By Claire Armstrong
In falling snow or scorching heat, a group of Manhattan bicyclists pedal 40 miles each Saturday to eat at The Friendship House in Wamego.
Down an older street just east of Main, The Friendship House sits with its 
welcoming porch, within the view of children playing in the city’s park. The cyclists sit in the front rooms. Towards the back of the house, the kitchen and bakery display cinnamon rolls, a variety of cookies, and mini loaves of breads.
The Friendship House opened in 1989 and serves Kansas comfort foods. From sticky cinnamon rolls to omelets and bierocks, the food is consistently praised. With a big smile and plate in hand, owner Mike Pray welcomes each table. After years in the food business, he was pleased to change to home-cooked food. “We don’t take it out of a box, we build it,” Pray says. It shows, as each meal resembles recognizable, fresh food that can rarely be found other places.
“They have a warm inviting nature and the people who run it are kind, inviting and makes it feel like you are entering someone’s home,” says avid cyclist and regular customer Jordan Haffener.
Every Saturday, Haffener orders Belgian waffles with fresh strawberries and a mound of whip cream on top. It is enough food to refuel for trip back home.
Another popular dish is the colorful omelets made with fresh mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and warm, stringy cheese. These are most popular on the winter days when the frozen cyclists gather to enjoy each others company.
It’s the bakery that draws the cyclists, the reason they travel these miles no matter what the weather. The bakery not only shows the friendliness of its own business, but also the compassion of the entire town. Whether one goes for the appetizing menu choices, smiling faces, or home-like feeling, it is always worth the ride.
