Restaurant Review: Narberth Cafe and Catering

Restaurant:

Address: 109 N. Narberth Ave., Narberth, PA 19072

Rating: (out of 5 stars): ★★★
Style: Luncheonette

Food: American diner classics and Italian offerings
Atmosphere: Brightly lit interior with wooden fixtures
Parking: Metered street parking
Service: Good
Price Range: Inexpensive
Unique Feature: Children’s menu and early bird dinner specials

Any restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner has to be somewhat ambitious. Yes, there are three different menus but what is perhaps most challenging is staffing. There are multiple shifts for all stations in the front and back of house of the restaurant. seems to have it all under control but I suspect the manageable size of the dining area has something to do with it.

The warm and brightly lit tables and counter have seats for a couple dozen customers. Most customers are known by first name and there is a sincerity that can only be found in a beloved neighborhood spot. The last time I ate here I saw local postal workers, moms and their kids and professionals on their lunch break. This time around it was all women (of all ages) in the dining room. I grabbed a seat at the counter and perused the to-go menu. My server offered me a “bigger” menu that was easier to read.

I began with a cup of coffee and ordered the Narberth Special. The coffee arrived piping hot with all the bells and whistles but I chose to drink it black. While it wasn’t a super strong cup of coffee it got the job done and set the mood for my late afternoon breakfast.

The Narberth Special is massive. This two dish special comes with 3 eggs (cooked your way), home fries, choice of meat, and 2 pancakes or French toast. At $8.95 it’s quite a bargain. I ordered the eggs scrambled, sausage links and French toast (which arrived first). While it might seem counterintuitive to begin with the sweetest component of my breakfast, I couldn’t wait for the other food—I was starving. The eggy French toast was a more savory preparation than others I have tried. While other restaurants will doll up their French toast batter with cream, powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, etc., this version was strictly eggs and milk.

The sausage links were succulent and quite large. They resembled the kinds of sausage links you always see in cartoons luring dogs into traps. Nicely browned on the outside, the sausages had a nice snap to them and I could taste hints of sage and black pepper. If you’ve read my reviews before you know I am a sucker for sweet and savory combinations so it should come as no surprise that each bite of sausage got a dip in syrup first.

The home fries and scrambled eggs were fair. The portion of potatoes was quite generous and the spuds were indeed fork tender. However, they appeared to be baked potatoes which were roughly chopped into “home fries”. These improved with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. The scrambled eggs were a touch overcooked but a good source of protein regardless. I think some hot sauce would have helped the situation.

The service was great. My server was quite friendly and diligent. Narberth truly is a small town and this cozy neighborhood café serves up the homey food and service you would expect in this setting. 

Click here for the website.

Click here for the menu.