A waffle with cheesecake on top? A new breakfast restaurant in Fresno sells it and more
Daddy Waffles is a new breakfast restaurant that opened at the northwest corner of Herndon and Marks avenues Saturday.
Where did that name come from?
Obviously, it serves waffles — at least 15 kinds of them — and a lot of other breakfast food too.
It’s also nickname for owner Ammar Ibrahim. His little daughter called him that once while at work. His co-workers loved the term. They made him a sweater with the words “Daddy Waffles” on it.
It became a nickname and the rest is history.
“It just stuck,” he said. “What better way to brand something?”
Now it’s the name of a new restaurant in the spot once occupied by Peruvian restaurant Limón.
The restaurant
Ibrahim is also the owner of the Waffle Shop on Figarden Drive, the restaurant that gained followers — and fines — by defying state mandates to keep its dining room open during some COVID-19 restrictions.
The Waffle Shop still attracts crowds, especially on weekends (and there are no plans to close it, even after the arrival of Daddy Waffles).
Many customers are older and can’t or don’t want to wait for long stretches of time for a table, he said. So he started asking where they were coming from and discovered many were from the Marks and Herndon neighborhood.
So he decided to open a location there.
But don’t expect it to be another Waffle Shop
“This is a Vegas vibe, San Francisco vibe,” he said. “I want something different.”
The walls are covered in images of waffles, wallpaper that was specially designed by a friend. All sorts of fun signs cover the walls.
The restaurant has one wall dedicated to honoring veterans with a large American flag.
The menu
The breakfast and lunch menu here is similar to Waffle Shop, but with some differences.
The waffles are plate-sized Belgian waffles, with all kinds of topping.
They include a bacon waffle with bacon on top and inside, along with waffles topped with strawberries, apples, cherries and more.
One indulgent option? The Little Debbie cheesecakes waffle. It’s a waffle served with a full slice of cheesecake on it, bacon, pecans and maple syrup for $15.
“Debbie is a friend,” Ibrahim explains. “That’s her go-to guilty pleasure.”
The restaurant will serve its No. 1 seller at Waffle Shop, chicken and waffles. The dish is essentially half a chicken stacked in four pieces vertically on a knife sticking straight up from the waffle.
The large menu includes all the other typical breakfast favorites and then some, including eggs, omelets, pancakes, eggs Benedict, avocado toast, and biscuits and gravy.
Sandwiches and burgers are on the menu too, along with loaded tater tots smothered in bacon, sausage, gravy and cheese.
“You’re never going to leave my place hungry,” he said.
Most entrees cost between $13.99 and $16.
For the budget-minded, there are also specials on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. priced at $7.99 and under. Each features food (like an omelet or biscuits and gravy) with coffee.
Pie, muffins and other baked goods are also available.
This location also has a patio.
It opens at 6 a.m. daily because Ibrahim noticed neighborhood residents were out walking early in the morning. It will be open 365 days a year.
“ I love the Central Valley. I love the support I get out of it,” he said. “This restaurant only (opened) because I got community support.”
Details: Daddy Waffles is at 7089 N. Marks Ave., suite 101. Hours: 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
This story was originally published November 11, 2022 at 10:48 AM.
