It's Always Summer at Bongo Cafe & Grille

With spring and summer under their belt, Patty Davis and Walter “Buddy” Hungerford, owners of the new , are enthusiastic about celebrating autumn and even winter—with seasonal menu items and special events—at the colorful eatery on the corner of Bay Avenue and 11^th Street.

October is definitely in the air, so video of 1960s-era sitcom The Munsters has replaced Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello surfer flicks on the flat-screen TV in Bongo's cheery beachy-themed dining room.

But summer is never far away in this space decorated with surfboards and palm trees; grass skirts are adorable window dressings. A life-size crocodile statue the couple inherited is wearing a witch's hat.

“We're getting in Halloween mode,” Davis said on a recent Indian summer morning leading into Block Party Weekend.

To get you in the mood, too, try delicious pumpkin-flavored Lacas brand coffee or hot-spiced apple cider.

Or how about pumpkin pancakes ($8.50) with a dollop of whipped cream and dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon, a special on this day? Think that sounds rich? Try apple bread pudding pancakes ($8.95)—custard-like cakes served with honey-walnut-bourbon syrup, another special.

Everything here is oversized. The breakfast burrito ($9.50), a special that proved so popular in the summer it was added to the regular menu, is enough food for several meals—a large sun-dried tomato tortilla filled with spicy homemade black bean chili, scrambled eggs, tomato and jalapeno jack cheese; it's topped with Guadalajara sauce (cream sauce with cilantro, garlic and cumin) and pico de gallo, served with diced potatoes.

Breakfast cannolis ($8.50) are another waistline-buster that became a summertime blockbuster, particularly after it was photographed in all its decadent glory for a July 3 story by Philadelphia Inquirer critic Craig Laban. They are thin buttermilk pancakes filled with sweet cream ricotta and mini chocolate chips.

Believe it or not, Davis, a King of Prussia, PA, native, has a background in nutrition—hence you'll find a separate vegan menu and gluten-free offerings, plus rice milk for people who don't do dairy. Also, you can get Emergen-C drinks in three flavors.

Hungerford grew up on a a farm in upstate New York and worked in his father's diner from a young age.

“Only things I know how to do are milk cows and cook—and you can't make any money milking cows,” he joked while whipping up some omelets and assembling an order of eggs Benedict with a thick ham steak. Culinary school and stints in restaurants, including one that sent him to Mexico for training in authentic cuisine from that region, shaped his repertoire.

Estelle and Ellen Moffa, sisters, had dined at Bongo's the day before and brought their brother John and friend Marti Ferus in for breakfast. The Philadelphia residents raved about the cheesy omelet and were trying it again.

The Moffas are the type of customer Davis is counting on—those who appreciate Bongo's small-town feel, as well as delicious fare and fun atmosphere.

“Kids really like us, too, they are bringing their parents here,” Davis said. “They think it's pretty cool here.”

Starting this week, Bongo's is open for dinner Thursdays through Sundays, serving up comfort food with a flair—meatloaf, roast turkey, lemon chicken francaise and the like, with interesting side dishes and soup, salad and rolls included in the price.

“We're not your typical pizza and cheesesteak place,” Davis said, although they do plan to add grilled pizza and flat bread sandwiches to the menu.

“We try to keep our prices down, we know that there are a lot of retired people here in the wintertime,” Davis said. Also, look for special prices on Ocean City-style “cocktails”—alcohol-free mimosas, bloody mary, bay breeze and sea breeze—and appetizers.

And, beginning the first weekend in November, you'll be able to enjoy “Blues and BBQ with Bubba Mac,” plus jazz and poetry slams throughout the wintertime.

WHERE: 1050 Bay Ave.

WHEN: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday to Saturday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Bbreakfast is served until 1 p.m., lunch starts at 11 :30 a.m.

GET IN TOUCH: 609-938-0680, bongocafeoc.com, Facebook

OTHER STUFF TO KNOW: Major credit cards. Vegan, gluten-free and kids' menus. Free Wi-Fi. Dining room or sidewalk seating (pet-friendly). Take-out, on and off-site catering.