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Are diners a New England thing? The place is the center of the diner milieu, where foodies get served everything from hamburgers to French fries and club sandwiches to the perfect cider donuts and feel like they have traveled back in time. Diners have reached a full circle in New England, where it started from a simple lunch wagon or metal lunch cars of the 1870s Providence to the current gleaming chrome-finished places, which still retain the community feeling and a warm ambiance. It’s been a century since diners in New England opened their doors to the average American who draws solace from simple-cooked hearty, inexpensive meals and is still a favorite among greasy spoon aficionados. Here are the best retro diners in America for the vintage lover.


Related: Missing Those Fluffy, Diner-Style Pancakes? Here Are The Best Box Mixes, Ranked

10 Agawam Diner

A woman eats a burger in Agawam Diner in Rowley in Massachusetts
Photo by Alora Griffiths on Unsplash

A woman eats a burger in Agawam Diner in Rowley in Massachusetts

This historic diner in Rowley, Massachusetts, is an epitome of a perfect diner in the way it is run. The retro 1950s vintage diner is in a Fodero diner car, with all the regulars on the menu, meatloaf, pot roast, chicken pies, and the world’s best pancake dishes, not to forget their hottest-selling item, pies. The kitchen at the diner makes around forty fluffy pancakes daily, and foodies come in droves to enjoy them and the rest of their classic menu.

  • Address
    : 166 Newburyport Tpke, Rowley, MA 01969

  • Hours
    : 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. most days and Tuesday to Thursday, 5 a.m. – 3 p.m.

  • Stand-out dish
    – Chicken pot pie

Related: 10 Old Town Diner Finds In And Around New York

9 The Maine Diner

Interior of the Maine diner in Maine
Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash

Interior of the Maine diner in Maine

Big fans of chowder and lobster pies can troop in to enjoy the sumptuous menu in a warm, simple space, The Maine Diner. They have served the regulars since the 1980s, and their popularity hasn’t waned. Fresh seafood is their forte, from cod cakes to fried clams. While old favorites such as Lobster Pie and New England Boiled Dinner continue to tease the visitors’ taste buds, the menu has been updated since. Many of the diner’s fresh produce comes from the garden behind. It even made it to an episode of Guy Fieri’s show on Food Network, “Diners Dive-ins and Drive.”

  • Address
    : 2265 Post Rd, Wells, ME 04090, United States

  • Hours
    : Mon-Thur 7 a.m – 8 p.m, Fri & Sat 7 a.m – 8:30 p.m & Sun 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. for Brunch

  • Stand-out dish
    : Tuesday’s special shepherd’s pie

8 Dottie’s Diner

A diner with an Open sign in Connecticut, USA
Photo by Ricky Singh on Unsplash

A diner with an Open sign in Connecticut, USA

Dotti’s Diner is a retro place that combines 1950s kitsch with homemade donuts and traditional American breakfast, making it an utterly wholesome combination. It arguably serves some of the best doughnuts in New England, and why not when the owner Dottie Sperry believes in serving fresh batches to customers every morning? Their menu is diverse and promises delicious food which is as authentic and as American as it gets. Their homemade coffee cake and lemon meringue pie are a must-try. For the health-conscious who wants to keep from greasy food, vegetable risotto and pan-fried sea bass meet the requirement.

  • Address
    : Woodbury, CT. 203-263-2516

  • Hours
    : 7 a.m – 3 p.m

  • Stand-out dish
    : meatloaf

Related: Diner Devotion: Ranking The Top Diner Foods In The Country, By Popularity

7 O’Rourke’s Diner

O'Rourke's Diner in Middletown, Connecticut
Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash

O’Rourke’s Diner in Middletown, Connecticut

Juicy, tender meats and cheese, steamed in a stainless steel cabinet, make for a classic “Cheeseburg” served in the O-Rourke’s Diner. Crowds have been milling in this retro diner since 1941 to try the brethren of a modern-day burger. The in-house Irish soda bread is a favorite among the regulars, and so is their fantastic French toast. Food aside, there’s something about the ambiance in the eatery that rose from the ashes after a fire broke out in the joint. However, it took just a year for it to be back on its feet.

  • Address
    : 728 N Main St, Middletown, CT 06457, USA

  • Hours
    : 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

  • Standout dish
    : Corned beef with egg praete oaten

6 Blue Benn Diner

A plate of French toast at Blue Benn Diner in Bennington, Vermont
Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

A plate of French toast at Blue Benn Diner in Bennington, Vermont

All for meat-free Mondays? Then the Sonny Blue Benn Diner is the place to be. It’s a southern Vermont joint serving meat-free dishes and meat-laden dishes since the late 1970s, and your quest to find the best vegan food stops here. The owners of the diner, Marylou and Sonny Monroe, have been churning up delectable dishes, giving vegetarian naysayers a run for their meatloaf with dishes, including scrambled tofu and raspberry crunch French toast. With Sonny’s passing away in 2019, the iconic diner was at risk of shutting down forever, joining the other abandoned diners in the US. Blue Benn regular John Getchell knew that he had to step in to save his favorite diner and keep the Blue Benn flag flying high. Truly, he has done the Monroe family proud.

  • Address
    : 314 North St, Bennington, VT 05201, United States

  • Hours
    : 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  • Standout dish:
    Pot roast

5 Zip’s Diner

A plate of pancakes at Zip's Diner in Dayville, Connecticut
Photo by Edward Howell on Unsplash

A plate of pancakes at Zip’s Diner in Dayville, Connecticut

There is something about the “EAT” neon sign above Zip’s Diner that immediately draws in hungry travelers to the laden tables of this Connecticut eatery. The Zip’s diner car has the usual eye-popping vinyl-covered stools and an old-school jukebox. The staff is always ready to serve the food with a ready smile. Zip’s Diner menu smacks of part nostalgia and part modern menu with pancakes, omelets, and baked puddings.

  • Address
    : 725 Hartford Pike, Dayville, CT 06241, United States

  • Hours
    : 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday & Sunday and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays

  • Stand-out dish
    : Corned beef hash

4 Laurel Diner

 Breakfast platter at Lauren Diner in Southbury, Connecticut
Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash

 Breakfast platter at Lauren Diner in Southbury, Connecticut

The diner has been serving food for the soul for years now, and although it has a modest outwardly appearance, the diner has been perfecting breakfast platters with a rare flourish. Laurel Diner’s owner, Pete Hornick, created a perfect menu that has become a part of the luxurious breakfast platter, with every guilty pleasure food that people living in New England enjoy. A popular dish that most visitors cannot have enough of is the slightly-browned on girdle fluffy cinnamon raisin French Toast. The lunchtime sandwich is a mammoth BBQ Bacon sandwich and a juicy onion ring burger. Vegetarians need not despair as they can feast on the vegetarian Laurel Omelet.

  • Address
    : 544 Main St S, Southbury, CT 06488, United States

  • Hours
    : 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

  • Standout dish
    : Corned hash beef

3 Brunswick Diner

A plate of waffles and strawberries in Brunswick diner in Maine
Photo by Brett Wharton on Unsplash

A plate of waffles and strawberries in Brunswick diner in Maine

Maine is one of the American cities that every aspiring foodie must visit, and for the best lobster roll, they should head to the Brunswick Diner. Serving a typical American menu for more than 70 years, Brunswick has earned over its royal customers with their hot sellers, fluffy omelets, and chicken and waffles. Just stepping inside the diner will take you back to good old times with a jukebox blaring the hit tracks of Bobby Darin and Elvis Presley. This pet-friendly diner has been serving good food at a good price, and the student-friendly specials with Bowdoin balls and dollar wings are great on taste yet light on pockets.

  • Address
    : 101 Pleasant St, Brunswick, ME 04011, USA

  • Hours
    : 7 a.m to 2 p.m.

  • Stand-out dish
    : Roast turkey dinners

2 Miss Florence Diner

A couple eating at Miss Florence Diner in Northampton, Massachusetts
Photo by Spencer Davis on Unsplash

A couple eating at Miss Florence Diner in Northampton, Massachusetts

Miss Florence Diner is a historic diner housed in an old train car in Northampton, Massachusetts. It includes everything that will take you back to the charm and appeal of the retro years. However, it is the food that enjoys the most attention. The terrific menu includes French toast and poached eggs that get an oozy luxurious touch under the deft touch of the in-house chef. The menu is fresh and made from scratch, like the deli sandwiches or soups.

Related: These Retro Diners Will Make You Feel Like You Traveled Back In Time

1 Miss Worcester Diner

Interiors of Miss Worcester in Massachusets
Image by Michelle Raponi from Pixabay

Interiors of Miss Worcester in Massachusets

A meal of two eggs with rye toast and a warm beverage like coffee will cost you less than five bucks. The buzzing Miss Worcester Diner has hundreds of visitors trooping in during the morning rush hours. The French toast menu is to die for and includes the moist banana bread to the delicious Boston cream pie. With stickers spiffing up the walls and ceilings, it adds to the ambiance of the retro diner. One instantly feels at home the minute one steps inside the diner staff. No wonder, The classic Miss Worcester Diner has won the best retro eating joint in the state more than once.

  • Address
    : 300 Southbridge St, Worcester, MA 01608, United States

  • Hours
    : 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • Stand-out dish
    : Crunchy French toast

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