Sugar n’ Spice 

Before starting this review, I need to confess that I love going to classic diners. I love short order places where you can sit at the counter, the waitress does not have to write down your order and they serve breakfast all day. Well, Sugar n’ Spice is all that and more.

One of the things that I enjoy about such diners is when I realize I want to go well after most places stop serving breakfast. Who does not have those weekends when you realize you want breakfast, but it’s already nearly noon? I have to reveal that I all too often find myself in this state. Well, Sugar n’ Spice takes care of folks like me. 

First off, they make their restaurants bright and colorful. The counter stools are magenta, yellow and blue, and the restaurant sign looks straight out of a flashy cartoon. In keeping with the decor, at the Blue Ash location where I went, the walls are covered in vibrant murals, eye-catching for kids and adults.

Even though Sugar n’ Spice serves lunch with a classic sandwich menu, to me this restaurant is all about breakfast.

So let’s talk a bit about the menu. As noted, the main features are American breakfast staples: eggs any way you like them — including poached, which many diners do not make, breakfast potatoes, typical breakfast meats, including corned beef hash — which I tried. They even offer locally baked English Muffins as an option. But I do not doubt that what stands out to many of you are the sweeter offerings. And first among those has got to be the Challah French Toast. Of course, our readers know that Challah is not ordinary bread. It’s made with eggs, and has a rich, full flavor. So what does Sugar n’ Spice do? They dip slices of Challah in eggs and cook them in a skillet. Pure morning decadence that I am sure is a favorite. But if that’s not enough, Sugar n’ Spice also serves a traditional Belgian Waffle, Cinnamon Roll French Toast and — most popular of all — their Wispy Thin Pancakes, featured in their wall mural.

The diner also offers several less traditional breakfasts. Breakfast Burritos of all sorts, Avocado Croissants and even Spinach n’ Shrooms Frittata are among the options for more exotic AM eaters.

While l do love food of all sorts, and the more out of the ordinary the better… I make an exception for breakfast, which I like to be simple and traditional. So I of course, got poached eggs, English muffin and corned beef hash. It was a good, solid breakfast, served up quickly with a smile.

And speaking of smiles, the staff at Sugar n’ Spice were welcoming and friendly. I had an engaging chat at the counter with my server who let me know more details about the restaurant.

Perhaps Sugar n’ Spice’s most unusual element, but highly appropriate for a late brunch, is that they serve mimosas. That idea spurred me on to inquire: if you serve champagne and orange juice, do you serve other drinks? To which I received a resounding “yes.” They also have Bloody Mary’s, wine and even beer.

As I sat there in the bright, family friendly diner imagining the options, I asked, “So, I could come here at 2:00 on a Saturday and have a burger and a beer?” The server smiled big and said, you sure can. Now that’s a diner with an almost New Orleans twist.

Available across the city at three locations, Reading Road, Over-the-Rhine and Blue Ash, Sugar n’ Spice makes going to a diner easy no matter where you live. So if you want a good breakfast early, a late breakfast with the family or a casual lunch with friends, Sugar n’ Spice remains an exciting choice with a wide variety of fair. But mostly it’s a classic diner…where the last taste lingers, long after it’s gone.