Highly recommend Center Perk in Manchester CT! Nice seating outside and cozy breakfast shop feel on the inside. First place I've found in my immediate CT area that served grits so I had to try. They did not disappoint and you can't beat a poached egg! Quick service despite being busy. Kind staff! I went at 9:30 am on a Tuesday in July and the place was poppin. Wish I'd found this earlier because there's much more menu options that look tasty! read more

Center Perk - Farmers Grits - with the cinnamon raisin toast - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Love this place! A "hole-in-the-wall" in the very best kind of way. Small, intimate setting. Server was very attentive. Irish Eggs Benedict is fantastic! I'm usually not a big fan of "home fries" but these were terrific - crispy and tasty. Coffee is very good and the server kept it coming. read more

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The atmosphere and tasty food are probably the most appealing features of this restaurant. Many locals here who know each other. The staff are friendly and accommodating. The coffee is fresh and hot with optional flavor shots. The fresh fruit has berries and the pancakes are delish. I will be definitely be back! read more

Very good place for local food had to wait in line 30 min but worth it line was out on sidewalk small cozy place service was decent for a very busy place I'd comeback again read more

Center Perk - First time here - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

My boyfriend and I got up to pay for my coffee after 45 minutes of waiting for our food. When we told this to the owner she became very confrontational and raised her voice at my boyfriend in front of the entire restaurant. She demanded we pay for the food and we did. Our server was very unprofessional and called my boyfriend a piece of sh*t as we stood there speaking with the owner. We were polite as possible in such a bizarre and uncomfortable situation. It's sad that customer service does not appear to be a priority here. We will not be returning. read more

Good atmosphere, Good tasting food, terribly over inflated prices for what you get! I got a bacon avocado wrap with eggs for 8.25. Wasn't served with anything! No home fries, no fruit, nothing! Go down the street to the landmark if your looking for a good meal for a reasonable price read more

Center Perk - $ 8.25 bacon avocado wrap. No sides included! - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Would give negative stars if possible, what a horrible experience. Me and my children came here for breakfast at 1:00, we walked in and they were very busy we talked to a waitress who told us we could sit outside and they would inform the other waitress at 1:20 after seeing the waitress attended to everyone around us but us, we got up and left. I don't want to say they were racist but honestly to ignore customers and children was disgusting. What crap. To see these waitress walk around and give service to people who came in after us was disgusting. Never again, it was out first time visiting and without even trying the food will be our last. read more

food was over priced and gross! eggs are made from a carton. good riddance way better breakfast spots in manchester

BEST oatmeal ever. Center Perk has been one of my favorite breakfast places for years, whether i'm looking to sit down and eat or if I am just grabbing a muffin and coffee and heading on my way. They always do a great job with the food. The waitresses are so accommodating and kind. The managing of people within the restaurant could be improved, I recognize it's a small restaurant that cannot fit all that many people, but sitting shoulder to shoulder and having those waiting to be seated sitting over you can lessen the enjoyment at breakfast. read more

We came here for this first time today for Valentine's Day brunch to meet our friends. The folks here were pretty accommodating as our friends were 3 people seated at a table for 5, but we came unexpectedly with two extra kids, making 7 total. We just pulled up more chairs, no problem. The waitress is a sister to the big family who have the restaurant. She seemed nice, but rather harried with the Sunday morning crowd here. One of us spilled the coffee and she was lightning quick to clean up & replace. We got our drinks of coffees, specialty tea, water & hot chocolate. I ordered off the extensive specials menu a creme brûlée challah French toast with a fruit cup with my berry zinger tea. The others ordered a hodgepodge of interesting custom breakfast omelets with things like guacamole, salsa, eggs Benedict, corn beef hash, pancakes, bacon, biscuits, you name it! The quality of the homemade items was really divine! I would have liked a third piece of the challah French toast and a refill of my water, but alas it was super busy & I was sitting on the inside hard to see. We enjoyed their meals immensely. (Check the scrumptious photos!) I would definitely recommend this for breakfast, but it is quite popular so go in an off time if you aren't having a leisurely meal or prefer more staff attention. The problem is there are SO many great breakfast choices that I would not venture out of my own town on a Sunday morning to come here on our own. That being said, overall it's still a good choice for a local Sunday breakfast. read more

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Cute and Cozy little breakfast spot. I had the open faced meatloaf sandwich that came with two fried eggs and gravy served on Texas toast. I also got a side of Home fries added on. It was a good portion of meatloaf and tasteful but could have been slightly hotter and the eggs alittle less fried with more yoke. I would visit again too try a different menu item. read more

Center Perk - Open face meatloaf sandwich with two fried eggs and gravy, and a side of homefries. - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Cute breakfast spot full of charm. Feels likes it's been there forever and full of locals. Good food and service with a pretty view of the park across the street. Only thing I didn't like was I sat near the door and was so cold I couldn't enjoy my meal. Putting my coat on helped some but not an ideal experience. The door didn't shut every time someone went in and out and let in freezing air and gusts of wind. I really hope they fix the door to make it a more pleasant experience! read more

So, I decided to take a chance on this place, even with the only review being two stars. This little restaurant is easily found. It's a charming little location on Main Street in ManchVegas. As one can see from my pics, it's adorably decorated. One seats him/herself when one walks in, and wait staff promptly greeted us and took drink orders. Take note of the size of the OJ my son received...it was small. My coffee was in a usually sized mug, hot and fresh. My son ordered an omelet with home fries and toast. I had a pancakes and bacon breakfast. Each entree arrived hot and fresh, after a pretty long wait. My son and I believe this was intentional. It's our belief that this little establishment's vibe is that of "sit down and relax; we're in no hurry and neither should you be". Therefore, when I return, I'd know to expect this wait, choosing this restaurant again when I had ample time to sit and enjoy my dining companions. The waitstaff was sweet and attentive. Both young ladies we encountered were lovely. The unisex restroom was spotless. I must admit, the temperature of the dining room was rather high. It's cooled by one air conditioner, above the door. It was either not set to cool significantly, or the unit was struggling. All in all, it's on our list. I think the kinks in the food that Shannon mentioned have been worked out nicely. Then again, we did frequent on a Monday morning when traffic was light. It's a cute little place. I'd love to see what other local Yelpers think of it... read more

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It's a quaint lil cozy place located on Main Street. Love love love the salt n pepper shaker collection,up on the wall... I thought it was so cute... reminds u of home..... I come back here again and again only for one reason... That they have the best walnut apple oatmeal and also its one of the very few places that offer pure maple syrup instead of high fructose corn syrup(just for a buck). The food feels so home-made. My daughter loves the caterpillar pancakes. The way they make their eggs is not to my husbands liking but he doesn't mind eating here once in a while for my sake :) read more

Good lunch! Went for breakfast and pleasantly surprised by lunch. (Stop serving at 11:00.). Everyone had something different: Rueben, Gobbler with turkey/stuffing/cranberry, turkey sliders, rosheta greta with chicken, and roast beef. With sweat potato fries, onion rings in special batter, brochlli, potato soup, cheese and chicken quesadillas, and other good stuff. It was all yummy! They have the local soda pop Hosmer. They specialize in coffee with flavored blends. A chalk board is up with the current flavors. There are pies and muffins too. Another chalk board has these. The apple pie was great. Really made fresh. It's a nice warm place and easy to have a conversation. Nostalgia covers the walls with a line of salt and pepper shakers. Good service. Good food. Good cheer. Go! read more

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Having worked at a breakfast diner in the past, I can honestly say that this is probably the worst breakfast place that I have ever eaten at. Horrible service and awful food. The most disappointing thing is that this place has such great reviews. My boyfriend and I are new to the area and decided to try this place out, since it was just down the street. We came in on a Saturday, so we expected it to be busy, as is typical for a breakfast place. From the start, it was a terrible experience. 'Slow' is an understatement. Everything in the restaurant was inefficiently run. At first, it appeared to be understaffed, but we could see that there were more employees in the back. The waitresses walked around slowly, as if they didn't have a care in the world and without any sense of urgency. This contributed to the painfully slow service. When we first went in, we were informed that there was a first come, first serve policy and that it would be 'about 15min' before a table would be ready. 30min later, after watching it take the staff four trips to clean up one table, we were finally able to sit down. It took another 10min before we received menus and almost 20 min more before our orders were taken. The waitresses did not appear to work together at all, nor did it look like there was any order as to who was responsible for which table. We watched as multiple groups came in after us and were served before us. After waiting almost 30min for food, we left money on the table for our coffees and started walking out the door, and that was when our food finally came out. (Keep in mind, the table right next to us was sat down after we got there and was almost done with their meal). If we hadn't been starving by this point, we would've just left. Accept for the bacon and home-fries, none of the food was good. I ordered the traditional breakfast with a short stack (eggs, toast, and bacon) and my boyfriend ordered biscuits and gravy with bacon. The pancakes were thin and tasted like the cook had dumped too much baking soda into the batter. The eggs were too runny with the egg whites not fully cooked. The biscuits were dry, and the gravy tasted like unseasoned beef mixed into white sauce. Nothing we ordered would have been difficult to make or should've taken more than 5-10min to prepare. This is not a place that we will ever visit again. read more

If you're in the area, this is my favorite brunch spot in Manchester. So, go. Center Perk is a small, charmingly mismatched brunch spot located on historic Main St., Manchester. You seat yourself, which can be a little chaotic, but from there it's smooth sailing. What I love most about Center Perk is that their brunch specials are always changing, and their daily menu can accommodate everyone from omnivores to vegans. It's awesome that such a small place can cater to everyone's dietary needs. I am an especially big fan of their omelets, filled to the brim with whatever goodness you choose, and cooked so well. I've also had an apple topped french toast which was delicious. If you like a home-cooked style brunch with zero pretentious vibes, and generous portions for a great price, definitely check out Center Perk. read more

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Went there on a Sunday around 1:00pm for brunch, a loan. Ordered just a Cajun omelet. The restaurant was fairly packed but nothing too crazy. I sat on the bar right away with no wait since it was just me. The food was good probably a 4 star but it took 58 min to get just a omelette. My stack was hurting so bad by the time the food came. For that reason I'm giving them a 3 star. read more

I visited Center Perk about a week ago (on a friend's recommendation) and I loved this place! My party of three arrived around 10:30am on a Saturday and we only had to wait for ~10 min for a booth to open up (no reservations and tables are first come, first served). I ordered a BLT eggs benedict off the specials menu and it was bomb! This meal was probably one of the best breakfasts I've had in a while. Everyone in our group loved their meals and would definitely come back again. This place is small, but in a cozy, comfortable way. If you are looking for a good, quality breakfast/brunch spot in Manchester, this place is a wonderful option! read more

Center Perk - BLT eggs benedict with country potatoes - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

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Food was terrific (blueberry oatmeal bowl was 5 star) and outdoor seating was solid. Service was on the slower side but guessing like most restaurants they can't get enough help and caliber of the food makes it worth it. read more

With so many breakfast places to choose from, it is hard sometimes to separate one from another. This one is among the mix and is good but not particularly memorable. Let me preface this by saying the pancakes are outstanding. If pancakes are what I am looking for this place has the best. Hands down. But, the challah french toast and the omelets were no better or worse than at a dozen other local restaurants. And the Irish Benedict was disappointing. A minute portion of hash on a soggy English Muffin with an overcooked poached egg and water too much overlemony hollandaise sauce. Also, the muffin I ordered was nowhere to be found despite bring listed on the specials board. Service is friendly but slow. With several equivalent breakfast spots closer to home and a really spectacular one a few miles away, there is little reason to travel to this one except when meeting friends there. read more

This is a sweet little breakfast spot in old downtown Manchester. The wait staff was nice and friendly, and very quick to serve us. Get there early or you may have to wait for a table. PLUS: They have Franks Hot Sauce which took the average breakfast food (which is hard to screw up) to a phenomenal breakfast. read more

Loved this place! We stumbled upon this gem because we couldn't find Chez Ben's Restaurant. It's quaint, peaceful, the servers are helpful and the food was awesome. They also worked with us on making substitutions as well. I would highly recommend this place to anyone. read more

Center Perk - - Buffalo Chicken Omelette with a single pancake which was a short-stack split between my date and I. - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Really cute atmosphere and great food. My wife and I have been looking for our new go to spot and this is it:) They had a nice list of specials and the daily menu has everything you'd expect. The staff was also really nice and accommodating. read more

I really enjoy Center Perk, it's become my once-a-week breakfast spot. The food is very good & reasonably priced, the staff are on top of things while still taking the time to be friendly. I especially love the sweet potato home fries & the bread for toast has to be freshly baked that day because it's just so good. read more

Adored breakfast here once again. I got to enjoy eating outside on a beautiful day. Avocado toast was perfect, bacon done wonderfully and muffin beyond delicious. read more

Center Perk - Avocado toast and lemon pound cake muffin - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

We went here on a Saturday to try this place out. The seating is based on a first come first served basis. Unfortunately that does not seem to be the case as far as the food is concerned. We sat down got our waters and coffee and watched as everyone seated after us got their food before us. Having worked in a cafe I can understand if the order is something complicated and it takes a while to prep. However eggs, pancakes and biscuits and gravy aren't hard and shouldn't take 30mins. We finished our coffees and start to pay since we still hadn't gotten our food, and then our food shows up. We decide to stay and try the food. The food was ok, but definitely not worth the wait or the price. I would not recommend this place. read more

This is a favorite local in Manchester. The food is always creative and consistently good. We're always please with the attention by the servers. Be warned, there maybe a short wait to grab a table for Brunch, but more than worth it. read more

Wonderful food and wonderful service! I have never been disappointed comping here since day one they have been my go to breakfast spot !!!

Back again with the family; -4 year old loves the corner 'Play Area, now with a Tv so that parents can enjoy their breakfast or lunch!!'. -Staff is very friendly -New Restaurant in Town, just across from Center Park, Downtown Manchester! -You need to Experience The Cajun Omelette, definitely had a nice kick to it!!! -Daughter had a nice fresh blueberry muffin!!! -Wife had something; sorry guys, can't recall now, but she loved it!!! -Staff came by to fill up coffee -Very clean bathrooms!! -Nice open room to dine in with friends, bar stools for single eater too! Definitely will recommend this new establishment..... read more

Just like others - this now my go to place. I am also from NYC and this is a great local choice. Freiendly people, nice staff, great food. Breakfast rocks. I come up from Middletown for this. Much better than any other spot close by. read more

Tried this place out today and it was a bit awkward waiting- there were a few people ahead of us and there isn't really a waiting area to be seated in because of the restaurant's small size. So a group of us were tightly gathered at the doorway and I was debating whether to leave or not but there is a reason why this place was packed- the food is delicious! Had the best corned beef hash, scrambled eggs, rye toast and home fries. Coffee was good too! Decent prices, comparable to IHOP, but definitely fresher quality. Will be back!! read more

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. read more

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Hoping it's just a bad day. My husband and I walked in for late breakfast behind another couple. We all sat at the same time, but while they got drinks and orders in, we ended up walking out since all the wait staff pretty much ignored our existence. The food here is good, and we have had excellent service in the past. However this left me very disappointed. read more

Went here on a Sunday morning around 9, they were busy but we understood. We were just happy to be sitting outside! Breakfast was delicious and unique. I had the breakfast quesadilla, and the scrambled eggs inside were the fluffiest eggs I have ever had, so good! My hubs had the cheesy grits bowl w avocado and poached eggs and loved it. Great for traditional breakfast but also some fun items on the menu. We will be back! read more

I understand social distancing makes things more difficult, but my wife and I waited for 2 hours and had to leave. First we put our name on the list and after waiting an hour and a half and came to find our name hadn't been recorded on the list. Others who arrived after us were being seated before us. Even then we were patient and completely understanding. Things happen. But we finally sat down had to wait another half hour before we just gave up. People we l who were seated after us were getting water and spoken to, but not us. No one came to talk to us to at least let us know we weren't forgotten. Completely unacceptable. 2 hours of our life wasted waiting for nothing. read more

awesome little breakfast spot that makes you feel right at home - it's like a cross between a dinner and a cafe....with extras like oat milk and flavor shots for your lattes that you likely wouldn't find at a diner....but spot on home fries and eggs made to perfection that you couldn't get in a cafe. some really unique menu options as well like Caribbean french toast and such. service is always wonderful and the place it most definitely worth a stop! read more

Before I review it's not about the food it's about me as a customer smiling saying good morning and the older lady at the counter not even looking up. I wasn't sure about the seating process, so I asked. very rude women replied ! Sorry I don't spend my money where it or I aren't welcomed. Good bye! read more

I have gone to this establishment over a handful of times, but after the experience I had today, I'm not sure if I'll ever go back. I understand restaurants are busy and sometimes it takes a while to have everything done, but this place is extremely small. No more than 35 people at a time in there. The fact that there were four waitresses out and I wasn't able to place my order for over 45 minutes is ridiculous. People came in well after me and got their meals before I got to order. I saw them on multiple occasions talking amongst each other for long lengths of time and not paying attention to their customers. And to top it all off, they popped champagne in the kitchen the last 5 minutes I was there with my spouse and openly brought it out, asking other waitresses if they wanted any. Highly unprofessional if you ask me. There's clearly a lack of communication there. read more

Wonderful food, worst service EVER! I would give it negative stars if I could. Don't even try it, unless you want to be treated rudely and like an inconvenience. I have been there twice. The first one a Sunday, around 20 minutes before they close (February 2022). My wife and I came in and one of the ladies told us, loudly and in such a rude way, that they were closed already. The place was still full of customers, and my wife and I felt even embarrassed at how this woman spoke to us. We left. My problem wasn't much the fact that they did not serve us even though people were still eating and the sign on the door said "Open", it was how rude this woman was. It was even offensive. For some reason we decided to go back (March 2022). We thought that maybe that lady had simply had a bad day, plus we wanted to try the food. I came in while my wife waited outside. The same woman, from the register, loudly yells all the way to the door, where I was standing, "you have to put your name on the list, the wait would be 15 minutes". No "hi", no "good morning". I felt like she was doing me a painful favor. I did not know where the list was, she did not show me and didn't care to do it, nor I was sure whether she said 50 or 15 (English is not my first language). I asked whether she had said 15 or 50, and almost talking to me like an idiot she said "15! ... one, five! Put you name and number. We'll call you". I saw the list. I was upset, and somehow I still decided to put my name on the list because we were hungry and didn't want to drive anymore. We waited in our car, which was parked right in front of the door. Almost 40 minutes later, after several customers had gotten in, the other lady comes out and invite in customers who had arrived after us. I got out of the car and asked why I had not been called. Rudely, she looks at the list, asks for my name, and I realized she was already calling people on the page next to where my name was. They had never called us. I showed her my name. No apologies, no explanations. Nothing! She just said "you can come in and sit in that corner". Didn't even bothered to show us the table. The first woman ended up being our server. The food was great, but the rest of the experience was as bad as the whole thing up to that point. They treat you like you are an inconvenience. I have been living in the US for 13 years, in multiple states and cities, and I have never been treated with such disdain in any restaurant like in this place. I have lived in multiple countries and have traveled the world, and this service is still the worst. Somehow I felt it was related to our race, and I had never felt that in my years in the US. After eating and leaving no tip, we happily left. These people ruined our morning with that horrible attitude. We are NEVER going back! I'm not sure why somebody would have a business if running it seems to be such an annoyance. read more