On a lively stretch of Bleecker Street in downtown Utica, New York, a family-owned breakfast diner has been winning hearts, feeding locals, and breathing new life into the neighborhood since 2016. 🍳☕
Craylee’s is the kind of place where every dish tells a story — named after real family members, rooted in genuine home-cooking traditions, and served with the kind of warmth that only a truly family-run spot can deliver.
How Craylee’s won Utica’s hearts
The name Craylee’s itself says everything about what this place is — a single mother combined the names of her two children, Christian and Haylee, to create something that wasn’t just a restaurant, but a living, breathing extension of her family. 💛
When Craylee’s opened its doors in 2016, it arrived as exactly what downtown Utica needed — a warm, honest, locally-owned breakfast gem that prioritized fresh, from-scratch cooking over trends or gimmicks, instantly becoming a cornerstone of the neighborhood’s revitalization story.
Locals quickly spread the word that this was no ordinary diner — this was a place where you could order a Giambotta, that beloved Utica specialty of eggs scrambled with sausage, potatoes, greens, and peppers, and experience it made with the kind of care that only a true neighborhood institution could deliver. 🌶️
The restaurant has since earned a devoted following that spans the entire Greater Utica area, with fans driving in from neighboring towns just to sit down for a plate of the iconic Wafflewich or a stack of the kitchen’s legendary cannoli-stuffed pancakes on a lazy weekend morning.
Reviewers consistently describe Craylee’s as “the best breakfast in Utica” — praising the generous portions, the bold flavors, and the consistency of a kitchen that clearly takes enormous pride in every plate that leaves it. ☕🍽️
The best locally-owned breakfast spot in Utica, NY doesn’t advertise with flashy campaigns or trendy pop-ups — it simply shows up every morning, opens its doors, and does what it’s always done: cook real food with real love for the real people of this community.
Food Highlights
- The Wafflewich: “Best known” by the owner herself as Craylee’s one-of-a-kind signature creation — a round Belgian waffle split in half to form a sandwich around eggs, cheese, three strips of bacon, two sausage patties, and ham. 🧇🥓
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Paula’s Giambotta: The undisputed heart of the menu and a true Utica breakfast specialty — scrambled eggs with sausage, potato, greens, onions, sweet and hot peppers, all topped with melted mozzarella cheese and served with toast. 🌶️🧀
- Hannah’s Special: Named after a real person — two eggs any style, with bacon or sausage, served with a choice of potato and toast.
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Barb’s Skillet — Meat Lovers: A hearty breakfast skillet built with three scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, and potatoes, topped with melted cheddar cheese and served with toast. 🍳🔥
- Cannoli-Stuffed Pancakes: A Sunday special that has taken on legendary status among Craylee’s most devoted fans — rich, cannoli cream-filled pancakes. 🥞🇮🇹
- John’s Sausage Gravy and Biscuits: A soul-warming Southern-inspired classic, served with a choice of potato — rich, creamy sausage gravy ladled generously over warm biscuits. 🍪☕
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Haylee’s Low Carb: Named after the owner’s daughter — two scrambled eggs with tomatoes, mushrooms, sweet peppers, and onions over a bed of greens, topped with cheddar cheese. 🥗
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Old Fashion Italian Omelet: A flavor-packed omelet loaded with sausage, greens, sweet and hot peppers, and onions, finished with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella on top. 🇮🇹
Atmosphere
Craylee’s carries the comfortable, lived-in warmth of a true neighborhood diner — the kind of place where the exposed ductwork gives it a “millennial casual” character and the coffee is always hot. ☕🏠
It’s a small, cozy space that fills up quickly on weekends, so arriving early is always a smart move — but even when it’s buzzing, the energy is cheerful and communal.
This is a place where downtown Utica comes together — regulars, hotel guests from the nearby DoubleTree, and curious first-timers all sharing the same genuine, unpretentious family breakfast in Utica, NY experience. 🧡
Bottom Line
Five reasons to visit Craylee’s in Utica, NY: 🍳🏆
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A true family story behind every dish — personal, passionate, and genuinely heartfelt
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Home of the iconic Wafflewich — Utica’s most talked-about breakfast creation
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Legendary Paula’s Giambotta — the ultimate expression of the classic Utica breakfast
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Generous portions and bold, scratch-made flavors that rival any restaurant in the region
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A cornerstone of downtown Utica’s revival — warm, welcoming, and worth every visit
Address:
237 Bleecker St, Utica, NY 13501
📞 (315) 507-4713
🕔 Open Tue–Sun, 7 AM–2 PM (closed Monday)