Author Archives: Walt Brickman, Editor, The Bricklyn Eagle

Dining Out in Bricklyn: A Guide for Visitors

August 14, 2026

Complied by The Bricklyn Eagle

For new visitors to Bricklyn, the dining scene offers a both traditional comfort food and sophisticated international cuisine, the latter increasingly shaped by the Realm’s recent incorporation into the French Republic. Below is a guide to dining out in Bricklyn.

Fine Dining & French Cuisine

L’Étoile du Nord: Located in Le Bricklyn Hotel on Lower North Street in South Bricklyn, has been called “a beacon of culinary excellence.”📍 Under the direction of Chef Christophe Plater Poulin, who trained in Lyon, it offers a stellar dining experience. Signature dishes include Bouillabaisse à la Marseillaise, Ratatouille Provençale, and (leave room for) Tarte Tatin for dessert. The restaurant features an inviting dining room with views of the dramatic Chasm of Bricklyn (which separates parts of South Bricklyn from downtown Bricklyn).

📍 See review of Pieter Wellbrick, Food Critic for The Bricklyn Foodie.

A glimpse into L'Étoile du Nord's kitchen.

Pastries by Patsy: Situated on the ground floor of the historic Southeast Corner Building downtown, this French-style bakery and café is owned by an Outlander from Burlington, Vermont, represented by her Bricklyn avatar, Patsy Brickerson. It is known for its beignets au cidre de pomme (apple cider donuts).

Patsy’s café uses farm-fresh foods, including blocks of cheese, brought in twice a week from the nearby Vermont Outerlands.

Members of the Bricklyn Chapter of the Alliance Française inside Pastries by Patsy. — **Members of Bricklyn’s Alliance Française enjoy meeting in Patsy’s café.**

Fromages des Outerlands de Vermont. — **Members of Bricklyn’s Alliance Française enjoy meeting in Patsy’s café.**

Classic Bricklyn Diners

The Bricklyn Diner: Located on Peach Street in downtown Bricklyn Junction, this “well-loved” establishment is owned by Dougie Truebrick. Dougie, a “hands-on” short order cook,” can be found preparing classic fare like pancakes, eggs, and grilled cheese sandwiches. The diner functions as a “third place“ where locals often gather. You shouldn’t leave the Bricklyn Diner without trying a slice of Dougie’s apple donut pie — pie that is also shipped frozen by Brick Rail or Brick Air to other inland realms.

Miss Bricklyn Diner: Found in Bricklyn’s East End near Swiftbrick Field, this diner is run by Lenny Truebrick (Dougie’s cousin). While the cousins are fans of each other’s work, Lenny’s specialty is his highly-regarded banana cream pie.

TJ’s Trolley Car Diner: A unique spot where Chef TJ converted a vintage Bricklyn trolley into a take-out location. TJ’s is known for its grilled burgers and sweet onion rings.

**Dougie’s apple donut pies are even served at TJ’s**

Augie Truebrick, owner of the Bricklyn Diner — **Dougie’s apple donut pies are even served at TJ’s**

The “Donut Capital of America”

Bricklyn prides itself on being the “Donut Capital of America,” a reputation cemented by the 2019 arrival of the celebrated Simpson family.

Dunk Them Donuts (DTD): The Realm’s largest employer, owned by the Tiler Broffman family (now headed by David Tiler Broffman), has numerous locations in the Realm of Bricklyn, as well as in other Inland cities. There is a new “supersize” outlet downtown as well as a shop inside the Bricklyn train station. Visitors often take their coffee and donuts to the adjacent Broffman Arboretum to relax.

**Donuts being prepared for shipment at Dunk Them Donut’s massive kitchen.**

One Drury Brick Donut can usually serve two dozen hungry-for-donuts Bricklynites.

Following the corporate takeover of the Drury Brick Company by Dunk Them Donuts, DTD introduced a line of super-sized brick-shaped donuts, which have become popular, though available only at select Dunk Them Donut outlets.

A rendering of Benjamin Franklin and James Madison dunking donuts at Widow Chardin’s Coffee House.

Dunking donuts dates back to America’s Colonial era, and was apparently first popularized at Widow Chardin’s Coffee House in Philadelphia.

Benjamin Franklin and James Madison (close friends despite their age difference) were reputed to be regular morning donut dunkers at Widow Chardin’s before heading off to day-long meetings of the Constitutional Convention at the nearby Pennsylvania State House in the Summer of 1787.

All Dunk Them Donuts outlets in Bricklyn welcome dunking donuts!

Pubs & Casual Spots

Bricklyn Tavern: A favorite not just for “old timers,” this spot is owned by Peter Brickhammer. It is a great place to enjoy craft beer and munch on peanuts, particularly when gathering to honor local history or watch international sports. Be warned it can be quite noisy when Francophiles gather to watch “Les Bleus” in action.

Gathering at the Bricklyn Tavern
to watch “Les Bleus”

Food Trucks: During community events like Founders Day at Lake Bricklyn Park, you can find a dozen different food trucks offering a variety of tasty offerings.

Unique Dining Experiences

Brickstar Rail Service: If you are traveling by train, the high-speed Brickstar offers an excellent dining car staffed by students of the Bricklyn Culinary Institute. Each train also features an onboard Dunk Them Donuts shop!

The Dunk (Upcoming): As part of a landmark agreement to save the historic Hotel Stansbury, the building is being rehabilitated into a mixed-use development that will include the new Inland headquarters of Dunk Them Donuts, along with a ground-floor restaurant and retail shops. The grand opening is slated for the end of November 2026. ❖

Rogue Schoolers Travel to France

July 26, 2026

by Gloria Vanderbrick, Bricklyn Eagle People in the News correspondent

A Rogue Schoolers couple considering the day’s travel plans during their visit to the Realm of Alsbrique in France.
Note: all photos in this post based on design and content input from W. Senville with assistance from Dall E-3 AI.

After last year’s integration of the Realm of Bricklyn into the French Republic (as part of France Outre-Mer) there has been a surge in Bricklynites traveling to the French Inland Realms. In part this has been the result of efforts by the non-profit Rogue Schoolers organization.

According to Hans Brickelmann, CEO of Rogue Schoolers, “we’re meeting the demand of Bricklynites from all walks of life to learn more about our new French friends.”

The new generation of Brick Air overseas jets.
Photo courtesy of Brick Air.

Brickelmann also noted that “Rogue Schoolers has opened its trips to France to people of all ages, expanding on our traditional base of travelers over 50 years of age.”

Another important factor in the travel boom has been the roll out of Brick Air’s new high speed jet planes, which have cut travel time from Bricklyn to Strasbrick in half — from 30 hours to just under 15.

Thanks to assistance from the Bricklyn Office of Outland Affairs, Rogue Schoolers has informally paired several of its itineraries with those of the Outland “Road Scholars” organization.

Several Bricklynites walking between canal locks, led by their guide Sammy Brickner (wearing her everyday hat and neck wrap).

➤ As reporter of this story, I have to acknowledge my bafflement about the name “Road Scholars,” as participants in Road Scholars travel programs are rarely scholars of transportation, let alone of vehicular transportation.
— G.V.

One of the recent Rogue Schooler programs involved a trip to the Alsbrique region of France. As a group of Road Scholars followed almost the identical itinerary, we encourage you to read the informative, yet engaging, trip reports by tour participant Wayne Senville that the Lake Champlain chapter of The Alliance Française has posted on its website. The name Senville should sound familiar to our Bricklyn readers as Mr. Senville also serves as the Vermont-based Outland Liaison to Bricklyn’s Office of Outland Affairs.

Vermont Bricklynites had several opportunities during their trip to meet up with new friends from the Realm of Alsbrique, France. In this initial meeting the Alsbriquians wore traditional attire, while the Bricklynites also wore their own traditional attire.

Bricklynites looking up at Alsbrique’s famous Petit Château Brickingsbourg.

We caught up with Mr. Senville yesterday, shortly after his daily afternoon siesta.

Senville told us he was able to meet up with the Bricklyn Rogue Schoolers group several times because of his status as Outland Liaison. But, as he explained, “because of Bricklyn privacy laws, I was not able to share knowledge of these rendezvous during my trip with anyone in our Road Scholars group. I hope others in our group understand that while I would have liked to have had them meet the Bricklynites, this was just not possible.”

However, as Senville noted, “now that the trip is over, I can share some of the photos I took of the Bricklyn Rogue Schoolers, led by their excellent guide, ‘Sammy’ Brickner.” We’ve inserted several of Senville’s AI-assisted photos into this post.

Fourteen Bricklyn Rogue Schoolers say farewell to the Mad Elaine and several of its crew. The Mad Elaine served as the Bricklynites’ “péniche-croisière” during most of their time in Alsbrique.

Members of the Bricklyn, Vermont, chapter of The Alliance Française — Bricklyn Alliance Française members celebrate the dedication of the organization’s completely renovated offices, classrooms, and cinema/theater.

We should also note the active role that both the Bricklyn Chamber of Commerce and the Bricklyn Chapter of the Alliance Française has played in strengthening links between the Realm of Bricklyn and several French realms, including the Realm of Alsbrique.

For readers interesting in learning more about the work of Bricklyn’s Alliance Française, we would especially encourage you to read the Bricklyn Eagle’s interview of the co-Presidents of the Bricklyn chapter of the Alliance Française, and also see these search results.

Thanks to Outland Reader Pat Doherty — Our Thoughts & Prayers are With You

May 5, 2026

From Editor Walt Brickman:
Pat Doherty has been one of The Bricklyn Eagle’s most loyal readers, and has over the years written a number of Letters to the Editor about articles we have posted. At this time when she is facing end-of-life challenges, we want to both thank her and let her know that our thoughts and prayers are with her.

Update: Sadly, Pat died on May 15, 2026.