Tuesday, October

pumpkin pancakes, caramel apple donuts, pumpkin pie white hot chocolate (whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, pumpkin sauce) and pumpkin brûlée (iced coffee (cinnamon sugar, coffee, milk, whipped cream, toffee, Pumpkin sauce).

Can’t make up your mind? Just order something; you’ll be back.

Café 72, 72 West Upper Ferry Road, Ewing. Open daily 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 609-882-0087 or cafe72ewing.com.

Full Moon Café

It was sheer coincidence, but a fitting one, that my visit to Full Moon took place a half-day before the Harvest Moon was due to make an appearance. Located on Bridge Street in the heart of the charming Delaware River town of Lambertville, the Full Moon Café has been serving breakfast and lunch to enthusiastic locals and an ever increasing influx of tourists since 1979.

As one might expect from the establishment’s name, the lunar theme is reflected in subtle ways in the décor and the offerings on the extensive menu. Deep blue walls, accented by a stripe of red neon at ceiling height and terrazzo tiled floor set a comfortable and pleasing tone, a backdrop for the light wooden-topped tables and comfy wooden chairs in a cozy dining room that accommodates about 50. Strategically placed mirrors and a plate glass front open to Bridge Street give the room a spacious feel.

At just 20 minutes past the 8 a.m. opening time, Full Moon was already buzzing, half-filled with what appeared to be a gaggle of regulars dining ahead of the arrival of the day trippers. The majority were happily engaging in conversation while tucking into the egg dishes featured on the menu, an impressive selection of omelets, Benedicts, breakfast sandwiches, and much more.

Service at Full Moon is what one would expect from a popular local establishment, friendly and efficient. Our server, MJ, was an absolute wonder. Despite being the only server on duty that morning, she kept things moving along at a respectable pace and never lost her cool.

When our omelets arrived, it took a moment to realize why it seemed different from omelets served by other breakfast venues. When the answer dawned, it brought smiles. Unlike the traditional, fold-over omelet making technique, Full Moon’s arrive in the shape of a — you guessed it — full moon. MJ thoughtfully provided a sharing plate, and we were soon enjoying two half-moon Greek omelets (sausage, kalamata olive, onion, and feta cheese) and fresh fruit ($1.50) substituted for home fries.

One disappointing note: MJ informed us that the moon-themed feature of Full Moon we had been looking forward to — their fullmoon dinners, served only on nights when the moon is full — have been suspended due to a staffing shortage that is plaguing the entire industry these days. One can only keep an eye on the night sky, and hope for their swift return.

Full Moon Café, 23 Bridge Street, Lambertville. Monday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday closed, Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 609-397-1096 or cafefullmoon.com.

Golden Dawn Diner

While the classic Jersey diner may be a rapidly vanishing institution, diner culture in New Jersey appears to be alive and well. Thriving in fact, if a recent visit to the Golden Dawn Diner in Hamilton Township is any indication. My dining companion and I arrived at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday on Labor Day weekend, assuming it would be a slow day, with most folks down the shore or cooling off in the Poconos.

No way! A steady stream of cars was already filling the ample parking lot. Fortunately, we were immediately escorted to a comfy booth by owner Chris Kurnellus and supplied with menus proclaiming “Fresh Homemade Food!” Soon after, we were greeted by Stella, our server, who took our coffee order while we perused Golden Dawn’s menu, a hit parade of diner classics that included eggs any style (including Benedict until 2 p.m.), pancakes, omelets made with three extra large eggs, and a nice selection of beverages, breakfast sandwiches, wraps and sides.

While deciding what to order, we checked out the décor. First of all, for a place as large as Golden Dawn — it seats 230-plus according to Kurnellus — the space manages to feel cozy, thanks in large part to the cream and brown color scheme, the carpeted floor, and the smoked exile-glass partitions that separate the booths. Tables are well spaced, and the noise level facilitates quiet conversation; not a problem, despite the classic rock playing in the background, the party of 12 seated quite near to us, and the dining room filling rapidly with a multi-generational crowd of regulars.

We were soon dining on a generously sized Western omelet (ham, peppers, cheese) and the lemony sauced and nicely poached eggs Benedict, served on a perfectly toasted English muffin and accompanied by a side of hash browns. The omelet was certainly shareable, although we detected no signs of sharing among our fellow diners, happily fueling up to start their day. For those who wish additional happiness, a Bloody Mary, Mimosa, or Screwdriver is available.

There was a wait for tables by the time we were heading for the door at 9:45 a.m., and the stream of vehicles into Golden Dawn’s parking lot continued apace.

Golden Dawn Diner, 2090 Whitehorse Mercerville Road, Hamilton Township. Open daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 609-890-2606 or goldendawnhamilton.com.

Full Moon Café in Lambertville, left, lives up to its name by serving its breakfast omelets in the shape of a moon. Above, Golden Dawn Diner in Hamilton proves that diner culture is alive and well in this pocket of the Garden State.

Bonus: Short Stack!

Three more fuel-worthy eateries for you. Seating is limited, but all offer takeout; check websites for menus and current hours of operation.

Lady and the Shallot — Plant

Based Eatery, They describe themselves as, “Whole Foods. Bold Flavors. Kind Eating,” Trenton Farmers Market, 960 Spruce Street, Lawrence Township. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday Brunch at 10 a.m. 609-955-1120 or ladyandtheshallot.com.

The Gingered Peach, “Handcrafted baked goods with soul.” Insider Tip: Two words … “Trenton Volcano.” 2 Gordon Avenue, Lawrence. Tuesday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. 609-896-5848 or thegingeredpeach.com.

Lillipies Bakery, Small-batch bakery specializing in single-serving pies, artisan breads and sweets, and breakfast all day, baked with organic flour and locally sourced ingredients. Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton. Tuesday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 609-423-2100 or lillipies.com.

and up. $45 to $60. 7:30 p.m. Her Portmanteau, George Street Playhouse, Arthur Laurents Theater, 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, 732-545-8100. www. georgestreetplayhouse.org. Mfoniso Udofia’s play about a Nigerian family in America. Through October 30. $25 to $70. 8 p.m. Film

18 1/2, Hopewell Theater, 5 South Greenwood Avenue, Hopewell, 609-466-1964. www.hopewelltheater.com. In 1974, a White House transcriber finds the only copy of the infamous 18½-minute gap in Nixon’s Watergate tapes, but her attempts to leak it to the press run afoul of hippies, swingers, and nefarious forces. $12.50. 7 p.m. Falling for Stradivari, Princeton University Concerts, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton. concerts.princeton.edu. Screening of the new documentary following violinist Janine Jansen’s journey with Sir Antonio Pappano as they record an album on twelve of the world’s greatest Stradivari violins in just 10 days. $14. 7:30 p.m. Dancing

Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. No partner necessary. $5. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Literati

Yiyun Li & Idra Novey: ‘The Book

of Goose: A Novel’, Labyrinth

Books & Princeton Public Li-

brary, 122 Nassau Street, Princeton. www.labyrinthbooks.com. Celebrated author Yiyun Li discusses her new novel with her fellow writer and colleague at Princeton, Idra Novey. Hybrid event. Register to join online. 6 p.m. Lectures

James Baldwin Lecture Series,

Department of African Ameri-

can Studies, East Pyne 010, Princeton University. aas.princeton.edu. Princeton University computer science professor Arvind Narayanan speaks on “The Limits of the Quantitative Approach to Discrimination.” Register. 5 p.m.

Atelier@Large: Conversations

on Art-making in a Vexed Era,

Lewis Center for the Arts’ Princ-

eton Atelier, Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University. arts. princeton.edu. In a series of conversations that bring guest artists to campus to discuss what they face in making art in the modern world, Paul Muldoon, director of the Princeton Atelier, moderates a discussion critically acclaimed composer and singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane and Tony Awardwinning singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, creator of the Broadway hit “Hadestown.” Free; ticket required. 7:30 p.m. Science Lectures

The Galileo Project: In Search of Technological Interstellar Ob-

jects, Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton. princetonastronomy.org. Online presentation by Avi Loeb, professor of science, Harvard University and author of the book “Extraterrestrial.” Free via Zoom. 7:30

p.m.

Outdoor Action

Gentle Yoga and Marsh Medita-

tion, Tulpehaking Nature Center, 157 Westcott Avenue, Hamilton. www.abbottmarshlands.org. $5. 6 p.m. Socials