On the corner of Virginia and Elmwood Avenue sits a bright pink building that welcomes guests with its large windows and warm atmosphere - and the name it goes by is Betty's.
"I come in all the time for the breakfasts here," said Carrie Lombargh, a resident of Amherst and also a regular at Betty's. "Betty's has exactly what I love and want in a restaurant. The employees are nothing but polite, helpful and kind and the food is delicious."
The green ceiling, brick walls, red wood paneling, and colorful, abstract artwork on the walls set it apart from your average restaurant. Only 12 tables make up the dining room with a comfy and inviting brown leather couch that welcomes guests to take a load off while waiting to be seated.
Wearing simple clothing and red aprons, the servers bustle about the busy place surrounded by tables covered in red and white checkered tablecloths. With wooden floors and simple attire, Betty's seems like your ordinary diner.
Even though the restaurant opened a little over a year ago, Betty's is already a hotspot for local residents and also college students due to its convenient location and affordable prices.
"Betty's is cool because the atmosphere really puts me in the mood to eat," said Chris Pignato, a junior pharmacy major. "There's such a wide variety of choices and unique foods that gives me new experiences."
What truly identifies Betty's as a place worthy of visitation is the incredible uniqueness of absolutely everything the place contains. The one-of-a-kind locale features products made locally including Spar's European sausage and meats, Bagel Jay's and Flying Bison's Brewing Company.
Unlike most places that consistently offer the usual Coke or Pepsi products and occasionally Coors or Miller Light, Betty's proposes V-8 Splash, Stash Chai tea, IZZE sparkling drinks and soy milk. Betty's also boasts an impressive bar selection consisting of anything from Saranac Pale Ale to Merlot, keeping every customer satisfied.
The abstract menu doesn't stop there. There is a breakfast called "Scrambled Tofu Hash," containing tofu fried with caramelized onions and sweet potatoes served with grilled pita bread. Or try the baked brie with hot pepper jelly.
"I love the fact that I can order a veggie burger or hummus sandwich," said Jake Hebdon, a resident of Batavia. "I've never heard of banana garlic mayonnaise or asiago cheese but Betty's has them, but that's what makes the place so cool because it's such a different kind of menu."
Even the waiting area has coloring books, blocks and a train set to occupy little ones that don't have an attention level to sit and wait for a table.
Uniqueness aside, Betty's also has a wonderful staff of employees that seem to love their job.
"This is the best place to work ever," said Lauren, a hostess. "It's nice to have a job where the bosses are nice to you. The owner works in the kitchen and is always so friendly and polite."
Maria, who has been a server at Betty's since the restaurant opened and is also a full-time nursing student, is another happy employee of Betty's.
"I love the staff and this job works well with my schedule," Maria said. According to her, breakfast is the busiest time of day.
Although the diner attempts to create a unique experience for the guest by presenting abnormal and interesting food choices, for some it may not scratch the itch when it comes to craving a good old fashioned cheeseburger and fries or a plain old chicken salad.
"Betty's is alright. The service was kind of slow and my omelet was OK but I just wanted American cheese and they didn't even have that," said Fatima Bryant, an assistant hall director at UB.
The prices at Betty's are comparable to most restaurants, with most of their meals being in the $5 to $8 range. Non-alcoholic drinks are right around $1.75 and alcoholic drinks vary in the range of $4 to $7.
One last thing to add to Betty's attractiveness is the fact that a new baker has been hired and is producing some of the most mouth-watering desserts that Buffalo has ever seen.
For some, the atypical menu may not sound as appealing as Denny's or Duff's, but from bread pudding to key lime pie or chocolate layer cake, something is sure to strike anyone's fancy when it comes to satisfying a sweet tooth.
Betty's is open Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m, Fridays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
