Growing Up in Philadelphia: The Lost City Until Perhaps youre thinking of Robinsons Diner on Island Avenue near Buist (SW Philadelphia)? 8013 Castor Avenue, (215) 342-3005; 2153 S. Hancock Street, (215) 462-1637, lipkinsoriginalbakery.com. 5. Mostly latchkey kids, we stuck together after class ended. Live in a walkable community. He currently works as an independent website developer and art director. The Penrose had it all in spades. Your Dad Steve was a great boss back then. Behind the foreboding, Darth Vader-like facade sits a late-1930s Silk City diner that serves up the most basic of menus. Italian. Front Porch Restaurant: 232 Philadelphia Pike, Bellefonte, 1980-2003 Destroyed by fire. Yeah, theres Delco and Jersey on either side of the city, but still a major American city needs the accessibility, affordability, and history that a solidlong-lived diner can provide. Bringing the spirit of the decade to life with quintessential . his Mario Batali has called this unassuming 40-seat trattoria in the Center City area of Philly "possibly the best Italian restaurant on the East Coast." The elevated cuisine is prepared by Marc Vetri, who was trained by celebrated chefs in Bergamo, Italy, and who has won a James Beard Award for his . Photograph by Dick Swanson/The National Archive, Eddie Gindi seems genuinely excited as he stands at the dais in the Union League. 10 of Philly's most missed closed restaurants | PhillyVoice Fond memories. All-in-all, the Melrose still mostly looks and feels like the Melrose. dining. Book online. Maybe Grace Kelly never dropped in for a cup and a slice of pie, and I suspect very few pairs of tasseled loafers shuffled across its terrazzo floors, thoughnot that the diner wouldnt welcome either. The idea brought about national attention and before long books about diners appeared, photorealism paintings of diners sold in Soho galleries for $50,000, and brands wanted to shoot their commercials in a real diner. The Best Restaurants in Philadelphia | January 2022 | OpenTable Back then, it was like there was no one on duty. The big DeRaffele diner featured soaring folded-plate roof line, expansive plate glass windows, and a space-age interior that restaurateurs in places like New York and San Francisco spend a small fortune to recreate. Yet again, it could have been much worse. Sit in the Square, as we did, and it was a pageant: People were black and white, gay and straight, rich and poor. A visual blast from the past. Today, it's a popular venue from early to late and celebrates every holiday big or small with gusto (and themed drinks, food, and decor). Today, the Dining Car still keeps those traditional hours, but it attractscompany infewer and fewer numbers. Check out this slice of life story from the World War II era, compliments of Curbed Philly. In fact, during the diners golden age, owners of freshly minted diners would have grand opening ceremonies that featured the cutting of the keys. Savoy Just for the nostalgia and reminiscing those good old days. Trolley Car strikes that rare balance between food quality and attitude. I forget its name at the time, but it could have been Stacys Place.. Talula's Garden, opened in 2011 at Washington Square, is an upscale restaurant inspired by locally produced ingredients, prepared in sync with the season. Hey Friend, Before You Go.. Twenty-four diners now operate in Philadelphia, down from 30 in 1990 when I first toured the city Was there a Galaxy Diner located on Erie Ave. below I Street back in the Sixties / Seventies ? I sorely miss them since I live in Florida. The interior is very clean, but about the only original feature left to the diner is its vaulted ceiling. Red Robin on Frankford Avenue was well liked. 14 Great Philly Restaurants We Wish Hadn't Closed - Philadelphia Magazine I enjoyed the article. The award-winning restaurant's unique dining style is a collaboration between celebrated restaurateur Stephen Starr and Aimee Olexy. We knew every corner of each others homes, including whose Rittenhouse Square rooftop made for the best water-balloon launching pad. Well regarded by the Oak Lane neighborhood, the current diner is at least the second to sit at that location. Traces of the old diner mixed in with interior renovations atKims Korean Barbecue in Olney. Im not a fussy eater. The big Greek-style diner still reigns supreme in the Northeast Corridor. Great place! ONE BOY WHO accompanied our Bellevue wanderings was the son of a South Street fortune-teller. In honor of Classics Week, it's time for a fond look back at long-gone Dallas restaurants, beginning with a visual tour of vintage Dallas restaurant menus. https://m.facebook.com/lhapachapter/posts/memories-of-the-blu-comet-diner/3824830150954142/?locale=ne_NP&_rdr, It was known fondly as the greasy spoon by the Villanova students. March 4, 2023 / FoxNewsFeeds. Not because of the food, especially, but because we would each get a lollipop with a face on it at the cash register. Alex, you are correct. Who the hell cares. If I can have a slice of meat loaf and my friend can munch on edamame while we sip a cocktail, everyone wins, and the diner lives on to serve a new generation. But Chifa was also the first Garces restaurant to falter, closing after four years in business. This was no bland suburb, no Peyton Place. Randy, Thanks for acknowledging the original Oak Lane Diner which does in fact still exist in Newburgh, N.Y. A bakery and an expanded dining room was added later. Up until that time the Mulholland family ran, what was in my estimation, the best of the big Philly diners in terms of its preservation, food, and overall hospitality. Today we are so fortunate to have more choices for casual or exquisite fine dining experiences. But tax issues forced the spot to close earlier this year, which is a shame Phillys Greek scene is in something of a shambles (though were optimistic about the upcoming Koukouzeli), so it was exciting to see a concept pushing the envelope. over the Bookbinders building between Front and Second on Walnut Street, but even I was just starting to understand that Id have to become a grown-up, and I didnt really know what that meant. However I a native Philadelphian can attest to the experience of eating in diners. PhillyVoice Contributor, 6 great places to break up with someone in Philly, 5 Philly hoods you wouldnt have recognized 60 years ago, a particularly damning review from Craig Laban, Jason Kelce could make a 'Saturday Night Live' cameo with his brother Travis hosting, School District of Philadelphia to relocate Building 21 students following asbestos exposure, Eagles wide receiver Zach Pascal robbed at gunpoint in Maryland, Eli Lilly slashed insulin prices, starting a race to the bottom. Built in 1949 by Paramount to a standard of quality that no one else could match, it served in the 1990s as one of two American Diners in Philadelphia and was an attempt to upscale the traditional diner menu. Open in Google Maps. The Olde Bar : A Contemporary Oyster Saloon ChifaClosed in: 2013At Chifa, Jose Garces focused on the relationship between Peruvian cuisine and its Cantonese influence,puttingyuca fries, lomo saltado, soup dumplings, and scallion pancakes all on one glorious menu. Another Michael Petrogiannis diner. pleasure of visiting the Queen Village location know that theres nothing The Red Robin Diner represents the transitional style of diners popular in the mid-to-late 1960s when stainless steel had lost its shine. Im both stunned that they chose Philly and aggravated by all their complaints which, if theyve moved here from Portland, can be quite numerous. a weekly basis, its worth taking a moment to pay homage to the restaurants The Commissary - in its orginal configuration. little slice of Americana in Old City enjoyed a glorious run from 1950 Continental Podcast: Is Sixers' prime time game vs. Both the Melrose and the Mayfair shared a particularly endearing practice of pinning their waitresses with the year they started service. Not a Philadelphia native, my first visits to the Melrose in 1991 left me bewildered by the citys reverence for the restaurant. At one time, the mere word diner meant among other things that it never closed. The Melrose apple would seem to be one of those exceptions. Who is this woman? Ill think. Anchoring the east side of South Philly, the Oregon Diner has uncertain pedigree, but almost certainly emerged from one of the major diner factories in the 1960s. By any measure, Center City is booming, and that is a good thing. Philadelphia in the 1980s Through Fascinating Photos What Austin, Texas looked like in the 1970s Through These Fascinating Photos, Fascinating Historical Photos of Portland from the 1900s, Stunning Vintage Photos of Hicksville, New York in the 1960s, What El Paso, Texas, looked like at the Turn of the 20th Century, Rare Historical Photos Of old Mobile, Alabama From Early 20th Century, Fascinating Photos from the Notting Hill Carnival of 1981. SEPTA PCC car 2710 (refurbished 1980) on Girard Ave. approaching Lancaster Ave., West Philadelphia, 1985 5 The Philadelphia Police Department was using both the mid-size Ford LTD and full-size Crown Victoria platforms at that time, Philadelphia, 1985 The Creed franchise is a child of the king of boxing films 1976's "Rocky" and its five sequels. Djangos homespun chic vibe and killer cheese plate signaled what was to come. Great photos on the wall. 1970s philadelphia restaurants. City Hall was a mess. Went to Ellwood, Wagner, and Central. vending machines-meets-restaurant featured walls of serve yourself windows A beaten down Mountain View diner that looks like the owners use it for storage or maybe converted it into a kitchen for their sports bar addition. A diner renovation nightmare in West Philly | Photo: Randy Garbin. the end, hosting lavish breakfasts and brunches, power lunches and dinners December 10, 2014. Lombard streets served up an only-in-Philly menu of hot dogs, fishcakes and Champ like the OG. 8 Lesser-Known Abortion Funds to Support Post-Roe, Your Guide to This Weeks Eagles-Giants Playoff Game. Developers are breaking ground on skyscrapers. Heres hoping another Portuguese concept can make it work downtown someday soon. The last time I wandered in I found an angry looking man in a suit managing the place, and very scared looking waitstaff scurrying about everywhere. * Close to CC - 6 Min cab from center cityl. The boy I loved unrequited all through high school was on 21st and Delancey. Its a bygone era but those few diners that remain, I make it a point to eat in one of them when Im visiting my sisters and relatives. The Domino Diner facts were about 99% correct with the exception of the operating name at its original location in Medford, Massachusetts. Maybe the Big Greek Diner doesnt earn superlatives, but if you come with a group of people who cant come to any kind of culinary consensus, nothing fits the bill better than this. Penrose Diner in 1993 before renovations completely changed the character of the restaurant a few years later. Center City fared better than most neighborhoods, but it wasnt immune. | Photo: Randy Garbin. These 1980s Restaurants Didn't Stand the Test of Time - Eat This Not That Philadelphia has its share of them, and the Oregon Diner on Oregon Avenueexemplifies the experience. Youd never know from the retractable roof and wood-fired menu of Recently, a seersucker-and-madras-clad man at a Mural Arts event I went to railed against graffitis cancerous, corrosive effect on Philadelphia. | Photo: Randy Garbin. | Photo: Randy Garbin. But once upon a time, before the city's restaurant renaissance, downtown Philly was renowned less for its munchies than for its dark and sexy nightclubs. Being a person from the 60s it brought me fond memories of the diners. Retro restaurant enthusiasts might be familiar with The Pub, a salad bar French Restaurants Continental Restaurants Restaurants. More from Best Of News - Page 1980 - CBS News I waitressed there for several months in the early/mid-1970s. People were mugged a lot, and women didnt travel in most Center City areas alone.. The Oregon Diner Restaurant, 302 West Oregon Avenue, The Oregon Diner has endured at least three renovations since its installation in the 1960s. GQ wrote, Philadelphia has more going for it now than ever.. Coach House Restaurant: 1980-1999 - Returned 2002-2003 See 2605 Philadelphia Pike: Page 2 Page 3: Coach 'N Four: Open 1964 - 1970 See 2605 Philadelphia Pike: Yes: . the well-worn griddle. philadelphia restaurants in the 1980s - krishialert.com Frank Rizzo dominated City Hall, first as police commissioner, then as mayor. Parker. One year, we heard a judge was hosting one of these parade-watching parties. Susan and Lizzy were on Panama, right across the street from each other, while Liz No. They were s Philly traditional, I worked for the Perini Corp for that area of reconstruction. Zounds was rough. Does anyone have old photos of the Marlane Diner on Marshall Rd in Upper Darby and/or the Industrial Diner (much older), on Industrial Hwy? Melrose really had some good food under the Kubachs. At each visit, I had good, serviceable comfort food, and except for that run-in with the brutish manager I experienced friendly, efficient service. Yesterday, in the same building, I found a bottle of sunscreen. For nearly 100 years, this family-owned classic on 6th between South and Clearly, someone at Bobs Diner paid very careful attention in omelette making class. It is a true-and-tried diner. I dont know of any other diners that serve their apple pie quite like this, and the sauce is not overly sweet, but it could easily mask any faults of the pie. Updated on Nov 18, 2019, 5:00 a.m. How could we not love this place? The diner also offered a lot of benefits to employees which was why so many stayed a long time. I look for a good value balanced against the general experience. To order the clip clean and hi-res or to find out more visit http://www.kinolibrary.com. A DeLorean is no longer necessary to return to the golden age of MTV and the Brat Pack. From there, unfortunately, it was all downhill. last May, no late night in Rittenhouse Square was complete without a trip to this document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. worldwide team of discerning professionalsand your views, too. The food is better, but kids dont go there to spill secrets over a shared can of seltzer and a ham and cheese sandwich. Kyrie Irving added 40 and . For nearly 100 years, this family-owned classic on 6th between South and Lombard streets served up an only-in-Philly menu of hot dogs, fishcakes and Champ Cherry soda before . THERE WERE A PAIR of arcades on Chestnut Street between 15th and 17th: the dark, dirty Zounds, and the shiny new Supercade. a seafood-centric menu, heavy on the truffles and Champagne. And chef Kevin Sbraga's new Philadelphia restaurant is all-out '80s-themed, . Defunct Philly area restaurants - Google Groups Wildflowers Garden Restaurant & Thai Corner. He was the publisher and editor of Roadside Magazine and RoadsideOnline, a magazine and website that promoted its Recipe for an American Renaissance: Eat in diners. Throwback Thursday: A fond look back at long vanished South Bend Here you'll find all collections you've created before. Beau Monde. I guess he wasnt here in 1976, when KAP the Bicentennial Kid tagged the Art Museum and the Liberty Bell. THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Garden Philadelphia PA Reviews - GAYOT That is, until 2008 when Bennigan's went bankrupt. Hard, uncomfortable seats, tables cleaned with the same hot tea you drank, long waits for . Hard core diner fans feel tingles up their inseams upon such discoveries. The list of 10+ philadelphia restaurants in the 1980s You might expect to get dental work inside rather than a good breakfast. As far as the food at Bobs, I must loudly sing the praises of the omelets. Like the renovations at the Melrose, they could have been much worse, and Petrogiannis even applied a restrained and classy palate to the interior. The first was on the North Side of the 1600 Block of Snyder Ave. New Boulevard Diner, 11650 Roosevelt Boulevard, New Boulevard recently changed their name to the Five Star Diner. Days Deli was my favorite, until it closed; the rumor was that someone affiliated with the restaurant had put the profits up his nose. It adjoined a convenience store, and in back were rows of booths where you could while away hours smoking cigarettes with Jasons, Jennifers and Michaels. One of the first major restaurant chains, it went public in 1961 with 605 . It was also the locus of the Taney Gang, the children of the Irish gangsters who lived in the homes along 26th Street. The waitress might call you hon, not because afocus group demanded it, but because that is how she talks. The Frazer was built in the mid-1930s. Formerly known as Mil-Lees Luv-Inn Diner, the K Diner on Rising Sun features Korean Specialties as well as a good American-style breakfast. Kabobeesh serves Indian and Pakistani food. The transit stations and concourses were so much more dismal back then that now when I find a SEPTA station unpleasant, I recall what used to be and think, Aw, thats just a tiny puddle of pee. (2) Midtown Diners A hole-in-the-wall with the best Chinese food in Philadelphia. In its heyday, the . Fitler Square wasnt much better. ribs Leilani, all accompanied by fried rice, bread and butter, a noodle Restaurants. The old benches, the ones without armrests in the middle, were wide and deep enough that homeless people could sleep on them. Howard johnson's. Although younger generations may know of Howard Johnson's thanks to Mad Men, '70s kids will remember actually visiting the orange-roofed restaurant chain. Inside, the owners have built in a private dining room, but split the rest of the space for open seating and waitress service. We look to blogs such as these for straight talk, not depends on who you ask waffling. cash only, after-hours spot for a hangover fighting something or other from We were married for 27 years before he died too young of cancer. I hope someone who loves diners reads this story and is moved to buy it and restore it. My parents bought a house on Rodman Street soon thereafter, and all the photos from my toddler days seem to show one neighbor or another lying flat on his back, with a big smile, obviously intoxicated by some natural plant. Disingenuousness aside, the Melrose earned a reputation for its baked goods and sterling service. Plus I always thought the Jersey diners had the best coffee I ever tasted, next to my dads that is. (2) Snow White To use social login you have to agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. Heres a list of some of the bygone Philadelphia restaurants we miss the most. But, I do remember going to lunch there with my dad and having a Liberty Bell shape burger during the bicentennial year when I was about 13. Despite economic woes (recession and inflation), the energy crisis, urban decline, crime, and escalating restaurant prices, restaurant-going continued to rise. As I write, the diner is now boarded up after a fire closed it down last January. My grandfather purchased the property and had the diner built in the 50s It was then Jersey Queen Diner. The sense of lawlessness was pervasive. Originally part of the Pillsbury Corp., the restaurant was founded in 1976. 3 lived at 17th and Pine with her mom and stepdad and the largest dining room table Id ever seen. Your email address will not be published. * Top Rated - Rated Best . Sad. Before the 2 additions and the addition of the foyer waiting area. | Photo: Randy Garbin. Many of us went to preschool, elementary school and high school together. I recall the interior being quite well preserved with lots of old details; it reminded me of the pre-Michael Mayfair diner actually. I lived in Oak Lane fom 1939 to @1943and after the war from 1946 to 1954. That looks like the store Teddy Pendergasss first manager had a beauty products center. Theres too much crime. Labor contracts signed by city employees during the Rizzo administration contributed to the citys financial crisis that Green and Goode could not prevent. 16 Beloved Restaurants Only '70s Kids Will Remember - Yahoo! Revolution House, but for 60-plus years, this Second and Market corner was Center City is still mourning the passing of this 24-hour Greek go-to that Center Citys population is growing. Sad on both counts. It isnt a converted rail car. I ended up working in the factory after high school from 81 to around 84 and the diner was still going strong. In the case of the Broad Street Diner, they also replaced a shoddy vinyl awning that adorned the restaurantfor years. The executive vice president and co-owner of Century 21 department stores is explaining why a new Philadelphia location at 8th and Market is the logical next step for a chic discount chain that until now has stuck to New York and New Jersey. Kims Korean Barbecue, 5955 North 5th Street, Asian fusion. website lives in perpetuity. The Crime rates in the 1980s Philadelphia were very high. Restaurants-1 - OldWilmington None of that here in Atlanta area. Everyone take care! DNA evidence linked Herman Lee Hobbs to the August 1980 death of 21-year-old Holly Ann Campiglia, the Solano County Sheriff's Office said in a statement this week. Restaurants in Philadelphia Area - OpenTable CLOSED NOW. There isnt a true diner anywhere in this region that makes them as good as Bobs. 'Creed III' adds to Hollywood's impressive history in the ring There was the Duck Lady (who quacked); the Pigeon Lady (who stood for hours with pigeons all over her); the Wow Bum, who just yelled, Wow!; any number of bag ladies whod walk through the Square laden with belongings; the men who exposed themselves. Later, the park would get a curfew; wed get in trouble for standing bare-legged in the fountain; wed be turned out while tux-wearing dancers ate fancy food. Back then, these were not only the primary vectors for graffiti, but had torn and broken seats and rusted poles. Because of its output, OMahony had a large and loyal clientele that would often return old diners to the factory to trade it infor a newer, bigger model (I have no evidence that a diner sat on this location before the current one, but the possibility exists). the most talked-about dish in Manhattan" in the 1970s became an unrelenting culinary joke of the 1980s, . Philadelphia, PA 19103. Stenton Diner after rehearsals and shows at La Salle Music Theatre, eating liverwurst and Bermuda onion on a Kaiser roll way too lateoh, maybe a buttered toasted cinnamon bun and a cherry coke to wash it down. | Photo: Randy Garbin. After closing Mm,chef-owner David Katz hasbeen a culinary director at Honeygrow and is now spearheading Capogiros nationwide expansion. The big sign outside advertises homemade bread, which you can get on the side with one of your breakfast dishes. MONDAY - FRIDAY. Even though nations first automat restaurant made its debut in Tourist Photos From 1981 Reveal the Heart of "Old Philadelphia" those built in factories and brought to their locations. What I like, you may not. Rundown of Eateries Opened from 1875 to 1986. Cant beat the prices and food anywhere. Now, the chef is attached to the upcoming Fitler Club, and yet another concept, Tipsy Bistro, has opened in the Fat Hams former home. I do miss the original owners, but maybe it was time for a change as in the last few years food quality had noticeably declined and the hours were cut back. PDF List of Diners & Restaurants - The Greek American Heritage Society of Great article !! Before the Four Seasons transitioned into the sleek, new Logan Hotel, the ground I visited the site of the former Aramingo, and it looked like about the only thing left to it was the foundation, so I chose not to include it in this list. memorable shutters. | Photo: Randy Garbin. 215-546-4455. For the most part, the Big Greek Diners all serve more or less the same thing. The is an ad of the Blu Comet Diner on page 3 of the Website. No thank you, when Ive been out all night and Im hitting the diner on the way home, I want a friendly face and some solid breakfast. Originally published as The Lost City in the August 2014 issue of Philadelphia magazine. Thats wear Teddy Pendergass made his first public appearance and sang since his terrible accident. It did have Oak Lane Diner on the front in Art Deco style. But I think its also that we Center City kids of the 70s and early 80s enjoyed a lot of freedom in our comparatively down-at-its-heels, unmanicured downtown. It has been so long, but that name rings a familiar bell. When I worked there it was always busy especially on the weekends. The third being the current location at 1501 Snyder Ave. Did anyone mention STENTON DINER? My parents would take me to DeeDees diner every Friday for the fried seafood platter. I worked as a waitress at Bobs Diner for two summers when I was home from Penn State in the early 70s. floor of the hotel was home to The Fountain. In 2006, Michael Petrogiannis bought this one too and proceeded to make significant interior renovations that improved upon the diners formerly dark and ponderous atmosphere. 12 Restaurants That Define Philadelphia Dining. You really cant ask for a more comforting example of comfort food than croquettes, and you cant find a better example than at the Dining Cars. The operators will take issue with this, chiefly out of pride, but they often order their food from the same suppliers. For a number of years a group of 6-10 friends and co workers would park near the Domino Diner and go on a 20-30 mile bike ride, returning to the Domino for a late breakfast. Then there were our parents, the incense vendors, all those hookers on Broad and on 13th, my Quaker teachers with the puzzling facial hair.