Breakfast at The Wellsburger

Saturday, July 11, 2015

A few mornings ago, my sisters, brother, and I decided to take the approximately five-mile bike ride to Wellsburg, Iowa to stop at The Wellsburger for breakfast.
Now that the Wellsburger has been open for two years, we decided it was high time to visit.  In any case, the fact that it's still in business in a small town like Wellsburg proves that the proprietors, Mr. and Mrs. Mark Roder, must be doing something right.

We were greeted by the chef, Lee Gelder (second from left below), and a group of good-natured local gentlemen eating breakfast and drinking coffee, who asked us how our garden was growing, about our concrete business, etc.  It's nice to live in a small town!
The Wellsburger, is of course, most famous for its burgers (which we should return to try some time), but for breakfast I ordered two pancakes and an egg.  Pancakes are $1.25 a piece, and an egg is a dollar.  Also on the menu are bacon, sausage, side pork, ham, toast, muffins, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, potatoes, and breakfast specials that are combinations of the above.
I don't eat out often for breakfast, and when I do, my order is usually a sausage egg McMuffin, so describing exactly how I wanted my egg cooked was rather difficult...but the egg was perfect--just how I like it; I guess it's called "over hard."

My pancakes were just right as well, though my brother remarked later that he would have liked his a little more well done.  Mr. Gelder cooked himself a pancake afterwards that was almost crispy--just right in his book--I think we may have to request one like that next time.  Charity ordered French toast (see below).
The decor throughout the room was interesting.  Every few ceiling panels was covered with a couple t-shirts, some advertising other local businesses, and others with witty sayings.  There was a flag on the wall for the Iowa Hawkeyes, one for the Iowa State Cyclones, and a bumper sticker for the UNI Panthers, but I suspect the proprietors are partial to the Hawkeyes, since there was a lot more Hawkeye decor throughout the room.  

Old magazine covers, posters, and signs decorate the walls.  One sign says, "Attitude is everything: pick a good one."  My favorite is, "Don't talk about yourself...we'll do that after you leave!"  It's a fun environment.
If you're ever in or near Wellsburg, which is just off Highway 20, be sure to stop at the Wellsburger for a good meal.  Hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 6:30 to 3:00.  Wednesday and Thursday 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday 6:30 to 11:00 a.m.


62 comments:

  1. Hi Bethany! It sounds like a nice bike ride with your siblings and the restaurant sounds wonderful. The pancakes and French toast sure looked delicious. I think it's really interesting that some of the ceiling panels were covered with t shirts. That's a great idea.

    I hope you have a lovely rest of the weekend... :)

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    1. Thanks Dee! I hope you enjoy the coming weekend!

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  2. Bethany it is nice to have breakfast with siblings. I can say your breakfast seems delicious but completetely different from European stlye...

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    1. I think of pancakes and eggs as pretty American; add some sausage or bacon, and it'll be about as American as apple pie. But I'm sure the roots are European. Every New Year's Eve there's a Speckendicken dinner in Ackley, which, like Wellsburg, is a town with very German roots. Speckendicken is a German pancake of sorts made with bacon or side pork (or fruit) cooked into it.

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  3. Those pancakes look just like the ones I was dreaming of having this morning for breakfast before I poured a cup of cereal for myself :) I like that you and your family enjoy traveling around and trying new places to eat. This week I met a friend at a new to me place, Paneras and had a fresh salad and iced tea...both delicious and I had a great visit with my friend, too.

    I trust my blogroll to keep me current with your posts, Bethany, but it is a misplaced trust, I fear, because I just scrolled back to catch up with your posts since May, 10th!

    Did you make it to Portland in June?

    I went camping for a week and got to check out a ghost town on the east side of Mt. Hood that used to be known as the Wool capitol of the World by some, and then a blogging friend and her family took me on a sternwheeler ride up and down the Columbia River...both events were fun to post about...and my great niece from NE a homeschooler who likes to play chess, Laura, was here and I showed her your blog because I think you would enjoy knowing each other...although she doesn't have a blog. I think you are about the same age as well, and she lives on her parents farm.

    Our unusual heatwave has broken, but we could really use some rain. At any rate I am grateful for all the Lord provides and know I can trust Him no matter what my circumstances may be.

    May the Lord continue to bless you and yours!

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    1. No, I didn't make it back west. Your camping trip sounds fun; awesome that your great niece plays chess! Thank you for the kind comment, and may the Lord bless and be with you as well.

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  4. Hello Bethany, it sounds like a great for place you and your siblings to go to for breakfast. The pancakes, eggs and the french toast all look delicious! Thanks for sharing your review. Have a happy weekend!

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  5. Looks like a delicious breakfast after a nice bike ride. It must not be blazing hot there like it is here. Have a great weekend!

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    1. We had a few hot days, but the bike ride was before they hit. Now it's cooled down again.

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  6. The food looks delicious! Except for the egg...I don't like eggs and fried eggs are the absolute worst.
    How fun to bike ride there with your siblings. I bet you were hungry by the time you arrived! :) Riding is one of my favorite forms of exercise but sadly I do not have any siblings with time enough to accompany me.

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    1. Ha! I don't know if I've met people who disliked eggs before...but that's not quite as bad as the ones who dislike pie! Can you believe it? Some people don't even like ice cream!

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  7. sounds like a wonderful down-home place! the french toast made my mouth water!

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  8. Oh how fun! The breakfast looks delicious! I don't often eat out for breakfast either....in fact, I don't often eat breakfast until 10:00 in the morning :) I do LOVE pancakes and often enjoy them for supper {{smiles}}

    Thanks for sharing your fun time with us. I hope you're enjoying your summer.

    Also, thank you so much for the lovely visit to my blog today - it's always a joy to read your comments. Hugs

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    1. We've had pancakes for supper before as well, but most often have them for breakfast. We usually eat at 8:00, except on weekends when it's "every man for himself."

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  9. You find some of the best places to visit! It looks both yummy and fun.
    PS - how many siblings do you have? Your parents did well in naming you I think. I really like the name Bethany and Charity.

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    1. I have two sisters and a brother. And I like the names we were given as well. :)

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  10. You had me at "bike ride ", Bethany! Hahaha... What a great way to get around and explore. Sounds like such a lovely breakfast with your siblings. Your photos are really lovely, too. It's fun to capture moments like these.

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  11. Hi Bethany,
    I am so happy to note that you got to enjoy a very nice breakfast with your siblings and y'all got to the restaurant on a bicycle - that is AWESOME!
    Now, looking at this post, my stomach is giving me hints to grab a snack, but too late to do that at midnight :)
    Have a Wonderful Day!
    Peace :)

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  12. That looks like a yummy breakfast! I definitely have a weakness for pancakes and French toast drizzled in syrup. I also admire the fact that you went for a 5-mile bike ride before breakfast. ;)

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    1. Your "weakness" doesn't sound all that bad...there are some who just have a weakness for syrup. :) The ride was fun!

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  13. Hello Bethany,
    Lovely to go cycling with your brothers and have breakfast somewhere.
    The breakfast looks delicious, I now breakfast with a cup of tea and a cracker with cheese.
    Best regards, Irma

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    1. Sounds like a very light and probably somewhat healthy breakfast. :)

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  14. Now you,ve gone and done it! I'm hungry!

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    1. Perhaps I should consider adding a disclaimer to read and look at photos at your own risk. :) Hope you find something good to eat!

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  15. Hey Bethany, Thanks for glimpse of Wellsburger! Sounds like a great place to grab a bite to eat. There's nothing like small town living, where everyone knows your name. :)

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    1. It's nice to live somewhere where people are neighborly.

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  16. Hello Beth,

    That egg breakfast looks so good hehehe. Looks so british :) I love those green landscapes! Love, Liuba x

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    1. I prefer everything green as well...the white landscapes can be beautiful, but are so cold!

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  17. Looks like a really fun place with great atmosphere. And those pancakes looked SO good!! And biking there at least helps make them guilt-free! Lol
    Happy weekend. xo

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  18. Hi Bethany, Immediately after reading this post, I opened up Google Maps and did a search for Wellsburger, Wellsburg, Iowa. GM did not seem to know where the Wellsburger was, but it sure showed me Wellsburg. Distance from home 1748 miles, about 25 hours driving time. I'll bet their burgers are great and probably worth the trip from Seattle ... what do you think? :-) Your breakfast looked good, but I would have ordered the biscuits and gravy ... my favorite, altho please don't tell my doctor. LOL. Now, if I ever make it to the Wellsburger I want to check out that little shelf that has the souvenir hats. I might buy one of those or maybe a t-shirt like Mr. Gelder is wearing. Great post!

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    1. If you can find the Wellsburg Public Library, it's just across the street. Considering it's only a few miles from me, I probably should give the burgers a try before you make the 25 hour trip. ;) Biscuits and gravy is a favorite dish at my house as well.

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  19. Yummy looking breakfast food! I hope the place does well. Another interesting post!

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  20. Sounds like a fun morning to me. I would have had to have ordered some bacon!

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    1. With about 6 hogs for every 1 person living in Iowa, I imagine we could have ordered all the bacon we wished!

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  21. A morning bike ride with siblings to go out for breakfast sounds like so much fun! This past weekend, I did something similar with a few of my sisters--we walked together to the local market for breakfast. None of us own bikes, unfortunately--that is one activity I really miss from when we lived in the midwest countryside!

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    1. Hopefully you had a shorter walk to the market than our ride was! I'm sure your breakfast was very interesting/different from a Midwestern one!

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  22. Not the kind of breakfast to have everyday, but then again, not every day is everyday!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. I break the monotony up once in a while with ice cream and apple pie for breakfast. ;) They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away...

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  23. As I sit here, munching on my oatmeal, I am drooling at YOUR breakfast. Looks delicious....both the pancakes and egg...AND the french toast. I too have to have my egg cooked just right. NO Runny stuff please!!!

    Oh and the bike ride, countryside looks like it made it a perfect day.

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    1. Sounds like we are pretty much like-minded on how we like our eggs cooked. :)

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  24. oooooo dear, that all looks so good. you could warn a girl, i just ate a granola bar, no joke!!!!

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    1. There are a lot of blogs out there that make me hungry!

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  25. All those breakfast foods looks divine! The egg looks perfectly done and the pancakes with syrup...omgoodness. I would not want to live too close to that restaurant. Ha! I hope the owner gets a lot of business from your wonderful post. :)

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    1. I think we'll manage to stay in shape if we bike or walk there. :)

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  26. Bike rides are so much fun, especially if they are meant to end in such a wonderful place to have delicious breakfast :) That looks so yummy. Now I am craving crispy pancakes :D And I'm in for a bike ride to such a lovely breakfast place.
    I hope you are doing well, Bethany. Thank you so much for your sweet comment.
    I hope you are having an amazing week :)

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  27. Oh, yum! That French toast looks delicious---too bad I have neither eggs or bread right now:)
    Blessings, Aimee

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  28. It sounds so nice to bike somewhere and have breakfast there. Back in Germany we used to bike to our favorite ice cream place on a beautiful Sunday. It was a lovely ride through the green valley into town.

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  29. I love hometown diners...this sounds like a good one.

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  30. I love the closeness and openness small-town communities. The food looks so delicious too!

    A Vapor in the Wind

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    1. Even the water was delicious to me (especially after the bike ride).

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  31. It's always fun to try new places.

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  32. Thanks for the kind words. My wife and I opened The Wellsburger in 2013, Lee Gelder cooks breakfast for us but has no ownership in the business (though we couldn't get along without him). Our signature burgers make us unique, but like the town it's named after, the people are what make it great.

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    1. Oops, sorry about that; totally just an incorrect assumption on my part. I will correct the article. Thanks!

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