Mockingbird Cafe

We took a Good Friday hike up to Basking Ridge to try this joint. When my husband worked in Basking Ridge, he had heard people will wait for an hour on the weekends.

Our breakfast was great. Service was good, the place is cozy, and the food was interesting and tasty.

My husband and I shared a Dutch Baby and Ricotta Lemon pancakes while the boys shared Bananas Foster french toast. All super tasty, though the Dutch baby wasn't really filling.

Worth the drive!

Kettleman's Bagels

456 Elizabeth Ave.
Somerset, NJ 08873

(732) 868-0008

My husband said he wanted bagels today and that he wanted to try a new place. I hadn't seen that there was a new bagel place in the new strip malls by Shop Rite, but I guess he did. He went and got a dozen bagels this morning, and a container of cream cheese--the total came to $8.35. I don't usually get the bagels, but he said their prices are comparable to everyone else in the area.

It doesn't much matter, because their bagels are really excellent and HUGE. They were so fresh, I was very happy! I had an everything bagel, and it was really tasty. The Boy had a plain bagel, and seemed to just gobble it up. BAJ agreed that his bagel was really fresh.

It also makes me very happy to have a bagel shop near my commute since I don't pass ANY and have lately had a lot of morning Pork Roll cravings. This shop is right near daycare, so SCORE!!!!

Daylight Donuts

149 Pierce Street, Suite 8
Franklin Township, NJ 08873

BAJ found this one day by driving by, and figured he'd give it a try one day. He came home RAVING about their donuts. The next time I had a chance, I figured I'd give it a try too. I asked the two owners which donuts are their favorites... one of them suggested this amazing sounding concoction of a chocolate covered donut with raspberry filling. He didn't have them ready, so I figured I'll come back and try it another time (since I was heading out to work), but he did offer to make it for me right there. I tried my donut (don't remember which choice I made) and it was OUTSTANDING. So fresh and tasty! I came home and told BAJ about the donut the man described to me, and we were BOTH drooling over this, so that weekend, went back and had the man make them for us. It was FABULOUS, but messy. Definitely not something for the drive into work.

We LOVE Daylight Donuts, and are so glad we gave it a try. The owners are so very nice; they not only offered to make me that donut special, but they also offered my toddler son a donut.

Bagel Dish Cafe

327 Raritan Ave
Highland Park, NJ

I love going to this place. It started by me on a hunt for lunch one day. I was driving around, looking for something interesting to try, when I stumbled upon the Dish Cafe. It's interesting, though, because we at one time went to the Bagel Dish, their sister store, often. Anyway, we got takeout from there and were very happy. While I waited for our order, I was intrigued by their breakfast menu, and decided we had to go there sometime.

It's your basic diner, but there's something more homey about it than typical diner. Coffee is served in mugs from all over the place; they probably get them at yard sales, but it lends a nice atmosphere to the place.

They have great specials; I love to get the Belgian Waffle special, which comes with whipped cream and strawberries and only costs $5.95... that's only available on Saturday and Sunday. I also like to try their varied and interesting array of omelettes, which can also be made into a wrap.

BAJ is happy because he gets a decent lox and bagel there, and I'm happy because I can get my eggs, pancakes, waffles, french toast, coffee, bacon, etc etc etc craving satiated... until the next weekend, that is.