Gatto Cycle Diner along East Sixth Avenue in Tarentum is one cool place to enjoy breakfast.
The Brunch Bunch visited recently and was reminded of the appeal diners have for guests. The Tarentum eatery is like a step into the past, complete with a lunch counter and stools, black leather-style booths, red pleather table coverings and chrome, chrome and more chrome. There is a full-sized jukebox at one end of the diner, and the ceiling is outlined in pink neon lights.
Throw in antique tabletop jukeboxes and vintage motorcycle photographs on the walls, and you could be in the '50s looking for James Dean to burst through the doors with a cig hanging from his mouth — except this is a smoke-free diner, which we appreciate.Bright, stainless steel on the outside, the diner is surrounded by windows that allow visitors to look out at the street as they sit in their black pleather booths and enjoy breakfast or lunch.
The Brunch Bunch decided to have a staff meeting in the diner because it was nearby, and we didn't have a lot of time to spare. Are we glad we did. The menu at Gatto's isn't large, but there are plenty of choices.
We're thrilled to report the Pancakes ($2.75) were thick, yet fluffy. They were light enough to hold sweet syrup without becoming soggy. This is high praise from our resident pancake champion. We also had a side order of Ham ($1.25) and found its salty flavor to be the perfect complement to our sweet pancakes. Two thin rounds of ham were grilled to allow the full flavor to come through.
The Hashbrowns ($1.75) also caught our eye, so we put in an order for sharing. Two lightly browned rectangles were crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside. Someone almost didn't share.
One of the Bunch chose the Dresser Omelette ($3.75), a filler-upper, for sure. The omelette featured two eggs enveloping grilled onions and green pepper, plus lots of chopped, crisp bacon (you also could have ham) and just enough Swiss cheese to make it nice and gooey. The selection includes two slices of toast. This offering is a winner.
The Sportie Omelette ($1.99) and a serving of Homefries ($1.75) were enough for another Buncher. The two-egg omelette, served with toast, was simple and tasty and perfectly complemented by the home fries — a heaping plate of lightly crisped potatoes that was almost too much food for one diner.
Another Buncher whose favorite meal is breakfast went off “diet” for a day and was able to skip lunch because of the hearty offering of coffee (.95) with Eggs, Toast, Bacon, and Pancakes ($3.99), which he devoured rather quickly. He was particularly pleased that when he ordered orange juice ($1) it came in a large glass — as did the water. He reasons that wimpy servings wouldn't be appropriate in an eatery that celebrates the sport of motorcyling.
The colorful menu notes that the facility is a dream come true for owner George Gatto, who envisioned his customers relishing the chance to return to the glory days of Dean, rock 'n' roll and lunch counter hangouts you never want to leave.
The restaurant serves as a popular spot for private parties. The nostaglic diner can accommodate 50 people for a party.
Compiled by Rebecca Killian, Barbara Daugherty, Rex Rutkoski and Tim Karan. Meals are paid for by the Valley News Dispatch and are unrelated to advertising. Additional Information:
Gatto Cycle Diner
Address: 139 E. Sixth Ave., Tarentum.Phone: 724-224-0500. Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; Saturdays until 3:30 p.m.
Reservations: No, except for large parties.
Credit cards: All major cards are accepted.
Dress: Casual.
Smoking: No.
Handicapped accessible: No.
Web site: www.gattocycle.com .
Prices: Individual breakfast items from 90 cents to platters to $3.99.
