Waking up Sunday morning and realizing I had overslept the undercooked eggs and cold bacon breakfast offered by the Warren Towers Dining Hall manifested into less of a catastrophe than I imagined. I quickly hopped on the T to Park Street, strolled through the Boston Commons and entered Beacon Hill in search of a relief for my rumbling stomach. A line out the door and down the street past The Paramount revealed that this is where my quest would end.
Located in the heart of Beacon Hill at 44 Charles Street, The Paramount’s location makes it the quintessential restaurant for young families and retired couples alike. However, it also appeared to be the perfect place for a college student to enjoy a cheap, yet delicious, breakfast.
I jumped in line, which at first seemed to be progressing slowly. However, the wait proved worth it as I crossed the threshold and stepped inside the tiny yet bustling world of the Paramount.
My first introduction to what defines The Paramount as unique was the scene unfolding to my left: a young boy positioned with his parents eating what I would later learn was The Paramount’s famous item and special of the day: M&M pancakes. His parents were also indulging their sweet tooth with two giant waffles overflowing with freshly cut bananas, strawberries and blueberries. As I advanced past the treats and further toward the front of the establishment, I discovered what everyone was waiting in the hour-plus line for.
Inside a very narrow building, large enough to seat only 30, a chaotic scene unfolded in front of me. Close to seven chefs hustled around a large grill visibly positioned behind a clear counter, simultaneously taking orders and reaching over each other to flip, grill and stir ten feet in length of sizzling eggs, bacon and pancake breakfast orders.
The Paramount differentiates themselves from other Boston breakfast eateries in their unique system of distributing food. I confirmed this as I approached the counter with my tray and watched a different chef cooked a varying portion of my order on their respective part of the extended grill. Advancing down the counter, a fluster of pans and hands threw food onto my plate until I had promptly acquired my whole order consisting of a Spanish omelette, challah toast, orange juice and one side order of pancakes.
It wasn’t until after I had caught my breath from the performance did I pay for my food and participate in the last part of The Paramount’s defining breakfast process: only after the customer pays is he/she allowed to reserve a seat at a table. Luckily, with the constant flow of people in and out, finding a table was easy and I sat down, eagerly anticipating my meal. The Spanish omelette, consisting of peppers, onion, cheese and salsa was a traditional yet flavorful combination. The portion size of the side order pancake left me neither stuffed nor craving more. And the orange juice, although four dollars, and thus almost the same cost of my omelette, was my favorite item—freshly squeezed and sweetly tangy.
As I savored my last bites, I was reminded of the name that is so accurately reflective. With their extraordinary food and affordable prices, the small restaurant is paramount to any college-students’ search for the dream breakfast. Serving breakfast till 4:30 p.m., the quaint cafe is a safe haven for anyone who, like me, sleeps later than when breakfast is served in the dining hall… or lunch, for that matter.
The Paramount
44 Charles Street
Beacon Hill
(617) 720-1152
paramontboston.com
THE SPACE Indoor seating for 30
THE BILL Breakfast items, $5 to $12.
WHAT I LIKED BEST The fresh squeezed OJ
IF YOU GO Breakfast and lunch: Mon-Fri 7am-4:30pm. Sat-Sun 8am-4:30pm. Dinner: Sun-Thurs 5pm-10pm. Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm.
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