Benji's Restaurant: A Fixture of Plains

photos & story by Matthew Coomer

Ask Plains' residents where to go

for a good bite to eat and you're likely to get one answer: Benji's. Established in 1981 by Benjamin and Shirley Boles, Benji's Restaurant has gained a following through its casual atmosphere and old-fashioned cooking.

"Ask anyone around here for the best place to eat, and Benji's always comes up first," said Jim Hendryx who was traveling through with his wife, Cathy.
Shirley Boles, restaurant manager and former co-owner, believes it's the combination of a friendly, warm staff and quality food that makes Benji's celebrated throughout the area. Its exceptional place in the Plains community was never more evident than in 1996, when it caught fire.
"When Benji's burned, I think we all felt a deep loss in the community," said Boles.
Following its reconstruction, Benji's again became renowned for its simple charms, but the recession hasn't passed it by.
"Benji's used to be constantly busy but, these days, because of the recession, it really comes and goes," explains Beth Vacura, a long-time server at Benji's.
Shirley Boles and husband Benjamin Boles ran Benji's from 1981 until 1998, when they sold the business but Shirley Boles still prepares many of the restaurant's famous recipes. The restaurant's classic dishes and the warm smiles still keep the restaurant alive in the face of tough economic times in the small town of Plains.