(Note: This review was for a visit in June 2024, and about two weeks later the owners sold the place to new owners who plan to keep the basic concept the same, but minor operational changes may result)
I’ve previously noted in my Lake George area reviews that there are almost uncountably many places to get breakfast in Lake George, but the quality is hit and miss, the prices are tourist-level, and sometimes it’s just nice to get a fresh view. Luckily, the Glens Falls area, about 15 minutes south of Lake George, is a lot quieter than Lake George, but it’s got a lot going for it. A nice, fairly vibrant downtown. Two breweries. A decent art musuem. And a good number of cheap, affordable restaurants. One that we had been driving by a lot in the last few years, just down the street from Common Roots, is the Peppermill Family Restaurant.
The Peppermill opened in 1990 for exactly the reason we searched it out: the owners wanted an affordable dining experience without the touris-driven prices of Lake George, so they opened the Peppermill to offer an attractive range of traditional “Family Restaurant” cuisine. And walking in to the Peppermill gives exactly that feel: a nice 80s/90s vintage dining room with booths and round tables, a central register, and the handwritten daily specials. Settling into a nice booth by the window, we looked over the breakfast menu which covered all of the “American Diner” basics nicely: Egg combos, omelettes, corned beef hash, pancakes, French toast, and breakfast sandwiches. And, true to their goals, the prices were quite reasonable (my breakfast with coffee ran $12 plus tax).
Those reasding my breakfast reviews know that I have a few breakfast items for which I’m particularly fond, and one of these is the Irish Benedict: a classic eggs Benedict made with corned beef hash instead of ham. And on this visit to the Peppermill, the Irish Benedict was one of the daily breakfast specials. The Peppermill version was quite good: a nice griddle sear on the muffins, a really good crisp sear on some house-made corned beef hash, perfectly-poached eggs, a lightly tangy Hollandaise sauce, and some notably-better-than-average home fries. We both ordered this, and both enjoyed this a lot.
So I was quite happy with our visit to the Peppermill. The food was good, the prices excellent, the staff very friendly and welcoming, and as an extra bonus there was no waiting (a few of the better Lake George places can easily have an hour-plus wait). I’ll definitely want to come back and try the place again with the new ownership when we swing through next year.
