While brunch is traditionally celebrated every Sunday in the Grewcock dining hall for many students, there are some diverse and dynamic dining options just a short walk away from campus. Hillsdale students have three primary local dining options to enjoy their ritualistic brunch routine. In addition to seeing a new side of Hillsdale, students may enjoy the creative dishes and desserts that local have come to know and love.Take a break from swiping into the dining hall, and try “Designer Omelettes,” specialty skillets, and breakfast platters fit for a “King.”
Spangler’s Hilltop Diner
Spangler, owner of the Hilltop Diner in Jonesville, remarked that college student customers often say, “We’re so glad we found you so we can get great food,” especially after he’s served them the diner’s speciality Designer Omelet. The omelet consists of two to four eggs, meats, American fries, and cheese, and served with hash browns on the side.
“We could even rename this place the Omelet House because we sell so many of them a day,” he said.
Spangler described his food as homemade, fresh, and high quality for a price that is low or even in comparison with other restaurants around town. His reason for providing all homemade meals comes from family values he learned from his mother and father growing up around the diner.
“Something we like to say around here is that if we didn’t eat our own food, we’d starve,” Spangler said. “It’s the food we grew up on. We ate home-cooked meals exactly like we serve here.”
In addition to omelets, Hillside Diner offers patty melts, burgers, sandwiches, cappuccinos, and a variety of baked goods displayed on a counter. Their selection of pies and pastries vary daily, but the quality, Spangler assures, is always at its finest. The diner is open for Sunday brunch from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is located at 524 W. Chicago St. in Jonesville, Michigan.
The Finish Line Family Restaurant
At The Finish Line Family Restaurant, employees do two things on a regular basis: please customers with their specialty skillet dish (a combination of egg, hash browns, vegetables, cheese, and sausage gravy drizzled over the top) and assure worried students that the pumpkin pancakes will return soon (they are served mid-September through November). In addition to their multitude of breakfast items, Finish Line offers a variety of ice cream desserts, which include ice cream cakes, wind tunnels (a milkshake with candy pieces), and sundaes to make for a sweet end to brunch.
Lisa Slade, who has owned Finish Line for more than 39 years, shared the motto of the restaurant: “Good food, good service, reasonable prices — that’s what we strive for.”
According to Slade, overcrowding occurs during Hillsdale College’s school year, especially around Homecoming Weekend, Parent’s Weekend, and Graduation Week. Even with careful plans to accommodate the heavy flow of business, there simply isn’t enough room. To combat overcrowding, Finish Line plans to appeal to the City of Hillsdale Planning Commission to expand the dining and kitchen areas, as well as to provide an area of additional parking by taking over the next door lot. Regardless of future changes, Finish Line will keep its doors open according to its regular schedule: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. The restaurant is located at 75 W. Carleton Rd. in Hillsdale, Michigan.
The Palace Cafe
Hillsdale offers one more Sunday brunch restaurant, located near the Hunt Club on Howell Street: the Palace Cafe. Every Friday and Saturday night from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m., the cafe is busy serving its specialty saucer-sized pancakes, banana bread French toast, and “royal” breakfast platters (sizes ranging from “princess” to “king”).
Despite the long work hours, owner Leslie Meredith believes the business aspect of running the Palace is secondary to the relationships she has with the customers, especially Hillsdale College students.
“We love the college kids here because we love to take care of them,” Meredith said. “It’s not really about running a restaurant. It’s about helping people.”
Meredith also noted that nothing from the college is painted on their walls, even though many Hillsdale landmarks are.
“We hope to one day have students leave their mark on the archway, since they come here so often,” she said.
Meredith said she will soon be entering a partnership with the Palace manager, Angela Gaglio, to run the restaurant, and will tear down the front bookshelf of the cafe to install more seating. The Palace is located at 38 N. Howell St. in Hillsdale, Michigan, and its regular hours are 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., seven days a week.