SCHENECTADY - Customers become like family at Peter Pause Restaurant in Schenectady, a hidden gem on Union Street that combines great breakfast and friendly staff.
Peter Pause Restaurant has been a staple in Schenectady since the 1950s. Across from Union College, the restaurant is located at 535 Nott St., and has been serving up food to college students and local residents alike for generations.
Amie Phillips is the restaurant’s latest owner. The restaurant was originally opened in 1958 by Angeline and Prosper Attanasio, who ran the restaurant for a couple decades.
Dante and Giovanna Panetta owned Peter Pause from 1971 until the early 1980s. Dante was given the nickname "Peter" after the restaurant. In addition to a wide variety of breakfast dishes, the couple offered customers homemade breads and pastas.
From there, Bruno and Lucy Sacchetti became the owners until 2014 when Phillips took over the restaurant.
The restaurant offers a variety of breakfast and brunch items. The restaurant also uses fresh ingredients, and makes its bread from scratch, and it is baked fresh every morning and hand cuts its home fries.
The restaurant sees a nice mix of customers, local families, college students, a lot of employees come on their break from work, the restaurant also does a lot of to-go business, with a number of companies and businesses doing take out sandwiches, and orders on GrubHub or DoorDash.
Phillips said she loves what she does, and that getting into the restaurant business at Peter Pause was the best decision she ever made.
Many of the people who discover the hidden gem that is Peter Pause often say they will come back and Phillips said they almost always do come back.
Peter Pause Restaurant is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. and closed on Sunday.
The Daily Gazette recently spoke with owner Amie Phillips about Peter Pause Restaurant and here is what she had to say.
Question: What are some of the most popular items that you serve?
Answer: The Dutchman Special, which will remain the Dutchman Special. It’s three eggs, and then your choice of meat - bacon, sausage or ham - with home fries and toast. Like 75% of our sales today were Dutchmans. Most people know it, they don’t even need to look at a menu, they just order.
Q: What are some of your favorite things about running the restaurant?
A: I would have to say the customers, who a lot of them are like family to us. We know their names, they know ours, we know what they like to eat, we know their kids. We have a lot of regulars here, and they definitely have helped me get through some tough times.
Q: How would you describe the atmosphere at Peter Pause?
A: It’s a very cozy, comfortable place to be. Like on a Saturday morning we get a lot of Union students, and they sit with each other, go from table-to-table. I love that everyone is comfortable here.
Q: As far as prices go, what do your customers spend on average?
A: $13 for a meal and coffee, we try to keep everything pretty reasonable.
Q: Why should someone who has never been to your restaurant consider trying it?
A: I would say it’s the contact that they have with us. We get to talking, and it’s a really friendly atmosphere, and we serve a higher-quality meal than some other places. We hear it a lot, that we’ve got the best breakfast in Schenectady. I don’t know if we are or not, but it’s good to hear that. People come in here and tell us it’s the best eggs Benedict they’ve ever had, and I’m like 'oh, come on,' and they are like 'no, really it is.' It’s a nice feeling.