Downtown with Dukes

Dining at Duke's provides a taste of small town
food designed for the on-the-go eater

Hidden among the side streets of Downtown Plattsburgh, Duke's Diner, particularly popular to the late night college crowd, provides a pleasing,
inexpensive alternative for breakfast and lunch. Whether you want a tasty homemade vegetarian omelette or a traditional bacon cheeseburger, Duke's creates a welcoming environment.

From the second you walk into Duke's, it feels like your walking into a familiar place. A cozy green decorum surrounds a close-knit dining area. You're noticed the instant you walk in and , if by chance the owner Chris Duquette is there that day, he will approach you with a very welcoming smile.

Chris Duquette opened Duke's Diner in 1998. "We survived the first two years, and we're still doing good," Duquette said. While the college crowd may bring excitement to Duke's Diner Friday and Saturday night between 12:30 a.m.- 3 a.m. Duquette said, "The who's who of town is here in the mornings." Duquette described the Diner as being a "political place," bringing the politically enthused, from judges and lawyers to members of the community for breakfast in the mornings.

With a staff of about eight servers, two being college students, the service is quick, good and perfectly priced with all dishes $6 or less.

The most ordered meal off the menu according to the Duke's staff is the English muffin sandwich called "The Stunner sandwich" ($2.75) which is an English muffin or bagel with egg, cheese and your choice of meat. Duke's is also the home of the 15 egg omelette.

I started off with a small glass of orange juice, while the decision of what breakfast delicacy to try was a challenge. The final decision came between a short stack of pancakes with a side of three strips of bacon or the Duke Platter, three eggs, bacon and sausage, home fries and toast. I settled with the Duke Platter, concluding that if Duke's could win my heart over with their eggs, then they'd be a favorite in my book. As I watched them scramble my eggs, fry my bacon and sausage and toast my bread, my taste buds danced with excitement. The eggs proved to be pretty good, the bacon crispy, but not burnt and the sausage links tasty as well. The home fries were a tad too salty but the toast was pretty good. The meal cost $7 for an abundant amount of food. The service was exceptional and the atmosphere also appropriate for this small business.

While the food was not five-star dining, Duke's provided a large amount of food for a relatively inexpensive cost. Duke's diner is definitely appropriate for the on-the-go individual looking for a quick bite to eat. However, don't expect too much from the food, but more from the enjoyable wait staff.

How much do you enjoy breakfast food?

Duke's Diner
62 Clinton Street
Plattsburgh, New York 12901

Hours:
Monday-Friday 7am-2pm
Friday and Saturday 12:30am-3am
Saturday and Sunday 8:30-1pm

Contact: 518-563-5134
Free Delivery available