After our immersive Van Gogh experience, Mom and Dad wanted to take me out for lunch to celebrate my birthday. Tom and I had been wanting to go to the Galena Diner ever since we moved to the area and rode our tandem bike through Galena the first time. With Covid-19 restrictions, it was too small and too busy for us to feel comfortable dining in. But on November 10 there were several tables available and we decided to try it.
Galena is a tiny, old-fashioned town surrounded by the growing suburbs of Columbus. Although the rest of Delaware County is growing like crazy, Galena is basically landlocked between Sunbury and Westerville and its population hasn’t changed much in the last 150 years, remaining close to 700 residents. The small “downtown” area has a square with parking and a line of restaurants along one side of the square. The post office and town hall are two sides of the square, and Big Walnut Creek forms the final side of the square. The Ohio to Erie Bike trail goes through several small parks in town and the Galena Diner and the other restaurants see lots of bike traffic when the weather is nice.
The Galena Diner is the smallest of the restaurants. If all the tables were full, there would be about 30 people in the Diner. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and a variety of homemade desserts. Their menu features Gerber broasted chicken. Gerber Chicken is an Amish company located in Holmes County. Broasted chicken is made in a special pressure fryer invented by “LAM” Phelan in Beloit, Wisconsin in the late 1940’s. Broasted chicken is less greasy and jucier than fried chicken.
Two waitresses were working the day we ate at the Galena Diner. Both of them do everything they can to help out the one cook. Because the diner is so small, it is easy for them to see everything that is going on. They are both excellent, professional servers and it was clear they knew the regulars who were coming in. Our waitress served us quickly and efficiently and made sure we had whatever we needed. She also took a great picture of the four of us together.
Dad ordered the black bean soup with a side salad. Mom got a cashew chicken salad and I ordered a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with a side of fresh fruit. Tom ordered a two-egg omelet with home fries. All of the food was delicious. My only ding with the grilled ham and cheese was that there was too much ham. Dad ate part of my ham and cheese sandwich which kept me from leaving any on my plate. The prices were reasonable and we would have loved to try some dessert, but Mom had baked me a birthday cake. So we needed to go back home to enjoy it.
We will definitely eat at the Galena Diner again. Tom said we would have to ride the tandem there in order to earn our lunch. But I’m not sure I want to wait until bike-riding season in order to eat there again.