Picture a plate of eggs, crispy home fries, and thick Italian toast landing in front of you while the owner stops by to ask how everything tastes. 🍳
That is breakfast at Marketside in Niagara Falls, a family-run spot in the historic City Market feeding this city since 1939.
Locals line up for it, and visitors keep coming back.
How Marketside Restaurant won Niagara Falls’ hearts
It all began with Grandma Rosie, who worked the lunch counter at Kresge’s Department Store in the 1930s and decided her family could do the same thing. 🥞
Her grandson, current owner Tony Poletti, recalls her saying exactly that, and that is how the whole story began.
In the early days she cooked the food in a neighboring house and carried it over to the dining area. Later generations added more seating and a proper kitchen.
Today the Poletti family is four generations deep, and Tony took over as owner in 2023 after working there for 22 years.
A new 800-square-foot dining area opened in a space that had sat empty since 1996, and it carries a rose design honoring Grandma Rosie.
The ribbon-cutting drew Tony’s wife, his four children, and dozens of longtime customers, which tells you how the community feels about this family-owned restaurant.
The menu is refreshingly simple, built around omelets, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, French toast, and the beloved Sal Maglie.
Reviewers say the Italian bread comes from a local bakery, and that eating here feels like a home-cooked meal with generous portions.
Food Highlights
- Sal Maglie: This is the restaurant’s namesake signature, built on home fries and eggs and served with Italian bread toast. 🥔
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Sal Works: This is the ultimate version of the house Sal Maglie plate. It combines pepper, onion, mushroom, spinach, sausage, bacon, cheese, home fries, and eggs. 🍳
- French Toast with Fruit: This is French toast served with fruit, and it is also offered in a gluten-free version. 🍓
- Western Omelet: This diner classic is filled with pepper, onion, and ham.
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Mexican Omelet: Mushroom, salsa, and cheese make a savory, zesty omelet. It is a nice change from the usual ham-and-cheese.
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Sausage and Mozzarella Omelet: Savory sausage and melty mozzarella are folded together in this omelet. 🧀
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich: This breakfast sandwich stacks bacon, egg, and cheese. 🥓 The menu also offers Sausage, Ham, Turkey Bacon, and Vegetable versions.
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Blueberry Pancakes: These are fluffy pancakes filled with juicy blueberries and served with real maple syrup. 🫐
Atmosphere
Marketside is a cozy, modest diner with counter seating and homey decor, which gives it the feel of eating breakfast in a relative’s kitchen. 🏡
The newer 800-square-foot dining room next door, in the former Goodfella’s Pizzeria space, adds more elbow room and carries a rose design honoring Grandma Rosie. 🌹
The expansion was reported to roughly double seating from about 70 to around 140, and it includes a 2,000-square-foot covered patio for sunny mornings. ☕
Bottom Line
Visit for the famous Sal Maglie, generous portions, fluffy pancakes, friendly family service, and more than eighty years of Niagara Falls history. 🥞
Address:
712 E Market St, Niagara Falls, NY 14301
📞 (716) 282-0644
🕔 Mon–Tue 7:30 AM–12 PM; Wed–Thu 7:30 AM–1 PM; Fri 7:30 AM–1 PM and 4–7 PM; Sat 7:30 AM–1 PM; Sun 7:30 AM–12:30 PM