Charlie's Cafe

1800 Granby St., Norfolk, VA - (757) 625-0824

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Posted By Michael Stern on March 9, 2010 3:35 PM

On the portion of Charlie's menu devoted to eggs there is a category titled Ultimate Omelets. They are. There is nothing out of the ordinary in them – choices range from fajita chicken or chili filling to vegetarian specials – but Charlie's eggs are grand. I sat at the counter and watched my omelet made (at the suggestion of Patrick Evans-Hylton it was a potato omelet topped with "habinaro salsa") and didn't see the cook do anything special; yet the fluffy cloud of eggs that arrived on my plate was sheer elegance. In concert with a filling of crisp-fried potatoes and melted jack cheese, as well as that hot-pepper topping, it was one glorious breakfast. Potential accompaniments include biscuits, cornbread, Texas toast and grits. Coffee is bottomless and tea is sweet.

Other morning choices include pancakes with chocolate chips, strawberry, pineapple, pecans or chipped beef as well as a tofu scramble and country ham or pork chops. The lunch menu is sandwiches and hamburgers and full turkey dinner every Thursday.

Locals recommended Charlie's as a great greasy spoon; and it does have a well-worn hash-house ambience. But the service is kindly, art in the walls is intriguing, and the food I ate was a cut above.

This is a restaurant that demands further investigation!

Overall Rating

Potato Omelet

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Posted By J Moffett on May 28, 2011 7:11 AM

This is the one that made my wife a fan of Roadfood.com. Having celebrated an evening in a hotel without children, we awoke desiring a hearty breakfast and strongly caffeinated beverages. My wife wanted to go to some place recommended by the hotel, but I convinced her that if Roadfood had something close, we could try that instead. That decision paid off in eggs! Charlie's is not the type of place one would normally stumble upon, but it's easy enough to find with a bit of GPS wizardry.

Eyeing the fare and the portions, we decided it was going to be a fun breakfast. The place was crowded with locals and cops, but the service was efficient and friendly. I ordered the potato omelet and my wife had a crab-laden omelet. Each was outstanding! These things were good-sized, but you felt you should keep your fork atop the omelet for fear of it floating away. The side fruit was fresh and delicious.

I write this in anticipation of eating another sample of their menu tomorrow morning. Don't miss this place.

Overall Rating

Potato Omelet

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