New Jersey is known for its diners.
As a “Jersey Girl,” diners are a comfort to me. Shiny chrome rail-like cars with neon signs and modern stainless steel and stonewalled structures with booths and juke boxes on the tables. What is most interesting is that diners are truly a New Jersey phenomenon. When you cross over state lines, the presence of diners becomes scarce and are replaced with waffle and pancake houses and chain restaurants.
As a child, diners represented homecourt for high school students. My alma-mater is Hanover Park High School, and the Golden Touch Diner was our school hang out. We would have never even thought to go two-minutes down the road to the Whippany Diner because we would have been on another school’s turf!
So, where is your “go-to” diner? From the iconic Tick Tock Diner to an obscure dive off the beaten path, you are guaranteed a bottomless cup of coffee, breakfast 24 hours a day, and cheeseburgers with french fries (disco or with brown gravy!) On the road late at night, it is a comfort to know that a diner is around the corner with its lights shining, ready to serve.
We proudly hold the ranking as the “Diner Capital of the World.”
It started in 1912 with the “lunch wagon” created by Jerry O’Mahony in Bayonne, New Jersey. Today, there are about 600 diners in New Jersey ranging from factory-built diner cars to site built multi-story establishments. We enjoy our Greek-run greasy spoons with their 12-page menus. The rest of the world just doesn’t get it, and that’s okay…it will be our perfect secret.
Check out the top-rated diners in each of New Jersey’s 21 counties. I hope your favorite has made the list!
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