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Arnie’s Café serves relaxed fare daily in Independence Square

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Arnie’s Café is both cool and casual. The new restaurant opened this summer in Independence Square on Moana Lane. Serving a simple but extensive menu of breakfast and lunch staples, the place feels modern even if the menu is a little retro.

Arnie’s reminds me of the hometown café every city has. It’s not trying to be anything it’s not—just straightforward food in a clean setting that is also family-friendly.

When I say the menu is extensive, I mean you’re basically seated at your table with a book. There are several pages of morning meals, followed by more pages of lunch items and additional pages for a kids menu.

Those options could feel overwhelming, except that they are also easy options; it’s the type of food you’ve seen before with simple ingredients and American diner flavors.

For breakfast you can dive into large omelets featuring New York steak, bell peppers, mushrooms, pork sausage, Monterey Jack cheese and more.

Inside a sandwich and breakfast shop with tables and seating.
Inside Arnie’s on Moana Lane. Nora Tarte / THIS IS RENO

There are also skillets brimming with country potatoes and thick slices of carne asada. The healthy breakfast option (it’s called “Healthy Breakfast”) uses egg whites, grape tomatoes and spinach alongside turkey bacon, while heavier options include biscuits and sausage gravy served with two eggs and hash browns.

From crepes to French toast, country-fried steak to eggs Benedict, there’s truly something for everyone.

There is even a separate menu of specialty coffees that we recommend considering alongside a dessert of chocolate lava cake, banana splits or cheesecake topped with whipped cream.

Lunch is no different. You can start your meal with nacho fries (traditional nacho toppings served over a bowl of crinkle-cut French fries), mozzarella sticks, onion rings or many other options. The main entrée categories include burgers and sandwiches with the occasional pasta option added in.

The typical menu has six different burger options, ranging from a classic cheeseburger made with lettuce, tomato, onion and American cheese to an avocado veggie burger with the same toppings. There are also more than a handful of sandwiches, served on a variety of sliced breads and made in that down-home way your mom would have made it.

The turkey melt is delicious, with sliced turkey topped with Swiss cheese (or a substitute of your choice), bacon and a thick slice of tomato. Served on sourdough, the bread is warm and toasty with just the right amount of crunch and it comes alongside your choice of French fries or a cup of fruit.

The other sandwiches on the menu, like the California club or NY steak sandwich, get similar treatment, sometimes served on a hoagie roll.

Arnie’s is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. To learn more, visit their Instagram page @arniescafe_

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  • 294 E. Moana Ln #9
  • 775-622-3686
Nora Tarte
Nora Tarte
Nora Heston Tarte is a long-time Reno resident living on the southside of town. In addition to food, her hobbies include wine, hiking, yoga and travel. She is also the managing editor of a regional, lifestyle publication and freelances for other publications most frequently in the travel space. Nora received her bachelor's in Journalism from California State University, Sacramento before graduating from University of Nebraska, Lincoln with a master’s in Professional Journalism. You can follow her travel adventures, and local exploits, on her Instagram account @wanderlust_n_wine.

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