A Spoonful of Sofrito: A pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.
A Look Inside the Historic NYC Diners Still Keeping Traditions Alive!
Sofrito Lovers,
Diners are amazing! Diners are fun, homey, and often times delicious! Where else can you sit for hours nursing a burger and coffee talking, texting, and reading for hours at a time? You can't be that leisurely at a restaurant or any other type of eatery.
Diners are unique and definitely part of the NYC experience. Check out the Eater.com article below and go visit some of the amazing diners around this culinary metropolis! You won't be disappointed!
Go taste for yourself! ¡Buen Provecho!
A Look Inside the Historic NYC Diners Still Keeping Traditions Alive
Classic diners are a dying breed, but these have managed to keep their old-school decor
by Riley Arthur Aug 20, 2018, 4:13pm EDT
Classic diners are endangered in New York City, where rent is astronomical and family run diners are competing against large corporations for space. Last month, Queen’s Flagship Diner closed its doors after being a pillar of the Briarwood, Queens community for over 53 years. In its wake, a 7-story mixed use apartment building will fill the site. In March, the original Georgia Diner closed after 40 years in Elmhurst, Queens; the property sold for $14.25 million. Its demolition began immediately, with a medical facility and 18-story high currently under development.
Two and a half years ago, I set out to document New York City diners. I was concerned by the speed that they were closing with and intrigued by the diners that remained open. I’ve documented more than 400 diners in all five boroughs, sharing my discoveries on Instagram. Since I started, more than two dozen of them have closed. In order to survive, many establishments have renovated to trendier decor, updated their menus, or rebranded to upscale cafes or coffee shops, while still maintaining a vague diner identity.
Diners began in the 1850s as pre-fabricated metal and wooden structures that were easy to move from the manufacturing plant and quick to install at the restaurant site. An estimated 95 percent of prefab diners ever built were manufactured in New Jersey; companies like Kullman, O’Mahoney, Paramount, Swingle, Mountain View, and others manufactured the diners, selling them throughout the Northeast and beyond.
The genre has since evolved from its early genesis and every year, fewer remain or are still manufactured in the pre-fab design. Now, most diners are restaurants within a larger multi-use building, not standalone structures. Luckily, there are a number of diners who have boldly kept their vintage decor, older menu, and uniquely nostalgic appeal. Visiting one is like stepping into the past. Here are a few such diners still open that continue to stand the test of time.
Lexington Ave Candy Shop and Luncheonette
1226 Lexington Ave., at East 83rd Street, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Opened for 93 years, this diner began as a candy shop and soda jerk 1935 and was last renovated in 1948. Sodas including Coca-Cola are still made the old fashioned way, with a pump and syrup. The current owner John Philis is a third generation in the line of people running the restaurant, and regulars include Bruce Springsteen.
