As a huge lover of breakfast diners, I have no idea how I got by for so long living in Manchester without even knowing this place existed. My friend asked if I wanted to go here and I looked at her like she had three heads because I couldn't believe that I'd never heard of it. We ended up going and I was pleasantly surprised. It has somewhat (not quite) similar feel to the old school breakfast diners I'm used to back home in Worcester. We got there kind of close to closing but the staff was still very accommodating. I ordered the breakfast quesadilla which was amazing. Cheese, eggs, and other breakfast sorts of things with guac, sour cream, and salsa (which I of course combined into one bangin' sauce). Now that I know about it there's going to be some stiff competition in my Manchester breakfast diner selection, so I'm sure I'll end up here again in the near future. read more

My husband and I showed up at 11:45AM on a Saturday, and the restaurant was hopping. We were meeting a big group of friends for breakfast, and the waitstaff quickly rearranged tables to accommodate us. That was a huge plus, as I was expecting to wait a while for a group that big. My favorite part about this place is either the fun, mismatched mugs or the fact that they serve several "fancy" oatmeals. I feel like oatmeal is often forgotten about, and it's left to the side dish section. I tried one with coconut milk and bananas, and it was awesome. (These are also great breakfast options for vegans, as the oatmeals are made to order. They also had a delicious homemade vegan banana maple muffin on the menu that morning!) This is great addition to Main Street, and it's definitely worth a try! read more

Wonderful food, worst service EVER! I would give it negative stars if I could. Don't even try it, unless you want to be treated rudely and like an inconvenience. I have been there twice. The first one a Sunday, around 20 minutes before they close (February 2022). My wife and I came in and one of the ladies told us, loudly and in such a rude way, that they were closed already. The place was still full of customers, and my wife and I felt even embarrassed at how this woman spoke to us. We left. My problem wasn't much the fact that they did not serve us even though people were still eating and the sign on the door said "Open", it was how rude this woman was. It was even offensive. For some reason we decided to go back (March 2022). We thought that maybe that lady had simply had a bad day, plus we wanted to try the food. I came in while my wife waited outside. The same woman, from the register, loudly yells all the way to the door, where I was standing, "you have to put your name on the list, the wait would be 15 minutes". No "hi", no "good morning". I felt like she was doing me a painful favor. I did not know where the list was, she did not show me and didn't care to do it, nor I was sure whether she said 50 or 15 (English is not my first language). I asked whether she had said 15 or 50, and almost talking to me like an idiot she said "15! ... one, five! Put you name and number. We'll call you". I saw the list. I was upset, and somehow I still decided to put my name on the list because we were hungry and didn't want to drive anymore. We waited in our car, which was parked right in front of the door. Almost 40 minutes later, after several customers had gotten in, the other lady comes out and invite in customers who had arrived after us. I got out of the car and asked why I had not been called. Rudely, she looks at the list, asks for my name, and I realized she was already calling people on the page next to where my name was. They had never called us. I showed her my name. No apologies, no explanations. Nothing! She just said "you can come in and sit in that corner". Didn't even bothered to show us the table. The first woman ended up being our server. The food was great, but the rest of the experience was as bad as the whole thing up to that point. They treat you like you are an inconvenience. I have been living in the US for 13 years, in multiple states and cities, and I have never been treated with such disdain in any restaurant like in this place. I have lived in multiple countries and have traveled the world, and this service is still the worst. Somehow I felt it was related to our race, and I had never felt that in my years in the US. After eating and leaving no tip, we happily left. These people ruined our morning with that horrible attitude. We are NEVER going back! I'm not sure why somebody would have a business if running it seems to be such an annoyance. read more

This was a nice find!!! The menu was spectacular and the specials sounded even more amazing! The place is small but cute. Even though it was packed, the staff was very efficient and moved people right along, without feeling rushed. The latte was excellent as well, and I'm a picky coffee person. My egg wrap was fresh tasting and not greasy at all. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and plan to be back with my husband! read more

It is tough getting a new restaurant off the ground, especially in a town saturated with breakfast places, so I've visited a handful of times and have been impressed more as time goes on. One of my favorite things about Center Perk is that they are family friendly. They really care about kids and bring the kids food out first- they know what it's like to have a squirmy toddler waiting for a meal so they have a nook for kids to hang out in too while the food is made. They say one of their goals is to offer healthy breakfast food and I think they do a good job with that- along with offering food which is all prepared in house. The coffee was good, the service was very friendly and I'll be going back soon. read more

One of my best friends and I came here after a softball practice today at around 11:00. There was a slight wait which is understandable considering it is almost lunch time, but we were seated and greeted immediately, our drinks were ordered and we received them within five minutes. Since this is my friends regular spot I expected great service, and they went above and beyond. The food was amazing, I got a Johnny cash sandwich which was full of flavor and the egg and steak were cooked perfectly. Awesome job!!:) read more

Just discovered this great little place run by great people.... Family run business so I understand. Food is excellent with plenty on the plate. Great value for a breakfast plate with some very unique dishes. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for that old style, grandma's diner feel. Service is great. Plenty of time to relax and enjoy meal ... If I wanted that quick in and out fast food experience... well then I would be down at McDonald's. Go and enjoy. read more

I was sorely disappointed by my experience at Center Perk, a brand new spot on Main Street. My bf got the eggs Benedict with sweet potato home fries- I got apple walnut oatmeal and sausage. The food was cold, soggy, and tasted freezer burned. My Bf labeled the eggs the "worst he's ever had" and the sausage was half raw, half burnt. For the lack of finesse the food had, I am shocked at how long it took us to receive our breakfast. It absolutely feels like this kitchen was understaffed and that they need to really work out the kinks in the system. The only thing I liked was my latte. I'm giving two stars because even though the food was gross, the service was friendly and the decor was interesting- if they don't really get on top of the food, though, there's no way this place is going to survive. After the gross meal we had, we won't be coming back. read more

First time here for my son(11) and I and we absolutely fell in love with the food, atmosphere, and service!!! We were looking for a good brunch place on our way to Buckland Mall, so glad we stopped here. We were greeted warmly, no wait and our waitress( ?Courtney) was a delight! I was thrilled to find out they offered flavored coffees, lattes, and espresso.My son ordered the bacon, egg, avocado wrap with homefries and toast. He devoured it! I ordered a cheddar, ham, spinach, and mushroom omelet and sweet potato homefries( delish!). Loved the fresh ingredients especially the spinach. Everything was delicious, a very family run/family oriented place. We may be making the drive from West Hartford more often!! Yum.. Kudos to Center Perk! read more

Went to "Cruisin on Main" this year but wanted to have lunch first. Was very happy to see that this little place had a table for four right away. Our server was so pleasant and took the busyness of the restaurant in stride. Food was so good and very large portions. LOVED the sweet potato fries and breakfast all day long. They do close at 2 so be sure to get there for breakfast or lunch, you won't be sorry! read more

Why is this not 5 stars overall? Order the pulled pork Benedict and you'll understand

Cute country and kitche decor, friendly waitress and mediocre food. My irish bene was smothered in hollandaise which was either from a packet or premade. Bland and goopy. Ick. read more

Oh dear... I had hopes for this place, as it's a mere walk down the road from me... but I'm afraid my first visit will be my last. The place itself is cute... has a kitchy little decor theme going on. Waitstaff were all very pleasant; we were told to simply seat ourselves. They came by with menus immediately. Coffee came out pretty quickly, and that was fine. It's the food, though. I ordered the eggs benedict, sausage, and sweet potato home fries. The eggs benny were rather small as far as that dish goes, and had kind of an odd flavor, like they used butter that had been frozen for too long, with some parts of the egg so watery that it sogged through the english muffin (clear sogginess, not yolk or hollandaise...). The sausage links were exceptionally tiny. The homefries were a disaster. Undercooked in sections, and slimy with a bit of a vinegar-y taste throughout. Didn't finish those. Two stars indicates "meh, I've experienced better." The description for one star (Eek! Methinks not!) is more appropriate... but I'm giving credit for decent service and decor. It's the food. Please, if you're an owner and you're reading this... you're lovely people! I'd love to see you guys succeed! Downtown needs more good breakfast spots. Get your food act together! read more

Had breakfast at this new place on Saturday morning...great stuff. Friendly, efficient service, coffe was strong, had great home fries and eggs over easy. My wife had an egg bacon cheese sandwich on a hrad roll...and loved it. I like the look of this little block...the energy from C and M, the new Pork BBQ and Center perk looks lively and exciting ...too bad this place couldn;t find a way to stay open with some music and coffe shop stuff later in the evening...might be a nice way to go...and downtown ceretainly needs it. read more

- cozy atmosphere - nice wait staff - slow kitchen; In and out in about an hour - Irish Benedict: minced cornbeef hash on an English muffin topped with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. Interesting but delicious texture. Served with roasted and well seasoned potatoes. - biscuit and gravy: thick sausage gravy tops a homemade toasted biscuit. Very good, very thick, not creamy. Served with two eggs scrambled. - homemade toast available with smuckers jam read more

my absolute favorite breakfast spot! the ladies at center perk know what they're doing. the food is delicious, the environment is great and the service couldn't be better. read more

Center Perk - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Very yummy breakfast food...if you eat meat. As a vegan I had a very hard time finding anything I could eat. Their oatmeal bowls are amazing and my friend, who does eat meat loved it. Traditional breakfast lovers will love it! read more

Mmm, yeah. Not so good. The staff were very friendly and polite, but: 1. Service was slow. As in, borderline "Should we leave now and take our chances somewhere else?" slow. 2. The waitress forgot our drinks. And my husband's muffin, which burned on the griddle. They had to make him a new one, which took our meal even longer. 3. The food didn't wow me. Sweet potato home fries sound like they would be awesome, but they just weren't. I couldn't finish mine. My chocolate chip muffin was so dense it was more like a flourless torte. My avocado bacon wrap was all right, though. Now, to be fair, they were understaffed that day (I overheard a phone conversation asking an employee to come in ASAP), so maybe that partially explains the lag in service. As I said, the people seem nice, and I'd love to see them succeed since downtown Manchester needs more cute little cafe-type places like this, but they seriously need to streamline their processes and reevaluate some menu items, because as is, I don't expect this place to last long. read more

Probably one of our favorite brunch spots in Manchester. The food is pretty good. We've ordered the Speedy Gonzalez, The Cajun, made our own and various specials. A month or two ago they had a biscuits and gravy special. O. M. G. It gave Tisane a run for its money. Two out of every three times when I ask for no cheese I still get cheese and then either have to ask for them to take it back or I just eat it (depending on my mood). I'm lactose intolerant and find it frustrating that my dairy-free desires aren't accommodated. When we have visited during breakfast we have occasionally encountered a rude server. I am happy to report that I haven't seen that particular server in some time. Other than that, we plan to keep coming here again and again. read more

This place can be busy, but the food is great. Every time I have gone here on a Saturday or Sunday morning there is usually a wait. However, it is a small place that has limited capacity with restrictions so it is understandable. I love the mix of vintage cups and plates and I think it adds to the charm. The irish eggs benedict is delicious and a favorite. They had a crab cake eggs benedict once and it was amazing! read more

Adorable place. Pleasentl service. Breakfast was delicious and good coffee. Atmosphere very cozy. Small place. Went on week day so no problem getting in. Very fresh ingredients. read more

Cute little local restaurant. I went around 8:30 on Friday and it was full. I thoroughly enjoyed the overnight French toast. Apples and cinnamon were melded perfectly as a bed for rich French toast topped with syrup. I am not some coffee connoisseur but somehow their coffee was extra good. I absolutely love that they provide a LARGE cup with nice handle. Perfect pick me up on a rainy summer day. read more

Center Perk - Overnight French toast - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

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I often call in an order for pick-up on my way to work and it is always ready when I get there! The food is delicious and service is always pretty fast. The girls working there also tell me ahead of time if the wait will be longer than usual which is very helpful. read more

A wonderful addition to the list of classic breakfast spots in the happening scene of downtown Manchester. Located right at the top of historic Main Street, Central Perk is a quaint, cozy, and very cute spot to stop in for some breffie. With about ten tables, and a few spots at the breakfast bar, Central Perk offers lots of hot flavored coffees, omelets, and sweet beginnings for the day. During brunch, I tried the Johnny Cash breakfast sandwich, which was perfectly portioned and cooked on rye bread. I like places that give you enough food to fill you up, but only just enough so that you can still clear your plate. The hashbrown potatoes were delis, soft and crispy and sprinkled with fresh rosemary. With all the different spots to try along Main Street for food, this is one that should be on the list. The staff was very friendly and courteous. They did have a little tiny corner of toys for the kids, and thank god for that, I can't handle crying children before I've had my brown sugar cinnamon coffee. Cheers! read more

Finally, a breakfast restaurant my husband and I can finally call home! From the perfectly cooked apple walnut oatmeal to the well season just right Cajun omelette to the fresh sourdough bread and refreshing iced coffee, we left the restaurant happy and satisfied. The fresh ingredients, the creative menu, the cooking consistency, were all emblematic of a well balanced breakfast/brunch establishment. The icing on the cake were the smiling and helpful waitresses; well informed and happy to help. We will be back, perhaps more than you'd like Edit- while the quality and creativity of the restaurant knows no bounds, the service is absolutely horrendous - this is after 3-4 visits; a middle aged lady who never ceases to wait on us, literally keeps us waiting for time on end with an attitude on flair! No apologies, only defensive excuses - we will keep our breakfast ventures to Ken's read more

Cute, small, breakfast spot right on Main St. There are s few other breakfast places in Manchester but after my first time there I truly believe this is the best one in town! Our waitress had a slight sense of humor which we loved! The food was amazing and then when the bill came we were shocked!!! We never spent only $20 on a breakfast bill that was so filling!! We stopped here an hr before work and we were in and out in about 45 min!! Definitely will be coming back or even ordering to go!! read more

Love the location, the menu is enticing. It's a little over priced $10 to make your own omelette. Toad in the hole is a great throw back. There needs to be more seating with that said the wait staff needs to be more aware of the customers sitting outside no matter the weather because when the customer has to go in to get a refill on coffee, take home containers and to pay the bill it is bad customer service!!!! Most likely not going to returning read more

Excellent breakfast food. This place is usually busy and sometimes there only room at the bar. It is a seat yourself kind of restaurant. I love there coffee and they have weekend specials that change regularly. Try the muffins they have many different ones. read more

Great local spot for brunch, lunch, breakfast! Gets filled up quick, be prepared to wait a little in the cramped opening. Server was very attentive and helpful. Nice selection on classic foods with their twist on it. I got the garden omelette. So delish with lots of fresh veggies. Michael got the French toast-plenty of it. Came with the usual sides and had just the right amount of crisp edges, no soggy bread allowed! Always nice to support local business. Decor inside consists of Manchester history with old photos of main st. Someone that works/owns there is religious... a religious flag hanging over bar...kind of clashes with decor... read more

So...mixed feelings about this place. Food good....speed not so much. 40 minutes for three pieces of French toast and over cooked bacon. And this was not during a busy period. There were people there but no one was hustling. Staff was like huh you want to know when your food is coming. Not even an apology. I guess their normal customers have all day to sit. read more

Classy, peaceful, and amazing. How we got in on a Sunday I still question. I came here a time back and they have so upgraded!

Center perk is a great local place. The mismatched salt and peppers and coffee mugs are really cute. The only thing I would change is they always leave the tv volume up which gets really overwhelming with the noise of people talking. I would probably mute it and play music. Love the food read more

I love this little place!! I am not an easy person to please with breakfast as I am very particular. Center Perk hits the nail on the head. Today is my second visit, and the food is consistent. The meal I ordered both times was exactly the same. I'm very picky about eggs, I love them scrambled with American cheese. Center Perk delivers fluffy, hot and delicious eggs smothered in white American. The bacon was crispy both times, as I requested. The bread is baked by a local bakery, and the sour dough is to die for. Very happy, and will be a repeat customer. Oh.. and Sarah, my server, remembered me and welcomed me back. I love that! read more

Center Perk is the best breakfast place I have found in Manchester! Yeah! The restaurant was created by seven sisters and the atmosphere definitely has a cozy feel. I started simple just to test the menu and ordered the Toad in the Whole (eggs over easy in the middle of grilled toast. Really good! The menu has a great variety of breakfast dishes; the best I've seen in town so far. My server, Tielar, was attentive and friendly. Other breakfast dishes include an Irish Benedict, coconut flavored French Toast and grits! I'll be back! Gluten free items are also available on the menu. read more

Their food is yummy- a littttttle (just a hair) overpriced but they have a great variety for both breakfast and lunch. I only wish their location was bigger! There have been several times where I have left because there was no room to wait for a table during busy times. This place has lots of Manchester Charm! read more

My husband and I really enjoyed this place. We were reluctant to try it but now I'm looking forward to going back. My #1 love is that they have good vents (I hate leaving a restaurant smelling like bacon and the griddle... Most breakfast joints.) so I love that. Loved the decor and the very clean bathroom. The food... I had the fruit sampler with sweet potato hash and sausages yum! I am particular and I ate it ALL. My husband had French toast with a cranberry sauce that went well with my hash and he enjoyed. He didn't love the eggs but that was a small thing to him. We also really enjoyed the cappuccino. Very nice spot. Glad it's in the area and very glad it had some options for someone that doesn't eat bread or eggs. read more

Center Perk - Lots of yummy goodness. - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut

Its tastes good. I like it. I havent had anything like it in my lufe. I think it might be mede out of parrot. I had the "steak". I also had ftied egg and it tasyed like ostrich egg. I think I'll have their "egf" again...I'm 52 with 2 grandsons. read more

We still love this restaurant! Our son is welcome here everytime we walk in, and the service is always with a smile! I regularly order a latte, and the waitstaff happily offers to freshen up my cup with coffee when they notice my cup near empty. Recently, when an omelette was not to my liking (more Dijon than usual) they insisted on remaking it, and told me they would happily put any ingredient on the side so I could add it myself. Also, try their blueberry buckle oatmeal. It's baked with a crumble topping, and it's a "secret" menu item! read more

Love this place. Whenever I'm up in Manchester, I make it a go to place for breakfast. Food and the staff are fantastic. Wish it was closer to home. read more

Found this place by accident a few months ago, been back whenever possible since. The food is excellent and the decor is great. The miscellaneous dishes add to the experience! read more

Center Perk - Cutest salt and pepper shakers - New American Near Me - Manchester, Connecticut