In this week’s segment of “Dishing with Diane,” we’re thrilled to spotlight your top picks for cherished local breakfast spots. Thanks to your nominations, we find ourselves in Merrillville, Indiana, at the beloved Sophia’s Famous Pancakes.

Conveniently located off I-65, Sophia’s is not just easy to locate—it’s a place you’ll quickly grow fond of. With its inviting atmosphere, friendly long-term staff, and the comforting aroma of hot meals, Sophia’s makes everyone feel like family from the moment they walk in.

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“When you’re here, you feel like part of their family,” said Chris Parsons, a loyal customer. “We come here, what, two or three times a week.”

We had the chance to chat with owner Bill Lalezas, who transitioned from a career as a Union Electrician to join his father in the restaurant business full-time. With three thriving locations, Bill shares that Sophia’s is not only here to stay but is also planning to expand further.

We sit down with owner Bill Lalezas- this former Union Electrician left his position to join his father full-time in the restaurant business. Three locations later, he said Sophia’s is not only here to stay, they plan to expand.

“We’ve been a staple out here for 22 years we have employees that have been here the whole time we seen customers grow up here we keep it simple we buy fresh ingredients we prepare everything in house we give customers a good meal for a fair price,” Lalezas said.

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It’s time for me to take a bite. We start off with what I can confidently say is the best pancake I have ever had. This is the large baked apple pancake, served immediately out of the convection oven. This beauty takes 45 minutes to make.

“We start off with fresh granny smith apples sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar and then we add our homemade pancake batter and bake it in the oven for 45 minutes,” Lalezas said.

More breakfast favorites include their omelets made in a pan – not a flat top – a meat lovers combo skillet to ice cream for breakfast – a hit with the little ones.

“It’s a favorite with the kids cause its got whipped cream chocolate syrup a little bit of everything,” Lalezas said.

Needless to say, the food here is delicious and the atmosphere even better.

It’s not hard to understand why these customers keep coming back.

“The food, the workers are phenomenal they are the sweetest people ever,” Parsons said.