Trolley Barn Eatery

Saturday Breakfast Adventures in Pittsburgh continue... Tucked away in a tiny strip mall in Castle Shannon borough is the Trolley Barn Eatery. A very small establishment with a whole lot of heart!

Had to drop my car off for an inspection today, and we remembered visiting here one time before with a friend, conveniently just down the road from the auto shop. This place has got to be the best example of a friendly, neighborhood restaurant.

When we arrived, we were immediately greeted by the owner, who asked us if we had been here before (it has been a while) and directed us to the counter where the menu is found on the wall, and orders are placed. You're responsible for pouring your own coffee, and grabbing your own syrup, jelly, etc. before sitting down where the kitchen staff will bring out your food. It's a cute little system, which surprisingly didn't feel at all like a cafeteria, but rather cozy and intimate.

Castle Shannon is a very small little community, and this is a place where "everybody knows your name." We arrived shortly after the 8am opening, and already several tables were filled with folks who knew each other and shared neighborly banter across tables. Twice while we were dining, it was a customer who came around and offered to refill our coffee! Even though we didn't know anyone, it felt like we were guests at a really casual dinner party.  Really nice.

The food was really good - I would even deem it better than last week's meal. Husband had the #2 (eggs, sausage & pancakes) and I picked the blueberry pancake special with bacon. Nothing too fancy to be sure, but very delicious and hearty serving sizes for such a low price.

Definitely a small town feel about this restaurant, despite being part of the city of Pittsburgh. Makes me a little nostalgic for my little hometown of Rochelle, IL. Love it!