Chat-A-Wyle

There are some unique little restaurants in our area that provide a special atmosphere and great food. This is one of them. It is off the beaten path but well worth seeking. They have outstanding soups and sandwiches, along with a wonderful staff and comfortable, homey, unique dining areas. It should be on everyone’s list of cool places to have lunch.

I’ve loved this place for as long as I’ve lived in this area. Now there’s a new owner and things have only gotten better! My favorite items have remained on the menu and the new items are wonderful!
My wife and I stopped in this past week and tried a new Shrimp Bisque. It was delightfully delicious. Highly recommended.

Charming spot off the beaten path that we found thanks to Unilocal.«Hearty» doesn’t begin to describe their soups (we enjoyed the autumn bisque and chicken & stuffing soups). Sandwiches are rich and a half sandwich with soup is plenty. We tried the meatloaf sandwich and chicken Marsala sandwich on the recommendation of our charming server and were not disappointed. Lots of cobblers for dessert but were too full to try one. Decorated with antique plates and enamel tables like my grandma used to have. A serendipitous find on our road trip; we hope to try again on the way back.

I love having lunch at Chat-​a-​Whyle. Everything I’ve ordered has been delicious — they have a great selection of salads, soups, and sandwiches. Some of my favorites are the baked potato soup, the cranberry turkey sandwich, and the broccoli cheddar quiche. Great food paired with great service, you can’t go wrong!

I wish I could give less than one star as this was the absolute worst dining experience of my life. The manager told us it took over 45 minutes for half of a BLT because we wanted the bread toasted. This «manager» was so rude and disrespectful that I will go out of my way to advise people to stay far, far away from this establishment.

We are adventurous foodies, we travel the country and we enjoy good food, and this particular location was absolutely outstanding. Our group arrived at 2:40 and we had to make sure that we were going to be served given the late hour since this place closes at 3 o’clock and sure enough we were able to get around a large table and sit down. The inside has a certain flare about the Décor and we enjoyed it.
They assigned two servers to our table because everybody split the check but they took our order and it all worked well.
The food is absolutely amazing… Our family enjoyed a ham and Swiss on toasted focaccia and a bowl of cream of broccoli soup in addition to an oven roasted turkey sandwich, with garlic mayo, provolone and a cup of chicken and stuffing soup. The food was prepared briskly and was brought to the table cheerfully and the flavors were absolutely outstanding. The ham and Swiss on focaccia bread is absolutely to die for, truly a decadent and flavorful treat. The other people in our party also cheered over the food, all had equally good experiences and the food was fresh very flavorful and plentiful.
We all followed up with dessert I having the peach cobbler my wife the Apple crisp and my son apple crisp and while be peach cobbler was absolutely delicious the Apple crisp was divine. The Apples were soft but not mushy, the crisp was well, crispy, and topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped topping.
The servers we could tell had been run particularly ragged today with what seemed like an above average number of guests and honestly I applaud their hard work and effort, as our party of 8 had a great lunch with memorable food.
This was my and my family’s first time at this restaurant and as a full-​time RVing family we most certainly will eat here again on our next pass through the area and I would advise you to do the same.

HOW fantastic is this place? Well, once or twice a year I take a 7-​hour road-​trip that takes me along I-​86 and for now on I’ll always figure out a way to time my trip so that I can stop at Chat-​A-​While for lunch. It’s THAT good.
The sandwiches are amazing. The soups are phenomenal and always piping hot. The chips are great. The desserts are fabulous. The service is excellent, as far as thoroughness and timing. Perfect. Follow-​up was flawless. Could the friendliness factor be improved? Yeah, sure it could. But the 5-​star review is still very well deserved.
What an awesome place. What fantastic food. And quite charming, too!

I love this place! Every time I come into town to visit my parents, I make a request to eat here. I love the atmosphere — vintage with a fun twist — and the food. I love the food. Usually I start with the British Tomato soup, but this last time I ventured to the Taco soup, so, so yummy. Food is extremely fresh, tons of flavor. Can’t say enough good things. Enjoy.

Chat-​a-​Wyle (that’s what the sign says) is known for its soups. But I personally can’t speak for how they are because I’ve never tried one of them. I want one of those big luscious sandwiches and don’t want to settle for half! My favorite is the chicken marsala sandwich with garlic mayo. Oh yum. But, I once had a stuffed meatloaf sandwich that was even better. I have yet to see it on the menu again and I have dreams about that sandwich. Service can either be a bit too hover-​y or at the other extreme of «where is she?» The place is always crowded and at times I’ve felt a bit rushed to hurry along and get out.

Chat-​A-​Whyle is as five stars as Broome County can get. Of course, I have a lunch weakness for soups and sandwiches. Seriously, if you add pumpkin or some spicy kick to my meal, you can basically guarantee that my stomach has found my heart and fallen in some sort of foodie love! Maybe it’s my tastebuds intense infatuation that has left me swooning over Chat-​A-​Wyle, or maybe it’s their classic, vintage inspired décor and continually impressive, affordable menu options.
I have yet to try anything on their menu that disappoints or leaves me wondering what went wrong. Always made with seasonal, fresh ingredients that consistently match the description, I actively seek out at least one gathering of friends at this locally owned, gorgeously decorated eatery.
Let me break it down for you, oh-​doubtful eater:
1. Yes, the location is further out than most find satisfactory. But, I promise – fingers crossed, kiss my elbow, all the jazz – that it is worth the journey (ten miles, up hill, both ways – just kidding). Take a bike, enjoy the stroll!
2. Rave, swoon, drool! The food is entirely appetizing. Yes, please use a cranberry mayo on my turkey sandwich. Oh, you have vegetarian options (how rare for this area). And, my god – is that autumnal inspired soup with sweet cinnamon garnish. Chat-​A-​Whyle, you just get my flavor pallet.
3. Plastic dolls, 50’s style metal dining tables, housewife with humor – I am pleased by your décor. I am inspired by your many vintage pieces, lining wooden shelves, invading my roomy dining space! I love! Granted: I must also include constant commentary and photo logs with companions during my visit; but, I love!
4. Service: This can be the one flaw. It’s really hit or miss on the sweetness of your server and, I suppose, you could look at it as you are really just «one of the family» but I just prefer to ignore any bad service and let the delicious food wash my memory clean, absorbing all my gooey-​brain matter with noms that make any interaction nearly invalid.
5. This place is perfect for any get together. BUT: Make reservations. Mother’s Day plans? This is the perfect place to take Mom, Grandma, Nana, who-​have-​you female. Ladies catch-​up? We’d like the booth in the back and please keep coffee coming! I would say that it’s more of a femme type place. You may want to keep your nascar, hunter’s dinner party to that dive bar down the street… but, hey, anyone can enjoy a tasty sandwich!
Enjoy, foodies! This place is for you.

Chat-​a-​Wyle has nearly restored it’s position as one of lunch-​stop-​fabuloso.
I went with a couple of friends today and everything was good! As I remember from years past.
If the staff were a bit smiley and cheerful, it’d be just about perfect.

It’s actually spelled Chat-​A-​Whyle.
Great service. Casual atmosphere. Excellent food. Everything is fresh, homemade and delicious! Try anything on the menu, you won’t be disappointed. Save room for dessert.

Chat-​A-​Whyle has the best soup in the United States of America. The bread bowls are baked to perfection. When you order a bread bowl soup you get not only a bread bowl full of soup, but also another cup of soup on the side, and you can get two different soups!
The sandwiches are phenomenal and the atmosphere is unmatched. Sitting down to eat is like going back in time to the 1930’s. C-​A-​W is a delicious time machine. Do yourself a favor and stop into this hole in the wall the next time you are driving through the southern tier.