Sylvia Anderson

D & G Restaurant

1918 Frederick Ave.

232-7170

D & G is one of St. Joseph’s landmarks, established in 1945. It’s been known as a family restaurant for years, with a comfortable, traditional decor. “Aged” paneled walls are lined with vintage signs, photos and memorabilia collected by the original owners, Izzy Day and Julius “Judy” Glazer. So you might see President Nixon or a young Burt Reynolds looking at you while munching on your fried chicken. Customers have been known to take photos of the photos, says Pam Miner, a long-time employee at D & G.

A St. Joseph News-Press reader submitted D & G’s scrappy beef and hot cheese on sourdough bread with “the best french fries in town” as a Best Bite. It has been on the menu since the restaurant’s beginning. Fried chicken, however, is actually their best seller, Pam says. The chicken was taken off the menu once because they thought people might want something different. They were wrong. D & G’s fried whole catfish and tenderloin tie for second most popular item on the menu, Pam says. And a lot of people come for chicken livers and gizzards.

If you want something out of the ordinary, mountain oysters are a regular on the menu.

The restaurant has a variety of specials, including daily lunch options and an all-you-can eat lunch buffet on Wednesdays for $6.99. It’s a smaller buffet than on Sundays, which is offered from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes breakfast options such as omelets and biscuits and gravy, along with a salad bar and a variety of dinner items such as ham and, of course, fried chicken. The food and price ($9.59 adults, $8.59 seniors) makes this a popular place to be Sunday after church.

Smoking is still allowed in some areas, including the bar area and Memory Lane. Memory Lane is a room that used to be the lounge with a dance floor and juke box and now is one of the dining rooms. There are several other rooms in the back that also can be reserved for groups. You do have to order something to eat, but it’s free. Just check for availability. Since D & G’s is located on busy Frederick Avenue, parking is limited on the street, so you need to go around back to park and can enter through their back door and come down the steps.

D & G’s is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.