Huxley’s Bookmark Cafe — Restaurant in Meriden

I decided to give Huxley’s Bookmark Cafe a try while in the Meriden area, specifically looking for a place to have an omelette for breakfast. Based on positive reviews, I thought it would be a good option.

Upon arrival, I noticed the crowd seemed to be mostly well-dressed and white, which stood out to me, though I didn’t let it affect my experience. As I was dining alone, I chose to sit at the bar. I did feel somewhat overlooked by the staff—two gentlemen who sat next to me were promptly given menus, while I had to ask for one. A fellow customer noticed this and kindly pointed it out, but I didn’t take it personally and was simply waiting to be served.

I ordered my food and, when it arrived, there was a mix-up. The server initially handed my omelette to another customer, and after a bit of confusion, I had to speak up and confirm that the order was mine. The food itself was delicious, and I enjoyed my meal.

When it was time to pay, I was handed a bill, but then another staff member rushed over with a second bill, which I found a bit humorous given that I already had one. While paying, I did notice some tension from the staff, which could have been due to a busy day or other factors, but it didn't affect my overall experience.

While I may have felt a bit out of place at times, I would return to Huxley’s because the food was excellent. The service was a bit uneven, but I’m willing to overlook that as long as the quality of the food remains consistent. Next time, I might make sure to dress more casually to avoid any...

Very disappointed. I had come here a few times but this time we had a waitress who was very rude. Our waitress, Amy (tall, short blonde hair), was extremely rude. My dad had ordered a 2x2x2 specifically with French toast. We received all our food, except my dad. She came by and specifically said “I’m just waiting for them to be done with your FRENCH TOAST” and then she comes back a while later with the meal with pancakes instead of French toast. My dad said “I did not order pancakes”. She continues to say that he did and looks at the receipt that it is what he ordered. We all said “no he didn’t. And you just came here a while ago saying that you were waiting for French toast”. She had an attitude as if we were lying. My dad then asked if she could please bring him the 2x2x2 with just plain toast instead because he did not want to wait anymore. She comes back with the meal and the pancakes (that he did not order), slams the plates on the table and says in a snarky attitude “on the house, would you like some jelly?” (Note: she did not take it off the bill so it was not on house) we told her she was very rude and she insisted that we were wrong. She could have easily apologized for not bringing the French toast, admitted she was wrong, and my dad would have no problem ordering something else. Instead she insisted we were wrong after she had just come by earlier saying she was waiting for the FRENCH TOAST to be done. We did not tip her and I will not be coming...

This place is a hidden gem. I really didn't think much about the humble building off the main drag when I first pulled in but really needed a place to eat breakfast.

I gotta say. When I entered it was surprisingly larger than I expected. There was a piano man playing away happily and the place was bustling with activity.

I was seated promptly and ordered as well. The food came out fast and fresh. The portions are a very good size and the price is fair. The waitstaff are friendly and hard-working.

Once thing I noticed that sets them apart from other restaurants is that the workers seem to work well as a team. One will deliver your food for example while the other takes your order. They seem to help each other out.

Another thing that I like is it looks like an old fashioned book store inside. Books line the top shelves around the ceilings. Pretty unique...

The only downside is that I would say that the hours are relatively short. Breakfast and lunch is served but not dinner as of this writing. I wish they would open for dinner, but with the amount of business they get, I don't think that they need to.

I have been back several times since that first visit. Excellent...