The Griddle is a colourful, go-to place for breakfast in Winnemucca, Nevada

Maybe The Griddle‘s gone corporate. A friend tells me of servers in short skirts and a cook in an apron-covered bikini during long-ago visits.

Things are much more sedate when I roll in recently at 6 am, met with a friendly greeting and a display case of bottled jams and salsas for sale. (The Griddle has expanded beyond this flagship location to three others in Nevada and California.) Still, there’s sufficient character in the green vinyl booths, the big horseshoe counter and the gleaming wood-panelled ceiling.

And the Griddle delivers where it counts—on the plate. I swear my Caribbean French toast arrives in under three minutes. It’s two thick slices of Texas toast dipped in a coconut batter and grilled till the little coconut slivers are slightly crispy. A good, refreshing take on a standard, though a little pricy at $8.30.

A Caribbean take on French toast, featuring coconut

The Griddle obviously knows what it’s doing at breakfast. By the time I’ve licked my plate clean at 6:20, seven tables are full.

The Griddle
460 West Winnemucca Boulevard
Daily 6 am-2 pm