South of Lane | Facebook | @southoflane | IG: @southoflane
1987 Guilford Rd. (map it!)
Upper Arlington, OH 43221
(614) 586-2233
Open Tues-Sat, 7a-2p; Sun, 8a-1p
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/Y
Kid-friendly? Y
South of Lane is the kind of quaint and cozy cafe you look for in the cold months of the year. The little Upper Arlington spot is part cafe and part eclectic boutique, so while you feast on waffles and omelets, you can eye the jewelry and other items on the shelves.
It’s been too long since I’ve written about South of Lane, so it was worth a re-visit. One of the best things about the cafe is the sense of humor about the place. Yes, it fits nicely with the “old” part of Upper Arlington, but there’s also something a little wry and irreverent about it. The owner Catherine has said she knows full well the initials of her cafe are “SoL.”
See also: the kitschy names to the dishes, especially the rotating specials. On our recent visit they were featuring The Man-Bun and The Girly-Bun, as well as the Walk of Shame.
South of Lane scores high on my list for two dishes: waffles and omelets. I’ve had so many subpar versions of each that I tend to shy away, but SoL executes them well. The omelets are creative and always properly done – none of these overly done, browned rolls of eggs.
Okay, third bonus: good hash browns. I’ll always choose them over home fries.
And the waffles are light and crispy while still holding their structure. You can also try different syrups, from real maple syrup to blueberry syrup to bourbon syrup.
I couldn’t help but try the special of the day, the Walk of Shame. “All the best parts of last night with a fresh, new outlook.”
It was risotto crisped up on the grill and served with peas, portabella, bacon, and parmesan, plus two fried eggs and a side salad.
The substantial West omelet, loaded with ham, bacon, peppers, and cheddar.
And if you really like the syrup, you can take a bottle home with you!
