A new addition to Willington, Connecticut, the family-owned Flat Pennies Kitchen is open weekdays and weekends for breakfast and lunch.
“We’re family-run, family-oriented, but [we] welcome everybody here,” said Laura Pineo, the owner of Flat Pennies Kitchen. “…So far [business has been] really fortunate, we’re grateful to the folks coming out.”
The restaurant opened in September 2022, but Pineo and her family have been managing another restaurant, The Red Cabin in South Windsor, Connecticut, for more than 16 years.
“…The Red Cabin in South Windsor, we’ve been there for 17 years,” Pineo said. “We’ve always wanted to do another location. Great building, great location.”
Both Flat Pennies Kitchen and The Red Cabin serve the same food, according to Pineo.
“[It is the] same exact menu, same food,” she added. “It does breakfast and lunch, and we actually cater at both locations.”
While the new Flat Pennies Kitchen has only been offering breakfast and lunch for its first few months, dinner items are expected to be added to the menu in the coming months.
“We’re hoping for March right now,” Pineo said of the anticipated menu addition of dinner.
The current menu includes a variety of brunch items and can be found on Flat Pennies Kitchen’s website. Popular dishes among customers, according to Pineo, are the Sammie’s Wrap, the Crossfitter, the California Eggs Benny and Mess Madness.
According to Pineo, the Sammie’s Wrap is “something different.” A sizable meal, it contains eggs, sausage, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Pineo describes the Crossfitter as being on the healthier side, with turkey sausage, turkey bacon, scrambled egg whites and feta. The California Eggs Benedict, she says, isn’t a typical eggs benedict, as it comes with their sun-dried tomato hollandaise sauce. The Mess Madness, also accompanied by their hollandaise sauce, combines bacon, sausage, cheddar cheese, onions, and home fries with eggs and a side of cornbread.
Approximately 15 minutes from UConn, Pineo considers the restaurant “just another place for [UConn] students and staff to go to.”
College students also qualify for a student discount of 25%, as long as they bring their ID with them to the restaurant.
“We’re also for college students, and we’re offering a 25% discount on your meals,” Pineo said. “You just have to show your student ID.”
The restaurant is located at 12 Tolland Road in Willington, and the hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. More information can be found on the website or by contacting Pineo at 860-477-1370 and/or flatpennies2022@gmail.com.
