Coffee's On: Sissy's, Belford's Niche

A snowy day won't prevent Dave Hegeman from going for coffee at . And he's not alone.

To hear the native of Middletown's  section tell it, most of the locals that frequent the eclectic little storefront coffee shop at 868 Main Street would never let a snowstorm keep them from missing a day's worth of activity there, either.

Sipping a cuppa Joe and sporting a New York Giants cap while glancing at the sports pages of a local newspaper, Hegeman listed his reasons for coming to Sissy's on a recent weekend morning, even on as the mercury hovered around 21 degrees Fahrenheit.

"It's a very, very local feeling here," Hegeman said. "It's the type of place where you want to come because everyone you know is in here. Even a snowy day, this is where you'll find everyone. It's a meeting spot."

Hegeman also enjoys catching up with Nancy Fix, who has waitressed at the family-owned restaurant since it first opened in 1998.

Back then, Sissy's was located at the south end of the same strip shopping center within the Campbell's Junction business district, Fix explained.

"We were a few doors down," she said. "We've been here since 2003."

Turns out that Hegeman and Fix go back a long way. Both know most of the regulars who come in for Sissy's omelettes, pancakes, french toast or breakfast sandwiches.

"Nancy and I have known each other since kindergarten," said Hegeman, a graduate of Middletown.

Another waitress and a fellow Middletown North graduate, Debra D'Alessio chimed in as she picked up a coffee pot near the counter where Hegeman sat.

"And the food is excellent," D'Alessio said as she headed off to serve another customer.

Even by 11 a.m., customers were still ordering breakfast foods as Fix and D'Alessio quickly delivered orders to the kitchen. Within what seemed like minutes, the orders were delivered to patrons sitting in booths and at tables. Though the two waitresses kept up a frenetic pace, one could sense a comfortable, relaxed, casual atmosphere.

The nautically themed coffee shop is owned by Sissy Smith, who both Fix and D'Alessio indicated can usually be found working the grill at her second restaurant, in

That location at 8 Simon Lake Drive is adjacent to the pier where ferries drop off commuters crossing  from New York City.

Back in Belford, D'Alessio and Fix praised their longtime boss.

"She's a wonderful, wonderful girl," said D'Alessio, who has worked for Smith for five years.

"She's a real peach," Fix said.

While waiting for a meal, one can easily pass time reading the numerous signs with various sayings that are scattered about the eatery's walls.

Among some of the more notable ones: "Jersey girls don't pump gas," "Beware of attack owner," "Beware of attack waitress," "Pledge allegiance," and "Welcome to our zoo."

Some of the signs ask quirky questions or give anecdotal advice, mostly from a woman's point of view. For instance: "If a man yells in a forest and no woman hears him, is he still wrong?" "Drink till he's cute," and "I gave him the skinniest years of my life."

Smith purchases the signs and displays them in both restaurants, D'Alessio said.

"She picked out all of the signs in her travels," D'Alessio said. "She's very upbeat."

"It's definitely a woman's touch," Hegeman added.

Ice water, iced tea, and sodas are served in , which is another of Sissy's one-of-a-kind touches.

With its blue and white walls, Sissy's 64-seat dining room serves as a reminder to visitors that the beachfront is nearby. One sign even reads "Home sweet boat." Many paintings on display show lighthouses, boats and other nautical themes.

As  the window sign outside tells diners, Sissy's serves "breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner." More specifically, dinners are served Monday through Friday when the eatery stays open until 8 p.m., D'Alessio said.

Lunch and dinner customers can choose from a menu of soups, deli sandwiches, burgers and fries, side or meal-sized salads, or seafood and chicken platters. A children's menu is also available as are a variety of desserts.

While Smith has some of her family members working in both locations, the Belford restaurant employs six waitresses and three cooks, D'Alessio said.

Sissy's opens on weekdays at 6 a.m. On weekends, the operating hours run from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parking is available on site in the shopping center lot.