The Top 10 Diners in Massachusetts

Contribution to Patch by Randy Garbin

New Jersey may claim itself as the “diner state,” but those of us from Massachusetts know better. We rightfully take issue with what they call a real diner, which in that state includes some monstrous restaurants of dubious aesthetic quality with voluminous menus that “specialize” in every dish ever made!

A diner is by definition a prefabricated food-service structure with counter service hauled out to a remote site. This includes everything from the ten-stool Casey’s Diner in Natick to the Mastoris Diner, 600-seat multi-sectioned “diner-plex” in Bordentown, New Jersey. Both were built in factories and both transported to their locations.

Still, my heart belongs to the smaller diners, and especially those that do their cooking out front where you can watch from the counter, and you still find a better number of those in the Bay State. The food is typically better, often homemade, and served by people with a genuine concern for their customers and communities.

Here are the ten diners in Massachusetts that you must visit, not necessarily for the food, but for the overall experience. I’ve eaten in more than 700 diners, and I can say with some authority that these diners will show you why we love them, and why they must be preserved.

I present this list in no particular order or preference. I wouldn’t trade a seat in any one of them for one in any chain restaurant or so-called fine-dining establishment.

Charlie’s Diner, 32 West Main Street, Spencer

From the 1950s until 2001, Charlie’s Diner operated on Plantation Street in Worcester until the landlord kicked them out. It took a couple of years, but the Turner family relocated the diner to its current location in Spencer and expanded the operation to include a full-service tavern. The Worcester Lunch Car Company built Charlie’s in 1949, and it remains an excellent example of their classic and solid craftsmanship. The Turners offer a tasty Yankee-style menu that includes excellent soups, stews, and a great breakfast. Service is personable, but keep in mind that while you can have it your way at Charlie’s, you are not entitled to it.

Blanchard’s 101 Diner, 322 Cambridge Street, Worcester

It’s a near-miracle that this diner even exists. When the Worcester Lunch Car Company closed down in 1961, it had an unfinished, framed diner in its facility. The Van Slett Sign Company bought the diner company’s assets, including the diner and moved it to its shop on Park Street, where it remained until 1999 when a Rhode Island salvage outfit purchased and moved it to Lincoln. In 2006, the Blanchards of Worcester brought it back home and completed its construction. While not a perfectly faithful reconstruction of a Worcester car, the family did an excellent job creating a cozy, welcoming space that upholds the tradition proudly.

Capitol Diner, 431 Union Street, Lynn

No one walks out of the Capitol without a smile on their face. Built in the 1920s, the diner has served the “city of sin” continuously by the same family. Without a doubt, the Capitol is one of the best diners in the country. It serves full menu and well known for fresh fish sandwiches, chowders, and hearty breakfasts. A true community landmark and not to be missed. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Owner elected to the state legislature.

Deluxe Town Diner, 627 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Deluxe is a diner that sets the culinary standard for all diners to follow. It offers a well-rounded menu of freshly prepared meals in a stylish, funky, but family-friendly setting. Unsurpassed food quality, and an essential stop on any diner tour that comes within 50 miles of Watertown. This diner was built on-site but looks very much like a true classic diner, although the kitchen of this diner is an actual diner, but one would have to go inside to see. The people line up to get the homemade desserts, soups, corned beef hash and one of the best cups of coffee to be found anywhere. Be sure to try the sweet potato pancakes.

Betsy’s Diner, 457 Main Street, Falmouth

Betsy’s came up to Massachusetts in 1992 from Allentown, Pennsylvania where it operated as the Peter Pan. The diner immediately found a large and devoted following of locals and tourists alike for its comprehensive family-friendly menu and homemade desserts.

Casey’s Diner, 36 South Avenue, Natick

Possibly the oldest continuously operating diner in the country, most people know Casey’s for its hot dogs. It serves over 600 every day. The tiny building was built by Worcester Lunch Car in 1922, and the Casey family has done almost nothing to alter its original look — especially inside where it provides only ten stools for seating. Not to worry, you can walk up to the side window and sit at a picnic table or get it to go. They also serve burgers and slices of pie, but little else. Anyone who calls themselves a true diner fanatic must visit Casey’s at least once.

Four Sisters Owl Diner, 244 Appleton Street, Lowell

At one time, I would regularly make the 40-minute drive to Lowell from Watertown just to eat breakfast at the Four Sisters Diner, and mainly to get the side of ham — a half-inch-or-more fresh slice of the real thing. I also eagerly engorged myself on the plate-covering banana pancakes and soaked in the free-of-pretense real diner atmosphere. You can get lunch here as well (but not dinner), but the Shanahan family serve one of the best breakfasts in the region.

Route 66 Diner, 950 Bay Street, Springfield

Another Massachusetts diner listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Route 66 gets high marks for big portions and perfectly grilled home fries. It came to Springfield in 1957, operating first as the Bay Diner and can claim its place as the city’s last diner in Springfield. Owner Don Roy also recently restored the diner’s exterior with brand-new stainless steel panels, so today it looks as fine as it serves.

Salem Diner, 326 Canal Street, Salem

The J.B. Judkins company of Merrimack, Massachusetts made a line of “Sterling” diners during the Depression, and toward the end of its life, made a series of stunning streamliners. The Salem is one of only two currently in operation (the other is in Pawtucket, Rhode Island). Stop in and sample the good classic diner fare in a setting rarer than hen’s teeth.

Ralph’s Rock Diner, 95 Prescott St., Worcester

Not exactly the quintessential diner experience, but Ralph’s has long served as a coming-of-age landmark for all lovers of live music, outstanding burgers and chili, and the lifestyle eclectic. This spectacular Worcester monitor-roofed diner operated for years in Cherry Valley until the late Ralph Moberly purchased it and set it up at its current location attached to a 19th century mill building in the late 1970s. It quickly became the epicenter of the area’s live music scene, and at one point the Boston Globe declared it possibly the best live club in the state — if not beyond. Ralph passed on in 2008, but the diner couldn’t have found a better steward than Vince Hemmeter, who has continued and embellished the tradition.

From 1990 to 2012, Randy Garbin was the publisher of Roadside Magazine and RoadsideOnline.com, the magazine and website that explored the back roads and Main Streets of America. He authored Diners of New England (Stackpole Books), the definitive guide to diners in the region, and he currently offers the“This is What a Diner Looks Like Calendar” for 2016, ordered via Lulu.com. He currently lives in the Philadelphia area, but hopes to return home soon.

Photos submitted by Randy Garbin