut down Paul and Jamie Buchman? Not to worry. Head here for an assortment to please. Those and other bakery items are displayed on the left side as you enter. But Cindi's is intended for the sit down crowd. Breakfast includes eggs and pancakes. Lunch, as you may well guess, is sandwiches. The variety is vast. When my NYC-born friend Smith has a jones for hot pastrami on rye this is where he goes. The egg salad is apparently dispensed with an ice cream scoop and the top slice of bread is a balancing act. Flatten on your own. It's hard to go wrong with the tuna melt. Cole slaw comes with everything, as do a pile of very decent french fries. The ketchup bottle is usually full. Your food arrives fairly quickly but follow up service can be spotty during rush hour. Pay at the register.

As you can see from the web site Cindi's has five local locations, not really enough to be considered a chain. Don't lose your lunch if you visit the North Central Expressway Cindi's and find it's near a coffins-to-go store.

Hours:
6:00 am - 2:30 pm Mon-Fri
7:00 am - 2:30 pm Sat-Sun

Google map is here.

J's Breakfast & Burgers — 14925 Midway

One traffic light south of Belt Line on the sunset side.


Retro baby! This place is analog in a digital world but the staff still have most of their teeth. J's is now in its 29th year and its 2nd coat of paint. The front door is unlocked 24/7/364. If the key can be found they're closed on Christmas. Being in Addison, the Marlboro Man is a regular. Seating for 42 in the front smoking section, 36 at the back of the bus and 6 at the counter should total 84. Husky-voiced night shift manager/waitress Dorothy has been there the last 15 of her 64 birthdays. Her cook has been there 24. This is where the bar habitués go after last call on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Breakfast and lunch are busy. At supper¹ feel free to cut the cheese because no other diners are there. J's has no web site and they think wi-fi is some type of knock-knock joke. The last cigarette machine in Dallas County is behind booth #1. There's an 8-liner (it pays off in WalMart gift cards), juke box (the volume is turned down at 5:00 am) and (take a camera) an honest-to-goodness working pay phone complete with an honest-to-goodness working telephone book. Don't ask them to change the channel on the lone TV set because someone walked off with the remote years ago. Before the question arises, it's a color TV.

COFFEE: Community brand served in a ceramic mug with 3-4 warm ups for a buck thirty-five. I take mine black. No cream, no sugar. Ask for a latte. Go ahead, I dare you.

BREAKFAST: Try the 1x4 which is one each pancake, egg, bacon strip and sausage link. Or try the 2x4 which is pretty much what you think it is. I like the two egg omelet. A popular choice is breakfast tacos (2) which costs $5.00 but come with free hashbrowns. Everything is available à la carte. Add a pork chop if you wish. Salsa for the scrambled comes in Pace and homemade. Served 24 hours.

LUNCH: Burgers baby. $5.50 and up. Make it yellow-topped for 40¢ more. There's also chicken fried steak, T-bone steak, rib eye steak and hamburger steak plus old school sandwiches and salads. Served 24 hours.

DESSERT: Home baked chocolate pie is $2.40 per slice.

TUESDAY SPECIAL: Any burger plus Idahos and a drink is just $5.95.

TIP: $1.00 per person.

J's accepts Visa, MasterCard and, for the 3 people who still have them, Discover Card. If you try to use Amex or Diners Club cards, well, that's too retro even for this place.

At J's it's hard to find any bells and whistles but if you can find a dial tone you can call 972-239-7619 and your order will be ready to go when you get there. In styrofoam, baby.

¹It's supper, not dinner.

Google map here is wrong. J's is across Midway to the west.