Whistle Stop Diner

Pleasant Ridge is a small city that is nested in-between Ferndale and Royal Oak. You have probably driven through the town a million times and didn't even realize it, the Ridge is only a few square miles in size. They might not have a lot of places to eat, but they always had one cool little cafe called Mae's that made quite a name for itself outside of the small city.

Mae's featured unique options for vegetarians, fresh locally sourced ingredients, and lots of unique menu choices. It became so popular that it was very hard to get a seat on the weekends. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and after some ownership changes the place fell apart. The last time I was there the food was still good, but I received the worst service I have ever gotten at a restaurant and vowed that I would never go back. I don't think that I was the only person that felt this way because shortly after that, the doors for Mae's were closed and the space was sold. The cafe reopened a few months later with a new name, a new menu and a new staff, so I decided it was time to go back and give the space a second chance.

The new cafe is called the Whistle Stop. The new owners gave the place a good once over, but kept a lot of the furniture and decor from the previous owners, including all of the cool stickers on the stove. The WS menu features breakfast and lunch. They have a large selection of your basic cafe items, including eggs, pancakes, sandwiches, soups, and salads. It's a pretty standard menu, with one big bonus, they serve alcohol!!!! There is nothing better than brunch on a Sunday and it's not really brunch without a drink. 

The biggest difference between Mae's and the Whistle Stop isn't the food, it'a the atmosphere and service. Instead of feeling like you're a burden to the staff, they treat you right. We had a lovely waitress who kept our waters full, brought our eggs over pipping hot, and brought the bill as soon as we were ready for it. There was a steady stream of customers throughout the morning, but no one waited very long because they stayed on top of everything and kept everyone's day moving.  

I am not going to lie and say the food is as good as Mae's because it isn't. The Whistle Stop isn't trying to serve up one of a kind concoctions. They are trying to do the basics right, which I really appreciate. The food is pretty damn good and the service and atmosphere is wonderful. So, if you were weary about giving it a try, I suggest that you stop in and have a meal. I have a feeling that you wont miss Mae's as much as you thought you would. 

Bloody Mary

Breakfast Burritos

~S