Mike and Val's

On a recent Saturday morning, after camping overnight at Fort Yargo State Park, we headed into Winder in search of coffee. Sure, some fellow campers opted to brew their own over a roaring fire, but we didn't quite have the necessary equipment nor did we feel we could just invite ourselves over to their yurt.

Having never previously been to Winder, let me first just say it's a rather impressive little town that sprawls for more blocks than we'd anticipated. And though we quickly spotted McDonald's and a few other national chains where we could have easily purchased some hot brewed java, Dean said that he preferred to spend his dollars to "help a local business." He's adorable when he says things like that.

We drove up and down the main street and a few side roads and eventually spotted Mike and Val's. A parking space conveniently located a few strides from the front door served as invitation enough.

The interior is clean and adorably decorated. This "bring us your cup and we'll fill 'er up" corral is more than just a cute idea, it's popular with locals. I saw a few folks come in, grab their cup--and in one case, pull a note from the cup left by some neighbor which must have been a joke 'cuz the dude laughed when he read it. Our first cup of coffee wasn't very hot, but then they brewed up a fresh pot and it was delicious.

A black bar at the back made me crave a chocolate shake. I honestly don't know if they have ice cream treats on the lunch menu, but how could they have a bar like this and not?

For me, the most memorable part of the movie Runaway Bride is when Ike Fisher (Richard Gere), confronts Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts), “You don’t even know how you like your eggs!” This remark leads her on a journey of self discovery (not Eat, Pray, Love quite yet) during which, among other things, she tastes a variety of eggs. Near the end of the movie Maggie tells Ike, "I adore Eggs Benedict. I hate all other kinds of eggs!" I too adore Eggs Benedict. Maybe I don't hate all other types of eggs, but if I see Eggs Benedict on the menu I cannot resist them. This version was decent. Not great hollandaise sauce, but satisfactory.

The French toast was fluffy and delicious:

Bottom Line: A noteworthy example of a classic American neighborhood diner, where the food is tasty, the service is good and if you were to visit often enough everyone would probably know your name.

Mike and Val's is located at 64 N Broad Street in Winder, Georgia.