The Inn breakfast

Federal Way’s Village Inn has a homey, relaxed feel resembling other traditional American cuisine chain restaurants.  The restaurant’s interior is simple, if a little dated, with comfortable booths as well as tables. Ambiance is not why one would go to Village Inn — value for the entire family is.



Espresso, fruit smoothies and shakes are quite popular and made well. A double shot vanilla latte costs just over $3, beating Starbucks by a mile. It tasted airy and smooth — no burnt coffee taste here.



For breakfast, try fluffy biscuits with creamy peppered country gravy ($7), omelets packed with mouthwatering ingredients ($8) — smoked ham, baby spinach, hollandaise, Swiss cheese — or choose from seven different breakfast skillets ($8) of enormous proportions accompanied by two rich buttermilk pancakes just in case the piled high skillets don’t satisfy your appetite.

Note: Hawaiian strawberry pie is perfectly respectable to have with breakfast or as part of any meal; also, pecan and pineapple filling is to die for and satisfies daily dietary requirements for fruit.



[Village Inn, 31711 Pacific Highway S., Federal Way, 253.941.9860]

One of the best

Best Burgers in Lakewood has given itself a lofty name to live up to. The blue and pink building is technically a fast-food drive-thru, though you can walk-up order or drive-up order like at an old school drive-in. A seating area on the side of the restaurant offers the option of an outdoor picnic setting complete with overflowing pots of flowers and a little shade if the time of day is right. Best Burgers serves so much more than burgers, too. Breakfast can be had all day — French toast, free hash browns with every breakfast sandwich ordered from 7 a.m. till 10 a.m., or try Peggy’s Cinnamon rolls (divine). The lunch/dinner menu features more than 15 sandwiches, burgers or basket combo meals ranging from fried shrimp, fish and chicken sandwiches, pulled barbecue pork sammie ($2.09) and a plethora of milkshake flavors to wash it all down with. The French fries were a lovely golden tan, crisp and only lightly salted, allowing the honest potato flavor to come through and leaving the final sodium count up to you — the drive-thru guest. I enjoyed fresh lettuce, real cheese, crisp bacon and an evenly toasted bun with what may not have been the best burger, but what was a mighty fine and satisfying one.

[Best Burgers, 7714 Custer Rd., Lakewood, (253) 472-0736]