Two Winners for Breakfast in Saratoga Springs

Photos courtesy of Geoff Worden
Energy from a good breakfast is imperative if you want to experience all Saratoga has to offer. The proximity of these two restaurants allows you to make a last second decision about where to eat, based on style of food or length of line.
Looks can be deceiving, but not at Comptonʼs Restaurant. Inside and out, Comptonʼs plays the part of a classic diner and that is appropriate, since that is exactly what they are. Donʼt expect fancy menu options, they do not put on airs here. They simply deliver a fast meal at a great price.

When I arrived, there was a line out the door. Fortunately, that meant only that there was a line since there is not much room to wait inside. It moved well though, I waited maybe five minutes, and was seated at a four-person booth. I quickly got over the guilt I felt about taking so much real estate because there is no counter with stools where solo diners would otherwise gravitate. With a full house and a steady line, the service was efficient, not chatty but not rude either, just focused on getting you taken care of and getting the next table seated. I did get called “Hon” by my waitress, always a welcome sign of being in a diner, even though she was perhaps 15 years my junior.
The only part of the decor that surprised me was the mix of New York Yankees and Jets pictures and memorabilia that dominated one wall of Comptonʼs. They are two teams that donʼt seem to go together, usually itʼs Yankees and Giants or Mets and Jets. The other wall featured mostly horse-related pictures, posters and paintings, but my favorite aspect of the decor was the bobblehead jockeys near the register.

My bacon, egg and cheese sandwich arrived quickly and smelled fantastic. The Kaiser roll was soft and warm and worked perfectly for the sandwich, making it impressively large and offering great texture. It was filling and tasty and exactly what I needed that morning. The addition of a small fruit cup was a good choice. It had grapes, strawberries (sliced), cantaloupe, orange, watermelon (great at breakfast), grapefruit and one blueberry. All were fresh and ripe.
The lone disappointment of my meal was the home fries. They were under-seasoned and inconsistent, some were burnt while some were just barely soft. This is unfortunate but hardly unique to busy diner restaurants. Adding some salt and pepper helped (ketchup was delivered to the table as well) and the few potatoes that were badly overcooked did not infuse the other with the burnt taste. I found enough decent home fries to fill me up and send me out happy.

The final bit of classic diner experience was the bill. Sandwich, fruit cup and a large milk came to just over $10. Even after a generous tip, youʼll feel like you have free money to put on a longshot later. You walk to the front to pay, another classic diner tradition, and as I turned to survey Comptonʼs one last time, I saw that my table was already populated with new customers, even before the dishes had been cleared.
Part of what attracted me to Comptonʼs was a potential experience I missed. The hours are from either 4 a.m. or 3 a. m. until 2:45 p.m. This allows, I am sure, for an interesting juxtaposition of horse people up and ready for the day and late night revelers chowing down a meal before finally going to bed. I was neither out that late nor up that early, maybe next time. 
Across the street from Comptonʼs is an interesting coupling of dining choices. Max Londonʼs and Mrs. Londonʼs. The founding of the latter, a bakery and café, preceded the other, and that was where I chose to eat. They share a wall, you can walk through from one to the other but they are separate businesses. The patios are divided with a handful of tables for each and both serve breakfast, but Mrs. Londonʼs spoke to me.

The interior of this fabulous boulangerie transported me straight to Paris and my stomach rumbled even more once the cases came into view. Ordering an iced coffee and a lovely looking brioche with chocolate and vanilla custard was both expedient and a good choice. The brioche was perfection and the filling was neither too skimpy nor too sweet.
Despite facing out to the sidewalk while focusing on eating and getting out to the track, my nostrils filled with enticing aromas and my eyes coveted items on other tables. Another man waiting on his order was also intrigued by his senses. He described each plate to his companions as food arrived for other customers. He was ordering food to go to take to the racetrack and picked out a selection of sandwiches, with a side salad available for $2. The woman taking his order discouraged him from getting the sandwiches heated, “Theyʼll never stay hot until you eat them,” but he was not to be dissuaded. In fact, after eyeing a roasted vegetable sandwich, he added one to his order as well.
Finally, I could resist no longer and headed back to the display of delectables.

The cases looked as if they had been perfectly prepped for an upcoming photo shoot but Mrs. Londonʼs was busy, Iʼm not sure how they managed that. Desserts tempted me, nearly shimmering under the glass like an oasis for a thirsty traveler. Feeling like I had satisfied my sweet tooth with the brioche, a croissant sandwich beckoned. Smoked turkey, cheese, some greens and mayo sounds pretty safe and maybe even dull. However, make the cheese Gruyere and use lemon mayo instead of the standard, surround it with a flaky, crisp-on-top croissant and suddenly you have a simple masterpiece. Elevating a simple sandwich without overcomplicating it made Mrs. Londonʼs shine in my opinion.

It is a great stop for breakfast and you can easily procure a delicious lunch as well. Yes, the sandwiches are premade, but they are made in house and they are fresh. Add a few side salads and even a dessert or two and you will be very popular with your group at the racetrack.
Take my advice, do not skip breakfast in Saratoga Springs.