Eating out in college sucks — everyone does it, and no one can afford it.
My solution: Bishop’s.
This mom-and-pop shop has been around since 1942, and there are two locations in St. George that are open Monday-Sunday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
When entering Bishop’s at 9 a.m. on Saturday, I was greeted by a lovely host who took down my information and gave me a wait time. I then walked over to one of the green benches in the front of the restaurant with the rest of the early birds. I was immediately aware of how at home everyone waiting seemed to be.
At most restaurants the worst part of waiting for a table is the awkwardness that seems to fill the space as everyone tries their hardest to not interact with strangers around them. This was not the case at Bishop’s.
After plopping down on a bench to wait for a table a lovely older gentleman and his two friends struck up a conversation with me. Normally I would hate this, but they were just so welcoming and sweet, and before I knew it we were all laughing and cracking jokes with one another.
As I looked around I noticed I wasn’t the only one making friends with strangers while I waited. Everyone seemed to be interacting and having a wonderful time. I was almost disappointed when my name was called.
Don Eric, a St. George local and regular at Bishop’s, compared the diner to a classic TV show.
“It’s kind of like ‘Cheers’ — everybody knows who you are,” Eric said.
Another local/regular Allen Olsen said he enjoys Bishop’s because it feels comfortable and relaxing. Olsen said he goes to Bishop’s three to four times a week because of how much he enjoys not only the food but the atmosphere.
As far as the food goes, you definitely get more than you pay for. It’s high quality breakfast food that even college students can afford.
When asked if I’m a breakfast person, my initial answer is always no because I’m a pretty picky eater and most places don’t have exactly what I want. When I do eat breakfast, I love it — and at Bishop’s I can get what I love (my personal favorite is the meat lovers ham breakfast).
There is a wide variety of not just food, but also combinations. At Bishop’s they are happy to adjust your meal with substitutions or changes depending on your preferences.
Deanna Coop, the manager at Bishop’s, said Bishop’s has been around for three generations and not much has changed.
“The recipes are still the same,” Coop said. “Everything is still the same and the locals just love it and they keep us going.”
