These Are the Most Iconic Diners in America

Published: May 16, 2024 by Colman Andrews

The diner is a uniquely American eating place, once especially common along the Eastern Seaboard, up into New England. Today there are examples found not only there but scattered around the country, though their numbers have diminished dramatically since the mid-20th century and the rise of cookie-cutter fast-food places.

Diners grew out of horse-drawn lunch wagons — a process equivalent to today’s food trucks spawning brick-and-mortar restaurants. New Jersey, in particular, was a center of lunch wagon manufacturing, and transitioned naturally into becoming the nation’s diner-making capital, producing prefab units that could be shipped around the country and set up almost ready for business.

There are a handful of still-extant diners that were once railroad dining cars (or are built around them), but all classic diners have a shape similar to those conveyances — long and narrow, a configuration that made them easy to deliver by truck or train. Many diners were built in the Art Déco era of the 1920s and early ’30s, and are vivid expressions of that style — which became so firmly associated with these places that even those built later often echoed the look.

Though there are exceptions, traditional diners tend to share a group of characteristics: Most are open only for breakfast and lunch; most have menus featuring a wide assortment of egg and pancake/waffle dishes and burgers and sandwiches, though some also serve heartier fare; they almost never serve alcohol; most have counters, along with at least a few booths; many are found along roadsides. And many are iconic features of their local restaurant landscape.

What makes a diner iconic? Design, longevity, food specialties, associated legend and lore, and its place in the community. To determine the most iconic diners in America, 24/7 Tempo reviewed numerous websites dealing with state or regional dining and commercial history, as well as some sites published by diner candidates themselves, then used editorial discretion to make a final choice.

Though age was not the final determinant in assembling this list, we did find that older diners were the most likely to deserve iconic status. Two date their origins back to the late 19th century, and even the newest one listed here has been around for 66 years. (For more choices, check out the can’t-miss restaurant in every state.)

Angel’s Dining Car

Source: Courtesy of Edward A. via Yelp

Location: Palatka, Florida
Year opened: 1932
Sample menu items: Clam strip basket, chicken gizzard dinner

Arcade Restaurant

Source: Courtesy of J.L. P. via Yelp

Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Year opened: 1919
Sample menu items: Harry’s hash brown bowl (with sausage and eggs), fried peanut butter n’banana sandwich

Band Box Diner

Source: Courtesy of Jack G. via Yelp

Location: Minneapolis
Year opened: 1939
Sample menu items: Breakfast burger, tuna melt (fresh tuna)

Blue Benn Diner

Source: Courtesy of Ken C. via Yelp

Location: Bennington, Vermont
Year opened: 1948
Sample menu items: Matheson’s Creation (chocolate chip and raspberry pancakes), roast turkey dinner

Bob’s Diner

Source: Courtesy of Daniel P. via Yelp

Location: Bainbridge, New York
Year opened: 1935
Sample menu items: Monte Cristo sandwich, Big Blue Cheese Bacon Burger

Brunswick Diner

Source: Courtesy of RunAway B. via Yelp

Location: Brunswick, Maine
Year opened: 1946
Sample menu items: Sinatra (slow-cooked beef brisket hash with eggs, home fries, and toast), lobster BLT

Casey’s Diner

Source: Courtesy of Sagar T. via Yelp

Location: Natick, Massachusetts
Year opened: 1922 (1927 in current location)
Sample menu items: Egg salad melt, chopped ham and cheese sandwich

Casper’s

Source: Courtesy of Angeles W. via Yelp

Location: Springfield, Missouri
Year opened: 1909
Sample menu items: Frito pie, deep-fried “mac & chz”

Clanton’s Café

Source: Courtesy of RunAway B. via Yelp

Location: Vinita, Oklahoma
Year opened: 1927
Sample menu items: Belgian waffle, chicken-fried chicken

Clover Grill

Source: Courtesy of Lon D. via Yelp

Location: New Orleans
Year opened: 1939
Sample menu items: Biscuits and gravy, jalapeño and cheese corn dog

Dumont Crystal Diner

Source: Courtesy of Angelica O. via Yelp

Location: Dumont, New Jersey
Year opened: 1928-1932 (exact date unknown)
Sample menu items: Super Omelette (with sausage, ham, cheese, bacon), Dumont Fire Dept. sandwich (breaded chicken, mozzarella, tomato, honey mustard)

Florida Avenue Grill

Source: Courtesy of Paul D. via Yelp

Location: Washington, D.C.
Year opened: 1944
Sample menu items: Fish & grits breakfast, steamed pigs’s feet

Franks Diner

Source: Courtesy of Santino C. via Yelp

Location: Kenosha, Wisconsin
Year opened: 1926
Sample menu items: Frank’s Garbage Plate (eggs, breakfast meat, cheese, homemade toast), Spam sandwich

Fuller’s Coffee Shop

Source: Courtesy of S L. via Yelp

Location: Portland, Oregon
Year opened: 1947
Sample menu items: Pig in a blanket, Reuben sandwich

Hamburger Inn Diner

Source: Courtesy of Lisa R. via Yelp

Location: Delaware, Ohio
Year opened: 1932
Sample menu items: “World Famous Mighty Cinnamon Rolls,” garlic burger

Haven Brothers Diner

Source: Courtesy of Al L. via Yelp

Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Year opened: 1893 (as a horse-drawn lunch wagon; today it’s a mobile unit pulled by a truck)
Sample menu items: Crispy Buffalo chicken sandwich, bacon and cheese fries

Hector’s Cafe & Diner

Source: Courtesy of Sandi H. via Yelp

Location: New York City
Year opened: 1949
Sample menu items: Greek burger wrap, meatballs and spaghetti

Historic Village Diner

Source: Courtesy of Patrick N. via Yelp

Location: Red Hook, New York
Year opened: 1927
Sample menu items: Arleen’s homemade corned beef hash, homemade diner dunker donuts

The Hole in the Wall

Source: Courtesy of Raul G. via Yelp

Location: Blairsville, Georgia
Year opened: 1931
Sample menu items: Stuffed N.Y.-style French toast cheesecake with blueberries, Malibu chicken sandwich grilled with ham and Swiss

Jerry’s Main Lunch

Source: Courtesy of Jerry's Main Lunch via Yelp

Location: Burlington, Iowa
Year opened: 1946
Sample menu items: Country-fried steak and eggs, homemade pies

Joe Brown’s Café

Source: Courtesy of Rayna B. via Yelp

Location: Vancouver, Washington
Year opened: 1932
Sample menu items: The Fried Thing (ham, eggs, and cheddar on sourdough), turkey melt

Kuppy’s Diner

Source: Courtesy of John H. via Yelp

Location: Middletown, Pennsylvania
Year opened: 1933
Sample menu items: Eggs Benedict, chipped beef on toast

Lindy’s Diner

Source: Courtesy of Alejandro S. via Yelp

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Year opened: 1929
Sample menu items: Pickle fries with ranch dressing, tamale plate

Littleton Diner

Source: Courtesy of Al Z. via Yelp

Location: Littleton, New Hampshire
Year opened: 1930
Sample menu items: Littleton buckwheat pancakes, diner steak-cut chili

Luxury Diner

Source: Courtesy of Chad R. via Yelp

Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming
Year opened: 1926
Sample menu items: Red or green chili cheeseburger, chicken club salad

Majestic Diner

Source: Courtesy of Jennifer M. via Yelp

Location: Atlanta
Year opened: 1929
Sample menu items: Gyro omelet with feta and mushrooms, fried crispy haddock with tartar sauce

Al’s Breakfast

Source: Courtesy of Bob K. via Yelp

Location: Minneapolis
Year opened: 1940s (Al’s since 1950)
Sample menu items: Grina (scrambled eggs with kosher salami and onions), buttermilk pancakes with corn

Oasis Diner

Source: Courtesy of Andrew K. via Yelp

Location: Plainfield, Indiana
Year opened: 1954
Sample menu items: Indianapolis Country Fried Breakfast (Fried tenderloin or chicken breast with eggs, home fries. and toast), Oasis Burger (double burger with pulled pork, bacon, BBQ sauce, coleslaw, pickles and cheddar)