Sommerset Hall Cafe

I've been wanting to try this place for some time. Unfortunate,y I got there at like 10:45 and they close for breakfast at 10:30. Seems odd since they close at 2. Backup plan was a burger which had good flavor on a good bun, just a tad over cooked. Pies and cinnamon rolls look amazing and the service was excellent.

I came upon this place from researching the area prior to my trip. Although I don't really watch morning shows, my interest was piqued when I noticed Sommerset won "Best Pie in America" on Good Morning America. Even Diane Sawyer wanted a pie here for her yacht on Christmas. Getting here from Topeka was somewhat uneventful. You drive through cow pastures and fields. There isn't very much around on the way here. However, I did see various animals (dead or alive) on the road, such as deer, a large rodent-like creature, and a snake. The immediate vicinity reveals that there's not much going on here, save for this institution. The coconut cream pie was what put this spot on the map. I wish I had room for other ones that I might've been interested in, such as the apple crumb pie. However, the coconut cream pie isn't all hype. The crust, while not quite as flavorful as fully buttered crusts, was quite flaky. The two layers of the pie were fantastic. The custard underneath had the right amount of sweetness and it was smooth throughout. The meringue was frothy and smooth. There was enough toasted coconut on top. Service was friendly and cordial. If you find yourself in Topeka, Sommerset is worth a side-trip.

Good food and good service. We had lunch on Thursday. On the menu on the back page they have a senior menu.

A slice of heaven, it's really the best pie I've ever have.. it worth the travel, we ate the coconut pie and the apple custard, both were pretty amazing, the attention was so good, and the place is really nice and cute, I would come back a million times.. love love love this place

The Coconut cream pie was sweet, crumbly, delicate, but with such a rich coconut flavor! It was expertly balanced and so smooth. We drove from Overland Park to Dover, KS (1.5 Hours) just for this pie - and for the lovely drive with my betrothed, of course. In my research for a daycation, America's best pie 2008 popped up on my radar, and it was too appealing to pass up: $3 massive pie slices! $5 burgers! Small town life! This place has it all. We tried two of our favorite pies, shared a burger and sweet-potato fries, and the grand total was $13!It sounds silly, but the Apple-crumb pie was like taking a bite from a comforting memory; it was the sort of pie that only your granny could put together, like a flavor from the past that can't exist anymore. It was large and rich with a thick, oaty crumb, and perfectly seasoned with cinnamon, tender apples, and maybe a hint of nutmeg. In a single bite, your mind forces a dichotomy yet unknown of the cheap, commercial pie we've all been conditioned to consume, and on the other hand a wonderful bit of magic baked with love. This assuredly was the latter.I had reservations about their burger beforehand, but it was very clean, very meaty, and not too seasoned. It was huge, It was shareable to the conscious eater, and it was under five bucks! Their burger - much like the pies - harks back to a time before commercialization. In Kansas City, we make fancified burgers of pickled onion, garlic-szechwan aioli, with a truffle sploosh on the side. I am sure that if asked, the cooks of Sommerset would remark how unremarkable their burger is. "It's just a good old burger." Well, with perspective of the chic burger of the future dominating everywhere, it's great to find a good, clean, old-fashioned and genuine burger like they used to be. One caveat: The sweet potatoes were just okay, as I could smell the "day-old" grease a little too much, and they had no seasoning. The local diners perhaps are older, and set in their tastes - so changing things may not be for them. But I say, if you cover those sweet potato fries in cinnamon sugar, or light salt, you'd have something there. A pinch of innovation goes a long way. But don't go changin'! You're great just the way you are.

Used to be a favorite but my last two visits reflect a slide in quality and service. The latest visit, we waited 40 minutes for a hamburger which was delivered without any lettuce, tomato, pickle or onions, even though we were told to expect such. Additionally, there were no French fries available that day, nor was there any pie (although I understand the reason for that).Here's hoping things get back to normal soon.

Country fried steaks mashed potatoes are the favorite and fast service and salad is always fresh and rolls are fantastic

Good home cooking, nothing special except pie. The Reuben was good but not much on it, the Reuben at Marie Belle's in Burlington is much better and fresher. The coconut cream pie was okay, they had lots of pies, had chocolate and strawberry rhubarb. The place was full, not enough staff, had to wait about an hour for food. Only place to eat there. Nice and homey.

It is a bit of a drive from Topeka, but do it anyway. This cafe is right out of the past. You walk in and feel the warmth. Everyone seems to know each other. The restaurant has recently been sold and has a huge remodel. They are closed on Sunday and Monday.The service is outstanding. I am very picky and am happy to say the breakfast was delicious! Everything was hot and well prepared. The coffee was really good and they had toast made from homemade wheat bread. Much has been said about the pie, and they are right. The pie is perfect!

I visited last week. While the food was what you would expect, the service was not. I waitresses for two years In a small restaurant like this. When we arrived it took 10 minutes for us to be greeted by anyone and they were not busy at all. The waitress was young (maybe High school?) and only checked on us once. We had empty drinks for 10 minutes and we almost went up and got them ourselves. The staff were really friendly to people they knew, but wouldn't come and say a word to us. We didn't really feel welcome. I have received more care from a busy Chili's than here.