Out & About with Linda
Our community is busy celebrating a BIG One Year Anniversary. I say “community” because that’s what Warminster’s Break Time Diner & Restaurant has created at 41 York Road!!
Break Time invited me to re-visit a year after we first reviewed their Grand Opening. What a difference a year can make! Their food continues to be a standout. Service is impeccable. But walking through the doors of this very busy establishment, one now feels like you’re coming home. Smiles galore, warm welcomes at the offing, it was, it IS clear that this is a place “where everyone knows your name.”
I took a table at the Anniversary Celebration and just sat back to watch as the dining room filled up, diners joining what for them was quite a joyous celebration. It seemed like everyone had a vested interest in the success of this special place. I would be very honest if I said what I witnessed was unexpected. It was!! In every good way possible.
After seeing heaping platters of food passing by my table, I told Bill Zivali, the manager, I’d return for dinner. My eyes, and my appetite couldn’t resist the Break Time menu! So, as promised, I returned on a weeknight with my sister in tow for our official “tasting.”
As fate would have it, it was the night the area had an unexpected mini-snowstorm. It did not deter the crowd that appeared. In fact, people entered the dining room smiling as if coming home to get out of the cold. Break Time clearly offers the comfort diners are known for. In the Bill’s hands this restaurant is more like our grandmother’s kitchen, where you sit down, enjoy some good, caring conversation, and of course, fill your belly with her tasty cooking.
That’s what Michele and I did. I ordered one of the evening specials which came with soup or salad, vegetables and dessert, AND a free appetizer. I selected the vegetable lasagne and mushroom barley soup. It was snowing, so soup was required!! Michele ordered liver, baked potato and salad. The salad was crisp, hefty and fresh. We enjoyed baked potato skins as our appetizer treat. Our food was delivered promptly. Portions were substantial with leftovers going home. We both enjoyed our meals. We especially liked the liver… not an easy food to prepare. Dessert was a LARGE portion of ice cream. Of course, its size did not stop me from enjoying it!!
Our server was very accommodating. Offering boxes for our to-go leftovers. No rushing. We were able to sit, relax and savor our food. Michele especially enjoyed the rolls! Warm and crusty on the outside, they were not your usual diner roll.
We enjoyed our meal and the warm ambience. Dining at Break Time is like dining with friends. Thanks to the hard working staff across the board, Break Time has created a uniquely comfortable dining spot. Good food, wonderful service, lots of smiles and careful attention, it’s found its place in the greater Warminster (and beyond) area. What did they use to say? Try it, you’ll like it. I think you’ll love it!!
One of the preeminent rules in successful advertising is that frequency brings you success. A person must keep their ad/message out in front of the marketplace REPEATEDLY. Size does not necessarily count; it’s FREQUENCY that does the job. Well, it’s that FREQUENCY that got me to visit the New Britain Inn in New Britain!!
I see their ad constantly in the Intelligencer. It’s not big, but it is consistent… in my face. So, I thought, why not give it a try. One never knows, right? I called my always faithful dinner partners, Diane and Roland, and asked if they were game. They had been there many years ago, but certainly were up for a re-visit.
Having done my homework, I suggested a Wednesday evening when they run their hamburger special… There’s nothing better than a great burger and some terrific fries, right? We went a bit earlier so we could also check out their Happy Hour.
Entering the restaurant, the New Britain Inn is rustic and warm. Roland read up on its history, sharing that it was of older construction with additions. The bar was close and chummy, and filling up quickly. Clearly, it’s a local watering hole. We all had drinks. Roland enjoyed a spectacular Apple Butter Old Fashioned. (The bartender’s favorite.) The combination was smooth and fall-ish. Yum! I ordered the chicken quesadilla and nachos with pulled short ribs to share. Delish! Who could eat dinner? The quesadilla was filled with hearty chunks of chicken and the nachos… they were superb. Truthfully, we probably could have had dinner during Happy Hour, at the bar… but our mission included having dinner.
Our table was ready so we followed our server to the adjacent room. Remember, the idea behind these outings is to ‘taste” and rec- ommend… ok, that’s what we were doing. LOL!! We spoke with our congenial waiter, got some recommendations and deliberated.
The perogies came first. These are a must-order dish. Laying in just-the-right amount of heavy cream, we thoroughly enjoyed this indulgence. Diane ordered the charred romaine wedge to be shared. Roland and I both ordered hamburgers, again to be tasted and shared and we STILL had food to take home.
My smashburger was more than I expected. Cooked to perfection, covered in not-too-much blue cheese and anything else I wanted, I could only eat a very small portion. Remember, we were still enjoying our Happy Hour “meal” AND the to-die-for perogies my more-than delicious hamburger was almost an after thought. And the fries they definitely made the grade for this fry-fanatic.
Forgive me if I can’t remember which burger Roland and Diane ordered. It was delicious believe me. And it was Wednesday night, burger night, burgers were just $10. The room was filling up as the night grew. Plates of burgers and other specialties were delivered to the tables. Conversation, smiles and laughter everywhere.
The New Britain Inn has a diverse menu. They refer to themselves as a gastropub. They serve lunch, dinner, Sunday Brunch it’s ALL good. Funny, as I sit writing this, their ad is staring me in the face with a header saying: “Lured Once, Hooked for Life!” Truer words were never said!
A comfortable setting. Friendly and helpful servers. A menu that offers variety but not so much variety that you are bewildered when deciding what to eat. If you’ve been before, the New Britain Inn has earned a re-visit, and another re-visit after that. Check out their website for their daily specials. They’re open everyday, so you can pick and choose! LOL!!
We completely enjoyed our evening there. Even happier I am that they know the power of advertising otherwise I never would have ventured through their doors!!LOL!! I would never have known to recommend this eatery to you. and YES! I do recommend this restaurant. It’s fun. It’s delicious. It’s approachable. And definitely worth checking out. Have fun and happy eating!
Break Time Diner & Restaurant
41 York Road
Warminster, PA
215-907-3198
New Britain Inn
376 W. Butler Avenue
New Britain, PA 18901
215-664-5434
