Summit Diner Ranked Best In New Jersey: Report

SUMMIT, NJ — With their padded booths, neon signs, friendly waitstaff and stacks of pancakes that can be ordered at all hours of the day, diners are essentially a staple in New Jersey.

Summit Diner, which sits right on the corner of Union Place, is the quintessential Jersey diner, according to a recent report from NJ.com. Out of the 37 best diners in the state, NJ.com ranked Summit Diner as number 1.

With about 600 diners, New Jersey is the Diner Capital of the World, according to NJ.com. Diners in the state also rarely die out; they either move elsewhere or modernize.

But Summit Diner has kept much of its traditional appeal. First built in 1929, the vintage diner is a converted railroad car and is one of the state's oldest diners.

Stepping into the diner is like going back in time, with its wood paneling, padded booths and a grill that is completely visible to customers. Summit Diner was built by Jerry O'Mahony, a diner manufacturer once located in Bayonne.

NJ.com describes the joint as a "postcard-perfect vintage diner" that "stays stubbornly and wonderfully stuck in the past." Another NJ.com article also claims that Summit Diner's Taylor ham egg and cheese sandwich is one of the state's best.

Celebrities and politicians, such as Jim Cramer and Jon Corzine, have reportedly dined at Summit Diner, and it's been rumored that Ernest Hemingway was once a patron there, as well.

Summit Diner was also featured on the show "The Food Dude" in the first episode entitled "Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner."

Food writer Peter Genovese wrote, "The food is not fancy here, but no other diner combines atmosphere, tradition and history in one unparalleled package."

You can check out Summit Diner on 1 Union Place, and view its hours below:

Monday: 5:30AM–4PM

Tuesday: 5:30AM–4PM

Wednesday: 5:30AM–4PM

Thursday: 5:30AM–4PM

Friday: 5:30AM–4PM

Saturday: 5:30AM–4PM

Sunday: 6:30AM–3PM

Monday: 5:30AM–4PM