About us

Welcome To Sweet Ellie's

Whether you're stopping in for a quick coffee and a cake to-go or settling in for a relaxed brunch with friends, our shop is all about simple joys done really well.

Our menu is built around genuine Belgian-style waffles - crispy, warm, and made to pair perfectly with everything from fresh fruit and local honey to savory favorites like fried chicken, eggs, and pimento cheese. We keep things fresh, we keep things fun, and we keep it welcoming for everyone - from families and first-time visitors to regulars who know exactly what they're craving.

You'll find us in the heart of Historic Staunton at 132 West Beverley Street, serving up breakfast and brunch with big flavor and small-town hospitality. Come in hungry, leave happy - and don't be surprised if you start planning your next dessert before you're out the door.

We are open 9am-3pm Wednesday through Sunday. And all menus are now available all hours!

The Liège Waffle

Legend has it that the Liège waffle was invented when the Prince-Bishop of Liège, a city in the Belgian region of Wallonia, asked his cook to create a pastry made with lots of sugar. The Prince-Bishop's sweet tooth paid off for the rest of us, because Liège waffles have become a mainstay of Belgian cuisine. They are largely made with a special sugar, known as pearl sugar, which creates a perfectly chewy level of caramelization when cooked!

The History of the Belgian Waffle

Originally showcased in 1958 at Expo 58 in Brussels, waffles were introduced to the United States by a Belgian named Walter Cleyman at the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle in 1962, and served with whipped cream and strawberries.

Introduced by Maurice Vermersch of Brussels, they were further popularized in the United States during the 1964 New York World's Fair at Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, New York City. Largely based on a simplified recipe for the Brussels waffles, Vermersch decided to change the name to the Bel-Gem Waffle upon observing that many Americans could not correctly identify the capital of Belgium.