for the best breakfast
There are few places I’d rather be when I wake up with a growling stomach than Tupper Lake, because the town is home to some of the best places to get breakfast around.
The Swiss Kitchen
Reandeau’s Swiss Kitchen, at 92 Park St., is a cozy diner with an old-school Swiss look to it (hence the name!). The walls of the Swiss are lined with photos and news clippings that will help you reminisce about Tupper Lake’s history — photos from Woodsmen’s Days past and other prominent Tupper Lakers and events throughout the years.
There’s usually plenty of locals sipping coffee in the booths, meeting about important business decisions, and touching base on personal matters. But the friendly staff is always welcoming to travelers stopping by for a bite to eat, too.
My favorite breakfast to order at the Swiss is an omelette, but nearly everything on the menu is delicious. I don’t know why, but I’ve always gotten hot chocolate there, even if it isn’t cold out. It goes well with anything, and I love the heavy, white mugs they serve it in.
The Swiss is also often open for dinner (and lunch, of course!), but they serve breakfast all day, so it’s the perfect place when you get a hankering for breakfast for dinner! (Their dinners are also worth a try, though, for sure!)
Kricki’s
At 6 Demars Boulevard, Kricki’s has some amazing options for breakfast. It's a newer establishment that opened just a few years ago, the dream of two local women who wanted to run their own restaurant. It's been a great local gathering place ever since. Kristin and Vicki (see where the name comes from?) joke and laugh along with customers as they make your meal. Think the TV show "Two Broke Girls," but with less lipstick.
I stopped in for a delicious breakfast the other day. The full platter of two eggs, super crispy bacon (just how I like it), hash brown and toast was plenty of food to keep me full for the rest of the day. And for only $4.99 plus tax, it was pretty much a steal.
The place also has couches in case you want to hang out and sip coffee all day! So cute.
Washboard Donut Shop
If you're on the go, the Washboard at 48 Park St. is a great place to pick up a quick donut, bagel or breakfast sandwich. And even if you're not, you probably want to stop here. The donuts may be the best ones ever. My favorite is chocolate frosting with rainbow sprinkles.
Since the store is also a laundromat, you can also get your laundry done while you're there! Throw in a load, or drop it off for wash, dry and fold service. Or pick up a keepsake at the Native American gift shop also located on the premises. But don't forget your donuts.
The Lumberjack
There aren’t a lot of places that are more indicative of Tupper Lake's strong history in the logging industry than the Lumberjack (other than, obviously, the woods where actual lumberjacks are working!). The Lumberjack Inn, at 76 Main St., is decorated with saws and other tools used by loggers back before everything was mechanized, when the logging industry was basically responsible for the town’s founding. There’s also a stuffed lumberjack who sits in the corner overseeing everything that’s going on!
The restaurant is currently closed for remodeling, but will hopefully be open again soon. And hopefully the restaurant will still have everything that gave it its rustic charm.
Besides the decor, though, the Lumberjack is a great place to meet a bunch of friends and get a huge breakfast. My friends and I have always gone there the morning after big events like the prom or other parties, and the large tables have plenty of room to fit everyone. I always like to get the Big Tupper, because it gives you two of the Lumberjack’s famous pancakes plus two eggs — my favorite. There are plenty of other options for meals with pancakes, though, as well as omelettes, eggs and French toast (you know Tupper Lake has a strong French Canadian heritage, eh?). Most of the items have Tupper Lake-y names like Little Wolf, Big Wolf, or the T-bar (named for one of the old ski lifts at the Big Tupper Ski Area), but there’s also a bunch of woodsmen-related names like the Loader, the Stump, and the Paul Bunyan. And pretty much everything comes in very generous portions!
Main Street Restaurant
Another great place for breakfast in the Junction neighborhood is right across the street from the Lumberjack, at the Main Street Restaurant. At 79 Main St., the place gets packed every morning. They have plenty of great breakfast options to start your day.
And now you’re ready to start your day having fun in Tupper Lake, whether it’s hiking, paddling, golfing, visiting The Wild Center, stargazing at the Adirondack Public Observatory, tasting the beer brewed here, or shopping the village’s stores!