Since I know not everyone can be everywhere at once I thought I’d do a quick post on some of the diners I’ve seen and visited during the past couple of weeks while on the road. Always good to keep tabs on the status of these great stainless steel roadside icons!
Trolley Car Diner Mt. Airy PA
Big addition on the back, deli, huge make your own six pack beer selection and table tennis team, this diner is doing its everything it can to be a community resource. Not to mention the newly added mural, cool neon and trolley car ice cream stand.
Chung Sing Diner Ardmore PA
Looks like it’s still hanging in there serving American Chinese food, we drove past here trying to dodge traffic getting into Philadelphia.
Silk City Diner Philadelphia PA
Silk City is a hopping nightspot now, with thumping bass coming from the club attached at the left of the diner, and a bustling bar scene at the counter. Newly expanded on the right is their Bier Garden where you can sit outside and enjoy a brew at the small bar or one of the many tables, a nice place to be on a hot spring evening indeed.
Jordan Anthony Diner Lebanon PA
We drove past this en route to home on Route 422. Not sure the history of this place but it looks like it’s under contract. Peering in the windows it looks like the place is move in ready. UPDATE 1/16/2011 – just drove past this diner yesterday to find it’s been turned into Marabelle’s Restaurant & Catering – 1352 Cumberland Street, Lebanon, PA 17042.
Mel’s Diner Lebanon PA
The diner itself has overhangs that somewhat obscure its stainless steel beauty, but the inside looks wonderfully preserved and c’mon, how can you ignore that sign? I’ve taken note of their hours and my guess is that it’s totally Retro Roadmap worthy without even eating there. Don’t worry – we’ll do the culinary research!
Main Street Diner Newark DE
Last time I was in Newark – years ago- this diner was not as renovated as you see here in this photo, but I guess the renovations still didn’t keep the place open. Signs in the windows say it’s going to be a Cheeburger Cheeburger – who call themselves “The Most Creative and Fun Restaurant on Earth”. Yeah, um, whatever.
Neptune Diner Lancaster PA
We had a tasty breakfast here, and the place was bustling!
Prospect Diner Columbia PA
I did not go inside, but hear that this place is under new management. Definitely going to check this out for the Retro Roamap. And check out that stainless steel pompadour roofline- crazy! (Edited to add: We have since eaten there and were charmed by the friendly service and affordable prices. Read about our visit to the Prospect Diner here)
The New Ideal Diner Aberdeen MD
My new ideal, a beautiful diner, still family owned and operated, well preserved, tasty food – oh you’ll be reading a lot more about this place on the Retro Roadmap!
Happy Day Diner Baltimore MD
I pulled in here to check my map and snapped this quick photo. The contrast between the exterior of this place and the New Ideal exemplifies what diner purists refer to as the “Marilyn and Elvis”-ing of diners. Ya think?
Now if this post doesn’t make you want to hit the road and check out YOUR local diner, I don’t know what will! Matter of fact as soon as I wake up the slightly snoring Retro Roadhusband (got in very late from a gig) – I do believe we’re heading to Wolfe’s Diner in Dillsburg PA for a late breakfast. And of course I will share the photos and news with you all!
Larry Cultrera
May 9, 2010 at 9:30 am1. The addition on the back of the Trolley Car was an existing building. It was built as a Gino’s Hamburgers and morphed into a Roy Rogers. The Trolley Car people made good use of the old building.
2. Chung Sing was originally Dean’s Diner.
3. Jordan Anthony Diner was Pushnik’s Diner.
4. Mel’s Diner was The Lincoln Diner.
5. The Main Street Diner was originally The Newark Diner and also Jimmy’s Diner.
6. The Happy Day Diner was one of the Double T Diners.
Mod Betty / Retro Roadmap
May 9, 2010 at 9:36 amGood morning Larry! I knew you’d be able to fill in some of the many details that I was unaware of. I figured I’d snap the photos since I was “on the road” as not all diner fans can be, and then everyone could be brought up to speed on what was going on with them. Funny I didn’t realize until I started organizing this post that I had photographed so many diners over the past few weeks. Lucky to have so many in the area to choose from.
mike e
May 9, 2010 at 11:26 amwhat an absolute shame on the Newark, DE diner. How can anyone think that that crap adds to the aesthetics. It just enlarges the building and takes away from the stainless steel glory. A non-descript building with conflicting identities.
Mod Betty / Retro Roadmap
May 10, 2010 at 8:57 amMike E, maybe that’s why it’s empty!
Taryn
May 11, 2010 at 11:53 amjust found your website – what a great idea! and imagine my surprise to see a diner a few blocks from my house (chung sing) on a recent post!
Mod Betty / Retro Roadmap
May 11, 2010 at 12:08 pmTaryn,
Glad you found the Retro Roadmap and are liking what you see. I haven’t been to the Chung Sing in a few years, you’ll have to let us know how it is. And if you know of any Retro Roadmap worthy locations in your neck of the woods, I’m always looking for photos and a quick writeup, so we can share them with the world!
dinerman
June 18, 2010 at 1:40 pmHere are some pics of the Newark before it was uglied up. Used to have really nice neon.
http://dinerman.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/the-korner-diner-newark-delaware/
When the Prospect was Kerrie’s Prospect, the owner, Kerrie, literally chased us out of the place, and chased our car to the road after she found out we’d taken a picture after clearing it with the waitress. Something about having “told us last time we were here that we weren’t welcome” It was our first time there. I hope it does better under the new management.
Mod Betty / Retro Roadmap
June 19, 2010 at 8:54 amThanks for sharing the photo! I remember now the fact that the interior of the Newark Diner was carpeted over and that struck me as very odd and probably a pain to keep clean!
That is a crazy story about the Prospect= and exactly why I have issues with photographing interiors or getting folks in my shots. I swear if that had happened to me, I’d cry!
Joan MacDonald
January 10, 2011 at 10:57 amCheck it out when you are in upstate New York: http://kingston.ulsterpublishing.com/view/full_story/10366169/article–Just-like-it-used-to-be-Old-Trolley-Kitchen-revives-wholesome-American-diner-favorites-?instance=home_top_left
Joan MacDonald
October 17, 2018 at 12:23 pmCheck it out when you are in upstate New York: http://kingston.ulsterpublishing.com/view/full_story/10366169/article–Just-like-it-used-to-be-Old-Trolley-Kitchen-revives-wholesome-American-diner-favorites-?instance=home_top_left
dinerman
October 15, 2018 at 8:57 pmHere are some pics of the Newark before it was uglied up. Used to have really nice neon.
http://dinerman.wordpress.com/2009/03/17/the-korner-diner-newark-delaware/
When the Prospect was Kerrie’s Prospect, the owner, Kerrie, literally chased us out of the place, and chased our car to the road after she found out we’d taken a picture after clearing it with the waitress. Something about having “told us last time we were here that we weren’t welcome” It was our first time there. I hope it does better under the new management.
Mod Betty / Retro Roadmap
October 15, 2018 at 8:57 pmThanks for sharing the photo! I remember now the fact that the interior of the Newark Diner was carpeted over and that struck me as very odd and probably a pain to keep clean!
That is a crazy story about the Prospect= and exactly why I have issues with photographing interiors or getting folks in my shots. I swear if that had happened to me, I’d cry!
Taryn
October 15, 2018 at 8:57 pmjust found your website – what a great idea! and imagine my surprise to see a diner a few blocks from my house (chung sing) on a recent post!
Mod Betty / Retro Roadmap
October 15, 2018 at 8:57 pmTaryn,
Glad you found the Retro Roadmap and are liking what you see. I haven’t been to the Chung Sing in a few years, you’ll have to let us know how it is. And if you know of any Retro Roadmap worthy locations in your neck of the woods, I’m always looking for photos and a quick writeup, so we can share them with the world!
mike e
October 15, 2018 at 8:57 pmwhat an absolute shame on the Newark, DE diner. How can anyone think that that crap adds to the aesthetics. It just enlarges the building and takes away from the stainless steel glory. A non-descript building with conflicting identities.
Mod Betty / Retro Roadmap
October 15, 2018 at 9:01 pmMike E, maybe that’s why it’s empty!
Larry Cultrera
October 15, 2018 at 8:57 pm1. The addition on the back of the Trolley Car was an existing building. It was built as a Gino’s Hamburgers and morphed into a Roy Rogers. The Trolley Car people made good use of the old building.
2. Chung Sing was originally Dean’s Diner.
3. Jordan Anthony Diner was Pushnik’s Diner.
4. Mel’s Diner was The Lincoln Diner.
5. The Main Street Diner was originally The Newark Diner and also Jimmy’s Diner.
6. The Happy Day Diner was one of the Double T Diners.
Mod Betty / Retro Roadmap
October 15, 2018 at 9:01 pmGood morning Larry! I knew you’d be able to fill in some of the many details that I was unaware of. I figured I’d snap the photos since I was “on the road” as not all diner fans can be, and then everyone could be brought up to speed on what was going on with them. Funny I didn’t realize until I started organizing this post that I had photographed so many diners over the past few weeks. Lucky to have so many in the area to choose from.
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