INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene’s most engaging chefs
Coleen Melani-Baldwin,
Owner, Tootsie’s Diner
Tootsie’s Diner
701 5th Ave., Coraopolis; 412.264.1400,
tootsiespghdiner.com
On the Menu:
A curated menu of 100-percent home-
made breakfast and lunch favorites.
There’s a variety of omelets including—
but not limited to—the Western Omelet
(with cheese, ham, green pepper and
onions), Veggie Omelet (with cheese,
tomato, onion, green pepper, spinach
and mushroom) and Carl’s Two Eggs Any
Style (with bacon, ham or sausage), plus
all eggs and omelets are served with
home fries and toast. In addition, there are
family favorites such as Katelyn’s Sausage
Gravy and Biscuits; Stefano’s Sampler of
two eggs with one slice of ham, bacon,
sausage and pancake; Bella’s Sausage
Breakfast Burrito served in a jumbo tortilla
stuffed with scrambled eggs, home fries,
onions, green pepper, sausage, cheese
and homemade salsa; and Tootsie’s
Breakfast Tacos with two grilled tortillas
stuffed with scrambled eggs, chorizo
sausage, cheese, tomato, homemade salsa
and served with home fries. Breakfast
also includes Nick’s French Toast, Gram’s
Pancakes, and waffles. Lunch varieties in-
clude sandwiches, hoagies, burgers, soups
and salads. There’s Janet’s Classic Diner
Club (with turkey, ham, bacon, American
cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise),
Joyce’s Chicken Salad (or Tuna Salad), Bill’s
Big BLT, Joe’s Reuben (layered with house-
made corned beef ), George’s Gourmet
Grilled Cheese, Butch’s Big Fish Sandwich
(homemade beer-battered and deep-fried
haddock, voted Yelp’s Top 5 Fish Sandwich
in Pittsburgh), and The Deal Breaker with
stacked-high turkey, capicola, corned beef,
chicken or steak, and provolone cheese on
Mancini’s bread and coleslaw. All hoagies
are served on Mancini’s hoagie buns and
include Kim’s Philly Steak, Roy’s Italian,
Stacey’s Turkey and Cheese, and Pap’s
Meatball. Tootsie’s 1/3-pound burgers
are classic favorites such as The Cheese-
burger, Jeff’s Bacon Cheeseburger and
Jenny’s Patty Melt. Toss in a Chef Salad,
Linda’s Grilled Chicken Salad, Grilled Steak
Salad and the Big House Salad—where
every dish is homemade from scratch and
served fresh.
Describe Tootsie’s Diner.
Tootsie’s is named after my
mom, Deloris—it’s been her
nickname for as long as I can
remember. She’s 83 and by
my side—always. She inspired me to open the
diner. As a kid, my mom loved to cook and she
gave me that desire to cook. She makes our
diner’s meatballs, biscuits and marinara sauces,
to name a few. To this day she is very involved
in the diner. It’s a nice legacy to have for her.
Q A
How do you decide on the menu?
Tootsie and I work on it together. There are a
Tootsie’s Diner owner Coleen Melani-Baldwin (r) with
her mother, Deloris Melani, also known as Tootsie.
lot of family favorites named after family on
the menu. For example, Steve’s Corned Beef
Hash and Eggs (we make the corned beef in-
house) is named for my husband who is such
a huge support and inspiration—even with
his own full-time job he’s always there for me.
And there’s my niece, Katelyn, whom I named
a dish for called Katelyn’s Sausage Gravy and
Biscuits—and so on.
What is your favorite dish to prepare at
Tootsie’s?
We have menu specials and one of them is
our Pierogi Omelet. My mom makes the
filling that is cheese blended with her secret
ingredients, plus bacon and sauerkraut. Tootsie
is 100-percent Polish, so she makes it from
scratch and it’s delicious.
What is your favorite quick meal to
prepare at home?
There was a time when I cooked at home, but
my mom lives with us. I work late hours at
the diner and she takes care of us. One of the
meals she makes us is her stuffed cabbage—it’s
everything that’s good. I always thank God for
her.
What is your favorite go-to ingredient?
Love.
What advice can you share with a
novice?
This business requires 24-7 care, so be prepared
to work harder than your employees. I was
an executive for 30 years at a real estate title
insurance company, and without notice the
company closed. I had a wonderful position,
but at the end of the day I had nothing. I finally
realized no one would do that to me ever again.
Although the job molded me and I am who I
am in business because of my mentor there, I
decided to do what I love and enjoy. In January
2015, I opened Tootsie’s Diner. n
Chicken and Waffles
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—Reese Randall