Who Else Remembers this Heavenly New York Breakfast Item?

Please tell me I'm not imagining things... does anyone else in New York remember having this amazing option at your local diner for breakfast?

In the northeast, having breakfast at a diner is a rite of passage. I still remember my father taking my sister and me to the Country Deli (now Lydia's Café) in Stone Ridge, NY on lazy weekend mornings. Their placemats were made up of local advertisements, and their menu had one of my favorite treasures... so why doesn't anyone else seem to remember it?

Ever since I was a child, I've been searching for grilled muffins like the ones I used to eat at the Country Deli in Stone Ridge, NY (Monkey Buseiness Images/nino-p via Canva)

The Country Deli in Stone Ridge, NY

Alongside pancakes, French toast, and eggs served in nearly every combination imaginable, the Country Deli had my favorite breakfast item: muffins. Before you tell me that everyone knows what a muffin is, I should clarify. These were big, beautiful creations that were given a special treatment that I still remember to this day.

The Country Deli in Stone Ridge, NY (shown here in 2012) used to serve delicious grilled muffins. Lydia's Café has since taken over the business and continues the delicious tradition (Google)

Grilled Muffins on the Menu in New York

The muffins, which were huge, were also cut lengthwise and toasted. Whether they went through one of those bagel conveyor belts or they were slapped facedown on a griddle, I'll never know. What I do know it that the muffin halves would be served with their crispy insides glistening with delicious butter... the taste gave me a high I've been chasing ever since. So why do I feel like I'm imagining things?

Wesley's Way Café Serves Grilled Muffins in Stone Ridge, NY

Wesley's Way Café, the breakfast and lunch café within Lydia's Café has many wonderful options listed on their menu. From three-egg omelets for $9.95 to cinnamon French toast made with challah bread, there's something for everyone... including me. I felt so vindicated when I saw "grilled muffin" listed under their side orders (below).

Luckily, Wesley's Way Café (located inside Lydia's Café) in Stone Ridge, NY still served grilled muffins (lydias-cafe.com/)

So while I wasn't completely crazy, maybe my mind had exaggerated a little bit. A $4 side muffin certainly won't be as big as my head like I remembered, but to know that this glorious breakfast snack still exists brings a giant smile to my face. I guess I know where I'm taking my wife this weekend!

Celebrity Diners That Have Visited Ole Savannah, Kingston NY

Can you name ALL of the famous people who have visited one of Kingston's favorite restaurants on the Rondout? Owner David Amato has shared some of his favorite photos from over the years of Ole Savannah's celebrity visitors.

Gallery Credit: Val Turco