Breakfast at The Lunch Box is a Must.

The Lunch Box

330 US – 491

Dove Creek, CO., 81324

Phone: 970-512-0309

Hours of Operation: Mon – Sat, 8am to 8pm; Sun, 10am to 4pm

 

Breakfast time, not in any real hurry, socializing is a simple given, over great meals at affordably reasonable prices, then you know I’m writing about The Lunch Box in Dove Creek, Colorado.  Hubby and I recently had breakfast there, again, and spent a little over one hour enjoying the communal atmosphere, socializing with locals, talking with owner, Joshua, and most of all, enjoying those good eats. 

Joshua Robinson, grandson of Shelly King who began teaching Joshua, at six years old, the food industry, repurchased the old restaurant in 2023, and has accomplished the ultimate goal.Whether you’re reading reviews on Facebook, Yelp, Tripadvisor or Google, this restaurant has the highest rating on all of them with raves about breakfast, lunch and dinner.

He is not an owner that sits on his laurels, satisfied with past achievements and doesn’t bother to make efforts to improve or achieve more.  Oh no, this man is one of the hardest working business owners around, and he is highly respected and well liked.  It is not unusual to see him greeting customers with the biggest smile, and with regulars, he knows not just their names, but what beverages they like to start off with.  He also acts as waitstaff, cooks when necessary, and makes sure to personally instruct each staff member in their position, especially the kitchen staff.

But enough about Joshua, and more about the wonderful dishes offered on the breakfast menu.

Once in a while, steak and eggs has appeared, as a special, but is now a permanent dish.  A 6-ounce sirloin steak served with 2 eggs and home fries, yes, home fries!  The steak is lean, tender and juicy after being grilled to a perfect medium (well done is blasphemy!), the eggs the style you desire, and the home fried are small cuts of potatoes fried up with diced green bell peppers and onion.  Sorry, hash brown lovers, they have their place with a few dishes, but not with steak.

 

 

 

My overall favorite is the Pancake Breakfast featuring 2 eggs, bacon, ham or sausage, home fries and 2 pancakes.  The pancakes take up the entire center of a dinner sized plate, golden brown, light, fluffy, served with butter and syrup.  There is an option of wild blueberries added to the pancakes if you’re feeling fruity in the morning. Eggs are style desired and I always order the crispy, smoky bacon which, to be truthful, really need to ordered as a side as well.  This breakfast is for anyone with a huge appetite, but I always take half home to eat as my dinner that night.  Microwave for 90 seconds, and the scrambled eggs are still soft, the homes fries the perfect texture, and the pancakes just as fluffy and yummy as they were in the morning.

 

 

 

So, speaking of favorites, several dishes are ordered time and time again.  Huevos rancheros which is smothered in the housemade pork green chili; my fave, the Pancake Breakfast; the 1 and ½ pound Breakfast Burrito, and the Breakfast Sandwich featuring housemade Hatch chile mayonnaise, Hatch chiles, and cheese.  There is simple one or two egg breakfasts for those with smaller appetites, or need something fast due to being on the go-go-go.

 

 

Breakfast is served Monday thru Saturday, 8am to 10:30am, and Sunday, 9am to 10:30am.  However, it’s not unusual for Joshua to let someone inside earlier and cook them up a great breakfast as they’re "up and at 'em" before 8am.  The least busy days are Wednesday and Thursday, the very busiest Friday, Saturday and Sunday; but it can be unpredictable, especially in the summer months with tourists traveling through.

Oh dear, did you get up late, or arrive in Dove Creek past the breakfast hours, do not despair!   The lunch fare at The Lunch Box will definitely fulfill the hunger pains in your belly.  The most popular item is the burgers which sell an average of 140 per day!  Sometimes a new burger is invented, and a naming contest is held for bragging rights and gift certificate.  However, the main focus here is on breakfast, so you’ll just have to take my word, and those of hundreds of reviews that lunch, or dinner, is a must as well.

Mary Cokenour