The Coffee Cup

How far are you willing to drive for great waffles and $5 mimosas? Personally, I wouldn't drive more than thirty minutes, which luckily is just about the amount of time it takes for me to get to The Coffee Cup in Boulder City. The Coffee Cup is an ancient breakfast place located on the city's main drag that attracts local residents like flies. It's one of those really homey places where the kitschy decor tells the story of the owner's life and waitresses know you by name (not mine, however, since I only go there a few times a year). There is usually a wait when you go, but if you are willing to sit at the bar you can often poach a couple of seats within a few minutes, even on a Saturday.

I started coming to The Coffee Cup because Ian lived on the outskirts of Henderson when he first moved to town (apparently looking at a map to see that our culinary school was located in Summerlin never occurred to him) and it became a sentimental sort of spot. I wouldn't have insisted that we continue to go, however, if the waffles ($4.50) weren't so good. You can pick from a variety of fun fillings ($0.70 each), which are bundled up in a crispy, subtly sweet baked shell. I've tried several combinations, but my top recommendations are granola, peanut butter, and banana and bacon and chocolate chip. Washing it down with a huge $5 mimosa makes for the perfect weekend breakfast. The rest of the food isn't that great, much to Ian's chagrin, but it's all cheap and tasty. Last time he had the papas con chile verde ($6.75) which were mostly generic but showed a touch of creativity. Not bad for the price, but not worth the drive.

If you've never been to Boulder City and you're a waffle enthusiast, you should definitely make the trip. Besides hosting art walks and other community events, Boulder City is unique and charming because it is one of the only two cities in Nevada where gambling is illegal. It was established as a home base for the construction workers of the Hoover Dam, and was recently rated one of the top 25 best places to retire by Money magazine, so it has certainly stood the test of time. My guess is that this is partially due to the waffles and mimosas at The Coffee Cup!

Today's Food Ratings:
Waffle: 8.5
Papas con Chile Verde: 5.5

Would I go back? DEFINITELY, IT'S LIKE A MINI BREAKFAST VACATION.