Welcome back to mmm-yoso!!! the blog with percolating posts. Today, Kirk and ed(from Yuma) are busy and Cathy is posting about a North County restaurant inside a grocery store.
Well, another year has passed and The Mister and I celebrated our eight days of birthday with many meals. (Our birthdays are seven days apart, and celebrating on the day of and on the day of makes it eight days when we deliberately do something a bit out of the ordinary.) For one breakfast, we drove to Carlsbad and Tip Top Meats, a German grocery store, which has a nice restaurant inside.
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Yes, I've written only one post on Tip Top, coincidentally a birthday breakfast, even though we have enjoyed many lunches and dinners here. Vicky also wrote a post, which included some other menu items.
There is a small list of some meal items, located at the entrance.
Once inside, the grocery store is overflowing with various German and European sundries, condiments and side dishes. The vast meat counters are filled with a wide array of fresh meat choices-
-as well as smoked meats. We passed this area quickly, as there was no line at the cash register for the restaurant, ordered, paid and chose a place to sit.
The condiments on each table include mustard choices along with the usual catsup, Tapatio and A-1.
Soon, our meals were brought to us. The Mister ordered the Big John Breakfast ($7.98) Three eggs (over easy), potatoes and all you want meat. This first meat selection was the breakfast sausage and bacon.
Later, Polish sausage and Bratwurst were choices. (Ham, the other meat choice, wasn't ordered this day)
I decided to go all out and ordered the steak and eggs ($8.98) Two eggs, poached, and a Delmonico cut of steak, cooked rare-medium. Of course, we each asked for rye toast.
Very nicely poached eggs…the yolk was fresh, velvety,wonderful.
You can see the rare cooked,very tender cut of dry grilled steak in this photo. A perfect breakfast!
On the way out, we stopped at my favorite aisle, all licorice…my weakness…so many choices, all good.
Tip Top Meats 6118 Paseo del Norte Carlsbad 92011 (760)438-2620 Website
Oh man, I’ve been meaning to go back here. I used to work nearby and this was a regular spot for us. Looks tasty!
I’ve heard a lot of this place ever since moving down to SD and still haven’t had the chance to check them out. I’m always up for a hearty breakfast, sounds good..
I’ve been wanting to try this place so bad! Their prices seem so reasonable and the portions huge. How was the bacon/sausage – was it dry?
I love reading your annual birthday week posts!
I haven’t been to Tip Top Meats in ages, but I remember there’s always a large number of senior citizens dining there (Older folks = reasonable prices + large portions).
We try to stop here when when in North County, Jan. Always good.
It opens at 0600 every day, Dennis. You’ll like it. (You just walk up and with your receipt to ask for more meat if you order the Big John.)
Oh Faye- they make the sausage here and each type is distinctive-not dry at all. The bacon is wonderful!-thick cut; meaty.
Thanks, Kirbie! It’s fun to share.
The first time we went here, Sandra, we just thought it was :a) German (every place I know named Tip Top in Detroit was owned by Germans) and 2. a grocery store. Then we saw a line of (yes-older)people…it was a Friday, and TT only does the Prime Rib Roast special on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A very large portion of meat, cooked as you like, and one rib bone along with all the sides. Back then it was $4 or $5; now it’s $13…still a great deal.
Wow! All you can eat meat… Mmmmm… Can you get the breakfast special all day long?
I actually remember the prime rib dinners for $5! I also remember going there on St. Patrick’s Day where there was a looooong line (not just older folks) for the corned beef dinner.
I believe they only serve breakfast in the mornings.
Hi, Soo. Breakfast goes until noon. There is usually a long line/full seating on weekends when breakfast and lunch are overlapping.
I think part of the allure is that Tip Top is an old fashioned ‘local’ butcher shop, Sandy. Went in for breakfast in January and Big John was there greeting everyone- and it was his birthday! I didn’t know about St. Patrick’s day; writing it down.