Nestled on the foodie-friendly northeast corner of 1300 South and 1100 East in Sugarhouse, the Hub & Spoke Diner shares an intersection with Japanese standby joint Kyoto and the all-natural grocery store Liberty Heights Fresh. Hub & Spoke is the new kid on the block and shares a building with a clothing boutique and Age Performance Gym. Given its location and culinary cousins (it is part of the same restaurant group as Finca, Pago and East Liberty Tap House), you might be worried that it would be as expensive as it is hip.
I am very happy to report that Hub & Spoke is as pleasant a place to be as it is tasty, boasting neighborhood diner appeal and downtown quality dishes at surprisingly affordable prices. As owner/operator Scott Evans said, it “seems like the neighborhood really wanted a casual, family-friendly restaurant with good food, good ingredients and also a liquor license.”
One of the best things about Hub & Spoke is its wide appeal. On a recent Friday morning, a gaggle of University Hospital nurses ate next to young families and older folks catching up after their workout, all well before 9 a.m. The range in clientele reflects the appeal of the menu.
Playing up traditional diner fare with local ingredients and in-house techniques is where Hub & Spoke is at its strongest. It seems like whatever the diner can do in its own kitchen it does, from fresh-squeezed lemonade and orange juice ($2.75/$4.75) to culturing its own butter, and you really can taste the difference.
Perfect for late-rising students, morning fare takes up half the menu and is offered all day. Brunch and breakfast shine with a Crab Salad Eggs Benedict ($10.99), best-seller Kentucky Hot Brown ($11), Pecan Waffles ($8.25), and a Breakfast Banh Mi ($9.99) among classics like Sour Cream Flapjacks ($8.99) and Corned Beef Hash ($11). As far as caffeine goes, the coffee supplied by local roaster La Barba does not disappoint and offers commuters a $2.25 to-go cup.
The Porchetta Eggs Benedict ($13) was savory and well-seasoned, though it overpowered some of the subtlety of the Hollandaise, and served with a side of perfectly cooked Hub & Spoke potatoes.
As for the student budget test, can you get out of Hub & Spoke for $10 or less? Yes. Besides a lunch and breakfast menu in which half of the full-serving items are under budget, their Lighter Fare and sides menus are all under $10, and you won’t feel like you’ve been relegated to the world of toast and egg whites. Lighter Fare includes coconut milk Overnight Bulger ($6), fruit salad with granola and yogurt ($8) and specialty omelets ($9).
Here’s the best surprise on the menu: a full bar that serves pie and drunken milkshakes. However, a recent grad warned me that the Salted Caramel Boozy Shake (bourbon, caramel, sea salt, ice cream, $8.50) may “put you on the floor” — in the best way possible.
Committed to keeping diner hours, Hub & Spoke is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. With finals nearly here, you may be compelled to start your day with a quick half-serving of Pound Cake French Toast ($6) and wrap it up with a celebratory daiquiri ($8) and slice of Moroccan Spiced Pumpkin Pie ($5) after exams.
@Samalammah