By MOLLIE BROWN / Business Columnist

When you’re ready for some good, down home cookin’, try Bernetti’s Diner, located at 2147 Pelham Parkway next to Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Bernetti’s serves up hearty portions of country cooking at reasonable prices.

Owners George and Dana Otto have served country-cooked meals for six years. The business was located in Moody for three years prior to its present location. George grew up working in the German delicatessen his parents owned in New York. Dana, a Shelby County native, taught George the art of southern cooking.

“We’re not a chain restaurant,” Dana said. “We come up with new and fresh ideas because we want to offer variety. Our customers are repeat customers because once you try us, you’ll come back.”

Breakfast specials or all-you-can-eat breakfast is served daily. Breakfast items include: eggs, bacon, country ham, smoked sausage, ribeye, pancakes, grits, potatoes, cheese toast, French toast, and biscuits.

Lunch items include: baked chicken, chicken and dressing, pork chops, ribeye, hamburger steak, country fried steak, flounder, tilapia, meatloaf, kraut and weenies, fresh vegetables cooked a variety of ways and an array of desserts.

I tried their chicken and dumplings and hot fudge cake. The rolled-out dumplings tasted exactly like my mother’s and the hot fudge cake — a homemade brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, hot fudge and almond slivers — was out of this world. I was equally impressed with their health department rating of 98.

The Ottos depend on their employees to help make the business successful. “Just about all of them call me Momma,” Dana said. “They’re like family — our customers, too. We support their schools and churches and every year we adopt a family for Christmas through Oak Mountain Missions. Janet Veasey shopped last year with the money we raised with the help of our customers.”

Bernetti’s serves breakfast and lunch Sun.-Fri. 6 a.m.-2 p.m., breakfast only Saturday 6 a.m.-noon. To find out what’s cooking, “like” Bernetti’s Diner 2 on Facebook, have their menu faxed or call 733-3756. Bernetti’s reserves tables for large groups and offers catering.

 

Mollie Brown is a business columnist for the Shelby County Reporter. She can be reached at dmjhb1@bellsouth.net.