The diner is the ultimate American eating establishment. The classic diners were former railroad cars. Now the term “diner” can refer to almost any quick and easy eatery. They are found in a variety of locations throughout the country. For this piece, the focus will be six very different diners, four in Connecticut, one in Rhode Island, and a Vermont diner thrown in for good measure. These six fine diners all have strong points which will be detailed. Only two are authentic classic diners but it shows that no matter the style, the food is what matters. Each establishment focuses on a different aspect of the best New England diners.
Mystic Diner – Mystic, Connecticut
The Mystic Diner is situated just off of Route 95 in touristy Mystic. The diner is large and certainly caters to tourists. The specialties are breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare with a huge menu. There are also Greek options, including moussaka, gyro, and Greek salad. There is also an ice cream window on site. At the Mystic Diner, I opt for the gyro and an appetizer of mozzarella sticks. These are fried a golden brown and stuffed with stringy, tasty mozzarella.
Cindy’s Diner – Scituate, Rhode Island
Cindy’s Diner is located on busy Route 6 which cuts east-west through the state of Rhode Island. It’s a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. Even though it’s not a dining car, Cindy’s is certainly a classic diner and one of the best New England diners. Passing by Cindy’s coming or going from Connecticut to Massachusetts, baked goods are often what I choose here. Their breakfasts are legendary, and I always pick a muffin or cinnamon roll on the side. Another favorite at Cindy’s is the pies. They rival some of the best pies I’ve ever had.
Franklin Town Diner – Franklin, Connecticut
An unassuming spot in a strip mall on busy Route 32 between Norwich and Willimantic is the Franklin Town Diner. The diner is a typical no-frills establishment that is known for its breakfasts and lunches. My menu item of choice is their breakfast sandwich. Egg, cheese, and meat on a doughy bagel is a great way to start the morning at the Franklin Town Diner.
Public House Diner – Quechee, Vermont
The Public House Diner, owned by the nearby Quechee Public House, is an old-fashioned railroad car-style diner located on the grounds of the Quechee Gorge Village. The Quechee Gorge Village is a mix of kitschy and authentic. With a large antique mall, a pen of alpacas, and a Cabot tasting booth, it’s an eclectic Vermont mix. I’ve eaten at numerous incarnations of this space including the much-lauded Farmer’s Diner, and this version is the best!
Their food is top-notch. With breakfast and lunch options, popular dishes include breakfast burritos, sandwiches, and milkshakes. I am a big fan of the breakfast burrito, but everything I’ve had here has been great.
Hoppy Days Diner – Willimantic, Connecticut
One of the best breakfast spots in eastern Connecticut is the Hoppy Days Diner. Recently rebranded from the Thread City Diner, Hoppy Days has a large menu of all kinds of delicious food. Try the eggs benedict or biscuits and gravy. Hoppy Days will have you hopping for more!
Collins Diner – Canaan, Connecticut
Collins Diner is one of those iconic northeastern diners. Next to the old railroad depot in Canaan, this diner has been here seemingly forever. I remember growing up there was a painting of the diner on the wall of the front staircase of our house. At Collins, the diner fare is traditional with an emphasis on breakfast and lunch.
Diners are located in every nook and cranny in the northeast. Classic diners such as Miss Worcester Diner, Casey’s Diner, and the Agawam Diner are all well known for their rail car design. These six fine diners come in all shapes and sizes but deliver on the food. All in all, each has aspects of the best New England diners.
I absolutely adore classic diners but I am definitely a bit of a diner snob. Okay, I take that back, I am a big-time diner snob and for that reason, I am going to take exception to your statement that a lot of classic diners were originally railroad cars as they weren’t. They may have arrived at their location via a railroad car but classic American diners were built by places like The Worcester Lunch Car Company who built, sold and shipped a lot of our classic diners here in New England. As they were originally designed to look like dining cars on trains, it’s easy to see why folks would think that they originally were railroad dining cars but not true! The Miss Worcester Diner actually stands across the street from the original Worcester Lunch Car Company building that I believe, now holds a flea market. If you go there for some of their fabulous stuffed French Toast, you get a double dose of history on the side!
Another popular manufacturer of dining cars was Tierney Dining Cars of New York whose origins can be traced to 1895 when business founder, Patrick J. Tierney, began to build truck-based cars that were modeled after railroad dining cars. Former employees from Tierney’s also founded the Fodero Dining Car Company and the Kullman Dining Car Company keeping the popularity of dining cars alive for a good long time. The Collin’s Diner that you mention above was built by the Jerry O’Mahony Diner Company of Elizabeth, New Jersey, a manufacturer of roadside diners from 1917 to 1952, O’Mahony’s produced more diner cars than any other manufacturer – some 2,000 of them! Matter of fact, one of my very favorite diners in Connecticut – Zip’s in Dayville – is from the Jerry O’Mahony Company!
I apologize for going on so much, classic diners are clearly one of my favorite topics – not just for the food but also for the history! Diners like Hoppy Days are awesome but give me a meal in a classic diner car and I am one very happy and no-longer hungry person!
You are quite the wealth of diner knowledge! Good to know about the diners themselves, I’ll have to fix that. I think you may have to write a diner history book!
If there weren’t already so many of them out there, I definitely would. Maybe a photo book would be good with a little blurb about each diner. Which would mean I need to go visit more!
I think that’s a fine idea! And yes, an excuse to go to more.