For years, 116 Bridge Street in Pelham was occupied by Alicia’s diner, a cozy, no-frills breakfast spot that won over the hearts and stomachs of countless locals and hunger-stricken folks passing through the state line.
The diner’s closing, while unfortunate for its many regulars, led to a series of modern renovations with the intent of establishing a brand new breakfast spot with an identity entirely it’s own. In October 2019, this intent was realized with the opening of The Broken Yolk Grill.
Much like it’s predecessor, Broken Yolk has a street presence that can be best described as humble. Located in a nondescript shopping plaza that’s in close proximity to a much larger shopping plaza, first time visitors may find themselves wondering if Google Maps has betrayed them. Similarly, the interior, while pleasant and spacious, provides no hint at the no-holds barred menu that’s about to be placed in front of you.
The menu contains all the diner classics that everyone expects: eggs benedict, homemade corned beef hash, Denver omelets, and so on. Intermingled between them is a smattering of bold selections, many of them completely original.
Anyone seeking revenge on their dentist should divert their attention directly to the “Breakfast Sweets and Treats” section of the menu. Here, you’ll find s’mores french toast, waffles laced with frosting and fruity pebbles, and pancakes filled with milk’s favorite cookie.
If you’re like me and grew up eating peanut butter sandwiches by the dozen, then you’ll find solace in the appropriately-named fluffernutter waffle. This glorious dish is exactly what it sounds like: two waffles generously filled with creamy peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. It’s showered with sliced strawberries and bananas and crowned with a bit of whipped cream. A proper nap may be in order afterward.
Egg-inclined breakfast eaters have more choices than you can break a yolk at. Broken yolk offers ten different varieties of Eggs Benedict (including a chicken and waffle version), several skillets and a battery of breakfast sandwiches, of which the Breakfast Reuben may be the most tempting.
This A.M. version of the delicatessen classic takes all the fix-ins, adds on two fried eggs and piles the whole package on an extra-large english muffin. Order it once, and eating a breakfast sandwich with any meat other than corned beef may prove to be impossible.
Of course no self-respecting breakfast spot would be complete without omelets, and Broken Yolk serves theirs up on plates so large they practically qualify as platters. Their Dutch omelet features kielbasa, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, making for a one-of-a-kind combination of salty, acidic, smoky and rich contained in an envelope of egg large enough to feed the burliest of eaters.
As intriguing as the food menu is, the breakfast cocktail menu is what truly makes Broken Yolk stand out.
If choosing from the seven different mimosas is impossible, then opt for the mimosa flight and choose four (ideally with a friend close by to help). If fruit’s not your thing, then instead opt for the Bailey’s Hot Chocolate, Kahula and Bailey’s-spiked iced coffee or the Pancake Shot, which contains butterscotch schnapps and orange juice and is topped with maple bacon.
Finally, if gaining attention on instagram is the ultimate goal, try one of Broken Yolk’s Bloody Marys. Their traditional version contains Zingzag mix and vodka, but for a few extra greenbacks your drink can be propelled into the stratosphere. There’s one topped with a BLT, another with fried chicken and waffles and then there’s the “Broken Yolk Bloody Mary”, where the crew piles on just about everything they’ve got in house.
Oh, and did I mention that both breakfast and breakfast cocktails are served all day, every day from five in the morning to three in the afternoon? Well they are. Add on friendly service and a welcoming environment and there’s no reason not to visit them at 116 Bridge Street in Pelham.