Bonnet Lane Offers Kid-Friendly Environment and Great Prices ...

In recessionary times such as these, “family” restaurants like Bonnet Lane are a welcome boon and a virtual necessity.

For many, the large portions of hearty American food, wide selection of dishes, kid-friendly ambiance and menu - and of course the low prices - make Bonnet Lane and its brethren the “go-to” eateries in their neighborhood, especially right now. 

Bonnet Lane Family Restaurant has spent almost 10 years in Abington. Moving there after a good run in Hatboro, Bonnet Lane is a credible example of this important niche in the restaurant industry. The eastery is especially well thought of as a great place for breakfast and lunch. I first came for breakfast late enough on a Tuesday to be asked was I “going to have breakfast or lunch.” 

My classic breakfast: fried eggs over easy, home fries, and bacon ($5.95) – was quite nicely done and served.  The bottomless coffee was well above average too.

A few days later, I returned with my LDC for dinner. We were promptly seated in a comfortable booth under the large front windows, and our server came right over to take our drink order and drop off a basket of dinner rolls.  

(Note: on the lunch/dinner menu all prices appear as $ --.99.  I have rounded them up by $.01 for the sake of brevity.)

A cup of chicken egg drop soup and a small side salad, both of which came with our entrées, got things started. The soup ($3/cup if ordered separately) was piping hot, a little on the salty side, but full of chicken chunks and shreds, and quite tasty. My LDC gave the small, but adequate side salad she had chosen the thumbs-up sign. Its thickened garlic balsamic vinaigrette dressing was particularly enjoyable.

The next course choices include steak sandwiches, deli and club sandwiches, burgers, and entrées: steak, pasta, poultry, veal, and seafood. We applied the “When in Rome do as the Romans do” golden rule, and ordered family restaurant/diner standards:  chopped sirloin steak ($12), and half-roasted chicken ($12) platters. 

The chicken was not the best, bland, and worse, overcooked for my taste. When it was served, the baked potato had waited around being kept warm for too long. I did enjoy the excellent bread stuffing and gravy, yet best by far on this platter was the large, sweet and tender corn-on-the-cob. My LDC commented that her chopped steak was a little tough and chewy, and her side of fried eggplant a bit underdone. Her side of broccoli was satisfactory.

We had earlier considered sharing the broiled seafood sampler of flounder, scallops, and crab-stuffed shrimp ($16). Perhaps we should have ordered that instead.

To our surprise, the server informed us that the dinner entrées include some dessert puddings and ice cream. Bonnet Lane's rice pudding ($2 if ordered separately) we both chose was not compelling: not very sweet and of slightly grainy texture.

But you can’t argue with the low cost. We had two 3-course dinners – soup or salad, entrée with 2 vegetables, dessert, refilled soft drinks – for under $25.

Quite recently, I went back again, this time for lunch with my son. Not much has changed – most commendable – even the prices have remained flat. 

He ordered a daily special, fried shrimp in the basket, which came with French fries, and coleslaw for $8.  I had a luncheon platter of homemade meatloaf ($7), “from a family recipe…that is a tasty favorite,” according to the menu. So, for $15, plus a small dish of ice cream for $2, we enjoyed a filling lunch. The day’s special sandwich, egg salad, came with a beverage and dessert for only $7.50.

The food quality and portion size was passable. Most occupants that midday, both customers and staff, were decidedly mature. Our own experienced server, Maryanne, is as well, and was a dear delight.

Overall Rating:  mmm ½ - breakfast;  mm – lunch/dinner  (out of 5 m’s).

Location:  1720 Old Your Road, Abington    

Phone:  215.657.5750            

Website:  (none)                            

Cuisine:  American diner comfort food in a non-diner setting

Hours: Sunday through Wednesday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. 

Breakfast Pricing: Eggs, omelets, pancakes, etc. $3.50 - $8

Lunch Pricing: platters, salads, sandwiches, burgers, wraps $5 - $8

Dinner Prices:  Appetizers, soups, salads $3 - $8; Entrées, $10 - $16

Ambiance: A diner not in the shape of a diner.

Reservations: N/A          

Credit Cards: Visa & Mastercard accepted

Alcoholic beverages:  N/A        

Wheelchair Access:  Yes

To contact Mitch Davis, you can e-mail him