Bowmanstown Diner, Bowmanstown PA – Open 24 Hours a Day!

Retro Roadhusband and I were supposed to have a salad for dinner tonight, but with the cold grey rainy day we're having I'd rather have some warm comfort food, like they serve at The Bowmanstown Diner in Bowmanstown PA.

In researching for this post I see that they're famous for their Pennsylvania Dutch cooking and french fries with gravy (so much more up my alley than a head of cold lettuce!)

I visited the diner at the recommendation of a Roadsidefans post and while I was initially bummed to see the stainless diner partially covered over, I ended up being so pleased with the food, service and spotless vintage diner charm, that I realized it didn't matter that most of the diner was covered with a boater hat of stonework and mansard-roofing. It was a classic diner experience.

Or should I say, dinerS experience:

You see, the Bowmanstown diner is really an amalgam of 2 diners, with the main diner being a well preserved 1952 Fodero:

And to the right, a 1960  Silk City diner turned on its side and added as a dining area. You can see the whole Silk City from across the train tracks.

I was alone on this jaunt north so I took my customary seat at the counter. As Elaine the hostess saw me clicking a photo of the Fodero tag she made an effort not to get in the picture, which was sweet (but it still came out blurry- blah.). I told her how utterly charming this place was, and how great that it was so well preserved inside. She agreed and said words that warmed my heart:

"They (current owners Rich & Mike) didn't want to enlarge the one door that goes in and out from the kitchen because they didn't want to mess with the original stainless steel".

SWOON!

And check out that cool stainless steel, with authentic diner clock in-tact, and keeping time!

And the food is good too!

I was asked - first time in my life - if I would like onions in my hash browns (no thanks.) When the hot water for my tea was delivered, a tiny paper ramekin cup was nestled inside the neck of the rounded bottle, to keep the water hotter.

And when my breakfast was delivered- on classic Homer Laughlin diner china that matched the pink interior - well I swear I've never seen such cheery looking over-easy eggs in my life.

Not only is this great vintage diner clean and classic,  but it is open 24 hours a day and only closed 3 days out of the entire year; Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years day.

Had the Glider diner not already have been flagged as the Retro Roadmap / RoadsideFans meeting place (on Sunday 11/14) I was prepared to recommend this diner in a heartbeat.

If you're in the area, or driving on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, do yourself a favor and stop by the Bowmanstown Diner. And thank them for not messing with the vintage stainless steel!