Hip, modern cafe offering caffeine drinks with updated comfort foods for breakfast & lunch.
James Watt
My husband and I absolutely love this place. Great coffee. Really good food. Wonderful servers no matter what day of the week you go. We try and eat there at least once a week if we can. It is mostly a family owned and operated establishment and there really are not that many left these days. The restaurant isn’t very large and fills up quickly, but it is worth the wait. Only once did we encounter a negative experience from another customer and the owner and her husband paid for our meal. Something completely unexpected. It was not their fault that a homophobe ate at their establishment and said something unpleasant. We did not even complain about it. The owners husband was eating and heard it and they took it upon themselves to pay for our breakfast. For that alone I will continue to eat at this establishment as long as they are in business or as long as i am a CT resident.
… moreKiri Thomson
Quaint small town feel breakfast place! Antiquity on the walls, awesome customer service, great tasting quality food options. I’m coming back for the lavender lemon oatmeal with pistachios and berries. The chicken and waffles were done perfectly.My friend raved about them. I suggest the sweet potato home fries- very tasty! I did not like the turkey sausage patties… It was the taste for me. Listen, coffee was hot, service was super fast and staff was friendly. Make Center Perk one of your stops in Manchester Main St. – Tell em Kitty sent ya!
… moreLisa
It’s with a heavy heart that I write this review. Four of us met here, we were seated and given menus and our drink orders were taken. After a few minutes of sitting, I noticed two African American females sitting at the table adjacent to us. I noticed they were very quiet and the older of the two females leans over and asks us “did she (referring to the server) take your orders” we replied “she took our drink orders” Something wasn’t sitting right with me and I asked her “why? How long have you been waiting!” She gestures with the palm of her hand and softly says “never mind it’s fine.” She turns to the young lady that she was with and says “let’s go.” The two got up and left. My heart sank and I felt so sad.
My party and I collectively decided to leave. Just as we stood to leave, the server came over to take our orders and I told her that we were going to leave and that we would pay for our drinks. She said “ok”…, but before we left, I went to the counter and told both servers that the reason we were leaving was because of the way they treated the two African American women. The excuses that they gave me are so unacceptable and just pathetic. “It’s just us two serving” “we’re really busy” “we didn’t want to take too many orders at once” WHAT?!?! They claimed that the women had been acknowledged…, but I assure you that the only acknowledgement they received was getting the menus and the utensils. I wasn’t satisfied because I didn’t say all that I wanted to say so I called after I left and asked to speak to the manager or owner and the woman who answered the phone says “I can help you” turns out that it was the server that took care of us when we first got there, Riley, which also happens to be the grand daughter of the owner. I expressed to her that their behavior was really unacceptable and that as a minority myself, I took it very personally. She said “it wasn’t a racial thing” I explained to her that that’s the vibe that their behavior gave off.
So I have to say that between the two servers, Riley, was super rude and had a very snide, almost evil look on her face. The other server looked mortified and was seemingly upset that this happened. I really hope that Riley’s grandmother doesn’t align with this type of treatment and if she does, shame on all of them.
My final thoughts? Don’t go here if you’re brown and if you don’t want to be treated rudely. It’s a shame that they’re like this, because we went here because we had been there once because the food was really good.., but as for me and my party, we will NEVER be going back here. RILEY, YOU NEED TO DO AND BE BETTER.
… moreDan Herrick
I read somewhere that they have great homemade corned beef hash, they were so right. Fried perfectly and uniquely ground, onions, and a neat potato mix. Relatively smaller restaurant and it was packed. 1 waitress, she’ll make you believe a waitress can fly. Great decor and a very welcoming feel, all things considered. Seemed a little longer for my food as i expected, however, everything was cooked perfectly. Over easy eggs were over easy, the wheat toast was buttered nicely, and the hash browns were crisped just as i like. Saracci hot sauce available, but i went with the Frank’s Hot Sauce, i put that sh*t on everything!! If you’re looking for a great breakfast, Center Perk should be on your list at #1.
… moreBoss Don Puma
I had always been excited to try this place. Three days ago it was the perfect day to take a walk up Main Street and try it out.
Unfortunately, this place didn’t live up to the hype. My son’s mother got the chicken & waffles, I got the eggs Benedict & Johnny cash sandwich, our son got pancakes with bacon.
The chicken and waffles were flavorless and dry, and turned my sons mothers stomach for the rest of the day.
The eggs Benedict (pictured below) were cold by the time they got to me meaning the hollandaise sauce was coagulated already. The flavor of the sauce was rancid.
They gave my son 1 pancake and two pieces of bacon, and 1 slice of toast.
The prices are high, the portions are small, and the waitress wasn’t rude but definitely had an edginess to her.
2/5 stars, definitely wouldn’t recommend.
… moreSteve Powell
Cozy Cafe. Very friendly staff and prompt. She also did the timely follow-up which is hard to find these days. The Cajun Omelette had the just right amount of spiciness. The guacamole and salsa are both very good. The sourdough bread, which is hard to come by was very good also. Great tasting quality coffee. Even though it was busy, the kitchen cranked out meals efficiently. The warm ambiance adds a lot of value to the experience. 2 hour street parking is more than enough.
… moreLeandra Manos
Usually we are always able to be seated right away but on veterans Day morning, the place was full. One party was waiting for a table ahead of me and waitress said it would be 10-15 min before a table opened up and she was spot on accurate. As always, was a delightful dining experience, very quick service despite the crowd. Come and enjoy life or a meal here.
… moreSara Huffman
I love this cafe. It’s a quaint spot with delicious food for breakfast and lunch. Their fresh muffins are a nice treat and big enough to share.
… moreJustin White
First time there today for a late breakfast almost lunch. The place is small but gets what looks like alot of business. Nice old fashion kinda look. The service was very good and they were very polite and helpful. The coffee was good as coffee should be. Orange juice was not watered down like some places do. The food was REALLY GOOD. I got my little one a egg sandwich and a fruit cup. It was good size and worth the cost. Very well made. I got the Irish eggs Benedict were the substitute the Canadian bacon with corn beef hash. It was delicious. Got a side of grits. FYI… The size of the side was like having a basic size bowl of cereal. So if you want it plan for a good size portion. Overall good portion size for the cost. Cozy and friendly environment with good service. We will definitly be going back…
… moreEd Comstock
I’m gonna cut to the chase and tell you this is definitively THE best breakfast in Manchester, Vernon, Glastonbury, or any other place in surrounding area. The space isn’t very large but it is quaint and well decorated. We were fortunate to be seated quickly for a late morning breakfast. Our server was quick to stop over with menus and she was cheerful and great to interact with. She also came by frequently to check on us and offer coffee refills.
As far as the food goes, W O W. Everything is cooked fresh, and the menu is diverse and inspired. Beyond simple eggs/bacon/toast, there are an assortment of eggs Benedict dishes including one served on tomatoes with grilled veggies instead of bread (see menu pics for all the tasty goods).
I had the farmer’s grits with two poached eggs and bacon. The grits were creamy and had a great texture contrast with some added corn kernels. The bacon was nice and crispy without even having to ask, just how bacon should be cooked. With an added side of corned beef hash and Asiago toast it was a miracle I was able to finish it all.
I took a peek at the food choices of the other customers seated near us and everything looked incredibly appetizing. Egg sandwiches on croissants, huge fluffy pancakes and French toast, it was a breakfast paradise.
I could name every other breakfast spot in Manchester as a comparison; you all know their reputations for good breakfast chow. I guarantee if you try Center Perk you will agree it is your new favorite go to.
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