FOOD PROFILE Beepa and Lulu's Peterborough, NH

PULL QUOTE: It is impossible to write off Beepa and Lulu's as just another diner. There is so much more to it than that. It's a hometown experience. Beepa and Lulu's Restaurant takes their slogan — "Bringing Community Together, One Meal at a Time" — very seriously. Community just happens here. &emsp;Take the case of Dennis Gilman and Roland Patten. Patten has been a weekday regular at Beepa and Lulu's since the restaurant opened in June 2020. &emsp;"I like to come here five days a week if I can. I get here right when they open at 7," Patten says. &emsp;A few years back, Patten was eating breakfast at the bar when Gilman (then a complete stranger) sat next to him. The two struck up a conversation and soon discovered they were related. &emsp;"He's the son of my oldest brother," says Patten. &emsp;Gilman smiles jovially as the front-of-house manager, Alyssa Eccard, brought over his order of corned beef hash, over-easy fried eggs, and a small plate of hash browns. &emsp;"This is my favorite thing to order. It's all made from scratch," Gilman says as he mashes runny egg yolk into his hash. "That's what I love about this place. The food is good, and you can count that it's gonna be just as good the next time you eat here." &emsp;Patten nodded in agreement, and Eccard, the daughter of owners Brett and Lisa Sullivan, blushed slightly. &emsp;"My dad's dream had always been to open a restaurant," Eccard says. &emsp;When The Sullivans were searching for a name for their establishment, Eccard's children had a suggestion: "Why don't you call it like we call you: Beepa and Lulu's?" they asked. And owners Bret ("Beepa") and Lisa ("Lulu") Sullivan were sold. The name lent itself perfectly to the earnest, family-friendly atmosphere they aimed to achieve. &emsp;Set on Route 202 in Peterborough, Beepa and Lulu's is a small, single-story white brick building with wide windows and a red metal roof. Inside is grounded as opposed to chic. The restaurant's gray wood-paneled bar, light walls, and tiled floors create a clean, welcoming space that's always packed with customers. &emsp;"We have our weekday regulars and our weekend regulars," notes Eccard. "We're so busy between Friday and Sunday that most of our weekday regulars don't come in on the weekends." &emsp;"Guilty," Patten chimes in. &emsp;It's common to see a line stretching around the restaurant at 9 a.m. on a Sunday. People come from all over Peterborough and the surrounding area to eat at Beepa and Lulu's. &emsp;The menu is an exercise at offering quality food at an affordable price. Eccard and her parents spend weeks and weeks honing recipes to the last detail. &emsp;"I don't know how many versions of biscuits and gravy or pancakes we went through. We just kept trying until we found a version that we liked, and that's what we stuck with," Eccard says. &emsp;The breakfast menu features American diner classics such as French toast, waffles, pancakes, eggs Benedict, and omelets. Lunch begins around 11 a.m. and consists of cold and hot sandwiches, burgers, paninis, soups and salads. &emsp;The Reuben is a real stand-out. The corned beef is sliced thin and sandwiched between warm house-made sauerkraut, dressing and marble rye toast. It makes for a wonderfully savory indulgence. &emsp;Though the restaurant is usually packed, guests don't have to wait long for a table. Service is friendly and efficient. Any wait can be easily taken up by browsing the "Nostalgia Corner." This small section at the entrance is a retail space where people can purchase locally made goods, vintage candies and Beepa and Lulu's branded products. This is also where you can find Beepa and Lulu's homemade (and very popular) Bloody Mary Mix. &emsp;A major component of the restaurant's decor is the wall-filled police, fire and military patches from across New England. Brett Sullivan, a retired policeman, and Eccard's military husband placed their patches on the wall when Beepa and Lulu's opened four years ago. Visitors have been adding to it ever since. &emsp;"Our goal is to fill the whole wall," says Eccard. &emsp;It is impossible to write off Beepa and Lulu's as just another diner. There is so much more to it than that. It's a hometown experience. &emsp;"It's like that old show, 'Cheers,'" says Gilman. "Everybody knows your name here. It's like a big family." BOXBeepa and Lulu's180 Concord StreetPeterborough, NH 03458 603-784-5862 beepaandlulus.com HOURS: Seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.