The Echo in Hyde Park provides a welcoming environment alongside its comfort food
For many restaurants—even the established ones—community support has never been so important. These businesses have been around since the beginning and it is our turn to help them out, especially those small restaurants that have made customers feel like family. The Echo located in Hyde Park has been doing just that since it opened its doors more than 75 years ago.
The Echo is a neighborhood brunch institution that aims to make anyone feel like family with its comfort food and welcoming atmosphere. In 1945, Louise Schwartz opened the restaurant as a little sandwich shop. The sandwich shop was known for its waitresses who always remembered a customer’s face and it thrived as a neighborhood gathering spot.
Change came in 1995 when the local spot was bought by Stephanie Surgeon, a Cincinnati native who hails from Anderson. Surgeon has kept much of what originally made The Echo special. The restaurant still uses Louise’s original recipes for its homemade pies, and it’s still known for having home-cooked style meals for a great price.
The restaurant’s newer menu items are full of history, too—they’re recipes passed down by Surgeon’s mom, Joan Bahr. When you walk into The Echo, you are embraced with the smell of delicious omelets, waffles, yummy chicken tenders and more classic dishes. There’s even hangover helper meals for when you need a little boost on those Sunday mornings!
It features two scrambled eggs with goetta, banana peppers and pepper jack cheese and a side of potato cakes and biscuits and gravy.
With the continued impact of the pandemic, Manager Angie Kestler says that The Echo has received an enormous amount of support from their loyal customers.
“The amount of support from customers has been mind blowing,” she says. “Those who can’t come in will ask how they can help support and will order carryout. Our staff has been amazing [during these] changes.”
Changes the restaurant has made include asking customers to wear masks when they are not sitting down, installing colorful dividers between booths and following other COVID-19 guidelines. Even though the inside looks a little different, The Echo still makes the environment friendly and feel at home.
The Echo Restaurant, 3510 Edwards Road, Hyde Park. M-Su 7 a.m.-3 p.m. 513-321-2816, echo-hydepark.com.
