Copper Kitchen (La Junta, Colorado)

Before heading out to Bent’s Old Fort last Sunday, Mike and I headed over to the Copper Kitchen in downtown La Junta for some coffee/tea and hearty breakfasts – and we weren’t disappointed!

When we got to the Copper Kitchen  - around 8:30 am – the place was packed. And, it’s a fairly large place: tables, booths, and even counter service. Given the banter between tables and wait staff, most of the crowd had to be locals. The Copper Kitchen appeared to be a family operation – kids were bussing tables and taking care of the counter customers – while Grandpa was manning the cash register. I think Gramps may have been the owner for quite some time – one newspaper article posted at the cash register was from the 50’s I think – and featured a very young Gramps.

We snagged a booth and immediately got menus and “Coffee?”,  which Mike got while I got a large pot of hot water for tea and an assortment of teabags.  We checked out the menu and what was being served around us.  I really thought Mike would go for the biscuits and gravy –the gravy literally came by the cup and the biscuits were obvioulsy home-made – but he chose pancakes.

Mike did the wise thing and asked the waitress how big the pancakes were – as they were listed on the menu as not just an order of pancakes, but in quantities 1, 2 or 3.  She said they were plate sized, so Mike got 2 pancakes and a side of ham.  I got my one of my usual breakfasts: steak and eggs.

While we waited, we again noticed the friendly, small town atmosphere – and the place was clean, very clean.  Always a plus!

When our food arrived – and it was fairly fast even as busy as the place appeared to be – it was all excellent. My steak was a good cut of meat – perhaps not quite as good as I’ve gotten for breakfast at the Bon Ton (in Old Colorado City), but good none the less. The eggs were done perfectly and the hash browns were standard hash browns. The only flaw was the toast was a bit underdone – but not that big of a deal.

Mike’s ham was not a pre-sliced slab – but appeared to be cut right off the ham given the varying thicknesses.  Fried and heated through.  His pancakes were fluffy and not a bit doughy – and they were, in fact, plate sized! 

We enjoyed our breakfast at a leisurely pace – then paid Gramps at the cash register – who threw in a joke as a bonus – and made out way out to the Fort, fully fueled up for the day!

Cooper Kitchen in La Junta – if we're ever there again - definitely a Do Again!