Greek-Italian Diners

[pras]

Why can't anyone open a diner here like they have in NY?  Where you can order everything from eggs, eggplant rollatini, or souvlaki, etc.

[DanielK]

Why can't anyone open a diner here like they have in NY?  Where you can order everything from eggs, eggplant rollatini, or souvlaki, etc.

I would argue that the Greek/Italian diner culture is more NJ than NY, but there definitely isn't anything like that around here.

[Kev29]

I would argue that the Greek/Italian diner culture is more NJ than NY, but there definitely isn't anything like that around here.

Yep. And that's just the nature of Washington DC. We weren't established as a commercial port or industrial town -- and thus did not have huge waves of post-industrialization Greek, Italian or Irish immigration. This is why we also don't have a ton of long-held Greek diners, checkered tablecloth Italian... or green Nationals caps

That said, I'm still able to get my cheap diner fix at Tastee in Silver Spring and Bethesda. Plus some Greek-American and Italian-American cuisine when I'm in the mood for it. There's more in the suburbs. Reason someone can't plop an affordable Jersey style Greek-American diner in the District these days? $$$

[ALB]

I have not been in many years- but Platos Diner in College Park, used to fit the bill.

[DonRocks]

I would argue that the Greek/Italian diner culture is more NJ than NY, but there definitely isn't anything like that around here.

Northern Virginia has a culture of Greek-owned pizzerias, for whatever that's worth, and several diners seem to be Greek-owned - maybe they moved down from NY/NJ.

[pras]

I have not been in many years- but Platos Diner in College Park, used to fit the bill.

Agree on Platos 100%.

[Kev29]

I have not been in many years- but Platos Diner in College Park, used to fit the bill.

I miss the original Ambrosia in Rockville. Kind of an odd, scruffy place -- but good pancakes. And gyro omelets.

[DanielK]

I agree that there are diners, and Greek places, and Italian places, etc. in the DC area, but nothing like Mastoris outside of Trenton, and places like this are in every little town all over NJ.

[DaveO]

Before it burned down the Claremont Diner in Verona, NJ might have been the largest of all;  Diner in the front, restaurant in the back-> huge  Friends of mine from NY used to come across the river to eat there  (okay, so they grew up near this place--but they still drove through tons of traffic and across the river to get there)

Diner in the front, big restaurant in the rear.  The diner was indistinguishable from other diners as I recall; breakfasts, coffee, pastries, burgers, fries, sandwiches.   It wasn't Greek owned as so many others, but from the diner side who could tell.

[Steve R.]

Well, not to get too fine tuned here but its Manhattan that's never had a big diner culture, not all of NYC.  Brooklyn has literally had hundreds of them & I still have 3 in my immediate neighborhood (like a 10 block radius).  All Greek owned, all with far reaching menus.  Some with decent food.

[Simul Parikh]

"Where Have All The Diners Gone?" by Aaron Elstein on cranesnewyork.com

Good long form article...

S

[pras]

"Where Have All The Diners Gone?" by Aaron Elstein on cranesnewyork.com

Good long form article...

S

Very good article.  I think this highlights why diners can't make it in the DC area as well.