Located just over a mile away from campus at 107 Utica St. is Hamilton, N.Y.’s newest restaurant: the Copper Cricket. Rumblings of a new diner coming to town finally came to fruition earlier this year when the establishment opened its doors. Since then, it has become a fan favorite, with the restaurant boasting 4.4 stars on Yelp. The Copper Cricket is open daily from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. and serves breakfast and lunch on its extensive menu.
The restaurant’s opening could not have come at a better time, as the Broad Street Diner closed its doors over the summer, leaving students scrambling and wondering where they would get their fluffy pancakes next. Junior Mei McGuinness was sad to see the Broad Street Diner go but was excited to give the Copper Cricket a try.
“After the Broad Street Diner closed, I was a little sad, but coming back this fall, it’s nice to have a new diner. You get to see familiar faces and see locals enjoying the new space together,” McGuinness said. “I think it’s nice that it has a similar menu because everyone loves a good diner.”
True to its name, the Copper Cricket has a very striking copper interior. The decor is detailed, and the diner even gives patrons copper utensils for their meals. For many, the unique vibe curated by the establishment adds to the dining experience.
“I love the inside — it gives a very vintage and comforting vibe. You really feel like you kind of are transported when you walk inside,” McGuinness said.
Junior Sonia Erbe also commented on the distinct interior.
“The interior gave me almost ‘The Great Gatsby’ kind of vibe with all of the copper. It just has a cool feel to it,” Erbe said.
The diner’s proximity to campus makes it easy for students to walk the mile there or take a short drive when they are craving sweet or savory food. The menu is extensive, offering plenty of options to try for either breakfast or lunch. It features breakfast classics such as pancakes, eggs, French toast, omelets and more. For lunch, the menu ranges from more standard options to more creative ones.
“My favorite meal that I’ve had is the pulled pork mac and cheese. It was such a big portion, and I just love mac and cheese. It wasn’t too cheesy, and the barbecue sauce was sweet. It was very, very good,” McGuinness said.
One of Erbe’s takeaways was the delicious coffee she had with her meal.
“They have a full espresso bar, which is pretty cool. Most diners only really have like watered-down coffee that isn’t very good, but that was not the case [here],” Erbe said.
The combination of great food and a great atmosphere makes it an inviting place to hang out with your friends. This is exactly what Erbe found with this latest addition to the food scene in town.
“I got an Eggs Benedict as a main dish, and then my friends and I split a chocolate chip pancake altogether. The pancake was so cheap, and it was so big. It was so fun to sit around and chat while sharing a meal together,” Erbe said.
Junior Andrew Banks has also enjoyed the space with friends on his recent weekend visit to the restaurant.
“I got the California Penny. It was pretty good, and the portion sizes were really big,” Banks said.
You can opt to go with friends or to go alone and sit at either their booths or the traditional diner counter. However you choose to enjoy, it is worth a try according to Banks.
“I would definitely recommend it. It’s super crowded on the weekends, which is kinda fun,” Banks commented.
The Copper Cricket has expanded the food options in town and has given students a new place to relax and eat together. While the weather is still nice, students should take advantage of the opportunity to tour around town and add the Copper Cricket as one of their stops.
