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On The Cheap

Paul Revere Restaurant

It’s the kind of place you’d expect to stumble upon on the rural roads of Missouri or the congested byways of suburban New Jersey. It’s the kind of spot that triggers a hankering for a slice of pie or a bowl of Jell-O. It’s a landmark despite itself.

How else to explain Paul Revere Restaurant? The narrow Medford breakfast joint boasts pristine preservation of its original blueprint. Yes, that stool on which you gulp bottomless cups of joe has probably been occupied since the restaurant opened in 1938. Don’t believe us? Look at the scratches on the booths, or the old-school wainscoting. Or check out the photograph of the original owner that hangs on the back wall: if you look at it from the right angle, you can spot the shadow of the icebox that still stands in the corner (it was refitted with electrical fixings when refrigeration replaced ice as a cooling mechanism).

Perched on the fringe of a mecca of upscale bistros, cafés, and pizzerias, Paul Revere dishes out the simplest pleasures. It’s comfort food without the wink: a pair of eggs done to your liking, with toast ($3); omelets with unembellished home fries and toast ($5–$5.50); oversize fluffy pancakes priced by the flapjack ($2.15/one; $3.75/two; $6.25/five; $2.50/one with fruit; $4.25/two with fruit). The roster of sandwiches runs from grilled cheese with Swiss and cheddar ($2.60–$3.25) to a roast-beef club ($6.25) and jumbo burgers ($3.65–$5.25). A vigilant waitress is never far off with a new bottle of ketchup or a fresh pot of coffee.

During the week, co-owners Jim Wright and Joe Schanda add a lunch special here and there, but for the most part, the menu has gone unchanged. “We like to keep it like it is — the old style,” says Wright. “There’s not too many around anymore.”

Paul Revere Restaurant | 447 High Street, Medford | Mon-Fri, 7 am-2 pm; Sat-Sun, 7 am-1 pm | 781.395.9867.