Walking into Pete's Grille, I was greeted by a sign hanging over the soda fountain that read: "There Will Be A $5 Charge For Whining." However, there was certainly nothing for me to complain about during my delightful Sunday morning dining experience at this popular local eatery.
Pete's gained national acclaim as the choice breakfast location of Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian of all time. So I decided to make the short trip to see what Pete's was all about.
Located on the corner of Greenmount Avenue and 32nd Street, Pete's has only about 22 counter seats where you can sit and enjoy your meal, which means you should come early if you don't like lines. This also means that dining in a large group probably won't put you in the best graces of those around you waiting for seats.
Don't let the fact that Pete's is on Greenmount (a street that Hopkins students usually avoid like the plague) deter you; Pete's stays open only until 2 p.m., so in the daytime it is a relatively safe, short walk.
My friend and I arrived at Pete's around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday to find the Grill packed with customers, but thankfully there were about six open seats. Upon sitting down, I noticed that all the employees there had shirts that said "PHELPS PHAN" in big letters on the back, with "Baltimore to Beijing '08" printed just below. The limited wall space was lined with awards and various antique signs and posters. The glass that surrounded most of the exterior of the restaurant displayed "Pete's Grille, The Place To Be" on each pane.
Glancing over the menu, I noticed that there was no "Phelps Special" offered. That's hardly surprising, since Phelps's breakfasts could probably feed a family of four and its neighbors. Each day after practice, Phelps usually eats several sandwiches, a five-egg omelet, grits, three slices of French toast and three chocolate chip pancakes. That's a bit much for me. I think I'll just get the pancakes, thanks.
They call them hotcakes at Pete's, and even that small slice of Phelps's breakfast was alarmingly large. The stack of three was about two inches tall, and about nine or 10 inches across. My friend ordered a vegetable omelet, which came with a choice of home fries or grits, as well as an order of toast. I like to get my dessert in the morning, so I ordered a strawberry milk shake as well. Little did I know that it would consist of five scoops of ice cream and that it would be served, well-blended, in a the large metal cup because it wouldn't all fit in the glass. Now that's value.
Speaking of value, the pancakes were less than $4.50, and the more expensive omelets were only about $6.50, so prices were reasonable considering the food was splendid. One benefit of serving at most 20-odd customers is the fast service that comes with it. I'd barely taken a good look around when my food was set before me. The pancakes were literally steaming as I cut them and continued to steam for about two minutes afterwards, so they had been served freshly-made.
If you really need more reasons to visit Pete's, here's another: The patrons were very interesting, and those who like to people-watch will have a blast. Over the sounds of the sizzling grill I heard shouts of "Later hon!" and "What can I getcha?" Regulars were greeted by name, and one waitress asked a certain Mr. White why he was getting take-out this morning. He said he was running late and figured he wouldn't be able to get a seat. He was about right; There were only about two or three seats open at that point, and it was only 10 a.m.
Chatting with our waitress, we were informed that there would be a parade for Michael Phelps on Saturday, beginning in Towson. Pete's staff would be marching in it, along with members of the Hopkins lacrosse team. She pulled out a tattered issue of People Magazine featuring Phelps and proudly pointed to a picture of Pete's Grille.
"See, that's us!" She had to virtually shout over the chatter of the warm and cozy environment.
Along the counter, I saw first-time visitors like us, regulars who were simply enjoying their morning paper and families with young children chatting animatedly and trying out each other's orders to see how they compared.
I don't know how Phelps does it, but I had a hard time just finishing my pancakes and milkshake. Pete's Grille certainly has a way of entertaining you and filling you up. I didn't eat again until dinner.
