Sinclair’s Sunrise Cafe is at the heart of Kennett Square’s historic district in more ways than one.
Lynn Sinclair opened the quaint cafe seven years ago, and her family has deep roots in and around the borough. Lynn’s grandfather owned and operated Sinclair’s Restaurant on State Street from before WWI to the mid-40’s, specializing in Chincoteague Oysters and home-made ice cream. Lynn and her brother Don also co-owned Sinclair’s Cafe located in Newark, Delaware, before Lynn’s love of genealogy led her back to the borough. Now, in addition to serving breakfast and lunch in her splendid cafe, Lynn also chairs the Kennett Square Borough Historical Commission.
The Sunrise Cafe carries an upscale country feel and showcases the area’s heritage and history. One wall is lined with historic photos and maps. Showing through the glass top tables, diners can examine historic newspaper clippings and photographs. One table highlights the fire company, another table features the history of parades in the borough. A large table toward the rear depicts what life was like for those operating the Underground Railroad in Southern Chester County.
Lynn and her staff of five serve diners seven days a week at the cafe. “I like the social aspect. I’m here all the time,” Lynn said. “We have regulars during the week, on weekends we also have visitors from Longwood Gardens stop in. Sometimes, people have a short wait on weekends.” The cafe has 54 seats.
I asked Lynn what’s the most popular item on the menu, and she told me the poached eggs, which come in eight versions with names such as Longwood Eggs, Brandywine Eggs, and Eggs New York. I tried the Kennett Square Poached Eggs and they came out looking fabulous. Each poached egg sat on an English muffin half with white mushrooms and smoked gouda cheese. A side of red potatoes completed the dish.
Not having eaten poached eggs for a long time, I wanted to know the secret to successful poaching. “You want to use a drop of vinegar and salt to keep the egg together when you drop it in the water,” Lynn explained. As I dove into the eggs, Lynn suggested I try her homemade hot sauce and placed a few bottles on the table. I sampled the Peach Habanero Hot Sauce with my eggs, and the initial soothing peach taste was sweet while the spicy habanero lingered.
Lynn explained the Peach Habanero Hot Sauce was a matter of making lemonade from lemons. Back in the nineties, she had been invited to sell her multi-grain pancake mix and her jams during the QVC “50 states in 50 weeks” tour back in the nineties. Unfortunately, her peach jam did not sell well on the shopping network and she was left with inventory. That’s when she had the idea to make a peach hot sauce, and after experimentation, she hit upon the awesome recipe.
In addition to eggs and hot sauces, the cafe features a different style of whole grain pancake each week. During my visit, I sampled an delicious almond whole wheat pancake served with Pennsylvania maple syrup. It proved the perfect soothing antidote to the hot sauce.
Sinclair’s lunch offering is varied and includes Waldorf Chicken Salad, Club Sandwiches, and Chicken Hoagie Wraps. Other interesting sandwiches include the “Kimba” – a grilled hickory ham and Swiss cheese with pineapple chutney, and the Bayard Taylor Hunt – a grilled Monterey Jack cheese, turkey sausage, sauerkraut and dijon mustard.
Sinclair’s Sunrise Cafe is open on weekdays from 7 a.m.– 2 p.m. Weekends they are open from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
