Copeland’s of Kingston

My boyfriend and I were in Kingston for the first time this weekend and decided to try Copeland’s for breakfast. Glad we did! It was cute and kitschy, with great customer service and wonderful food. We had pancakes, eggs, sausage, country ham and the best biscuits and gravy I can remember having in my adult life! Definitely a good meal.

We are originally from Chicago so when we heard about a place in Kingston that had Chicago style food we had to try it out. The old time diner atmosphere was fun. We had an italian beef sandwich, Chicago style hot dog, fries and onion rings. All of them were tasty. We liked the Italian beef so much that we bought some to take home. They don’t have a liquor license but you can BYOB.

Only had breakfast here but it was done in a classic diner style and was well received as such.
Nothing to write home about but also nothing to avoid. So if your looking for a decent place for food and want to support a local family owned business I recommend it for just that.

Funky little restaurant just off 40. So much better than stopping at a fast food chain. Fried Oreos were fantastic!

Set the Mood: Listen to Ronnie Milsap’s «Lost in the 50s Tonight» while you lace up your saddle shoes or white bucks or penny loafers and get ready for an auditory and gastronomic trip back in time.
Set the Scene: Copeland’s of Kingston is located on Martin Street, a narrow side street just South of I-​40, in Kingston, TN. It is a throwback to the early days of rock and roll diners – late 50s and early 60s. With checkerboard floor and table cloths and the walls filled with nostalgic posters from the 50s, the air is filled with the sounds of Elvis, The Beach Boys (not really 50s, but retro enough), and other classic rock music legends. The smells of tasty morsels just short of déjà vu overload waft through the interior.
Set the Table: The menu is loaded with lots of familiar-​sounding breakfast, lunch, and dinner-​diner-​delectables made with traditional Vienna franks, and famous Ditka Chicago meats. Their cheesesteak is almost legendary and they cannot keep up with the demand for their Reubens (often run as a special on the weekends).
Start the Action: We actually stopped in to try the hot dogs and they did not disappoint. The Chicago Dog was nearly perfect, save for the bun that got slightly mushy after a few bites … (too much steam or relish overload?) No matter, the flavors and textures were right on point. I also tried a «basic dog» (The Cart Dog) to give Copeland’s a true test of their authenticity. This puppy is a Vienna link on a soft bun, topped with yellow mustard, sauerkraut, and Red Onion Sauce. Winner, winner, winner weiner and absolutely top-​rate in flavors with a standard Vienna dog, mild mustard, tangy kraut and… wait for it… a house-​made onion relish (they call sauce) that was «Yummy Umami» on a bun. The grilled onions had a beautiful caramelization and were simmered in a savory, slightly sweet yet tangy sauce. Oh my!
Right Alongside: Lightly seasoned, house-​made chips were good when they first arrived at the table, but soon began to lose their crispiness (not entirely unexpected). However the winner for sides was the «Corn Nuggets.» I asked the waitress (a very pleasant and very attentive young woman) if they were like fritters or hushpuppies. She said she really didn’t know except that «They have creamed corn inside»). Well, they indeed were a fritter-​puppy combo with sweet corn kernels inside and a crisp crust exterior. They were served piping hot and stayed hot throughout the meal. Definitely a top-​rate recommendation from me.
Finale: A chocolate malt accompanied by homemade lemon-​merengue pie… oh my!
Wrap-​up: The place was not a knock your bobby-​sox off juke-​joint, but certainly well worth more than one visit.

The jalapeño poppers went freaking amazing! The staff were personable and at their suggestion we had deep fried Oreo cookies. This is a great place.

Decent meal to be found here. Lots of funky 50’s décor as well. Their jalapeño poppers are delicious… but every time I have come to this restaurant there has been a hair in my food.

Copeland’s has a wide variety of delicious foods ranging from authentic Chicago-​style hot dogs and sausages to handmade pizzas, salads, sandwiches, and chicken. The prices are right on for a small-​town, local establishment and you have the added luxury of watching your food made right in front of you. The owners and staff are friendly, professional, and aim to accommodate most requests. They are known for their hot dogs and Polish, but be sure to ask about the Junkyard Burger, deep friend Moon Pies, and deep fried Oreos.