Beloved Diner Closes After 57 Years In Norwalk, Owners Announce ‘Heart-Wrenching Decision’

NORWALK, CT — A beloved diner in Norwalk has closed after more than half a century in business, according to an announcement made over the weekend.

Penny's Diner and Restaurant III, also known as Penny's III, long located at 212 East Avenue, officially closed Sunday night after serving its valued customers one last time.

A message from "the team at Penny's" posted to the door of the diner Sunday afternoon said the "excruciating and heart-wrenching decision" to close the restaurant's doors for good was made "after 57 unforgettable years" in business.

"Thank you for your loyal patronage, the beautiful memories we've shared and for allowing us the privilege to serve you throughout the years," the message reads. "This marks the end of a beautiful chapter in our lives, and one that we will cherish forever."

Long a staple of the East Avenue dining scene, Penny's Diner served breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks seven days a week and was open nearly all day and night for many years.

The expansive menu at Penny's III consisted of a wide variety of classic diner specials, from omelettes, french toast and pancakes to meatloaf, club sandwiches, burgers and pasta.

The diner also offered a rotating menu of specials, a small bar menu and a wide selection of desserts.

The Norwalk location was one of two Penny's diners. The other location, which was called Penny's II, abruptly closed in January 2023 on the Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield after 40 years in business.

Penny's III is not the only longtime Norwalk business to announce a closure in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, family-owned jewelry store Kosta Jewelers confirmed their physical store in the city's Wall Street area is set to close in late February as the business shifts to online sales only.

Around the same time last year, New York Bakery permanently closed its doors at 52 Main Street after nearly 70 years in business just before Thanksgiving in November 2024.