philadelphia restaurants in the 1980s

Its ashame it changed hands so many times after the Ritz and failed each and every time. For some reason that roll along the roofline became an extremely popular motif on retro-styled diners starting back in the mid-1990s. If you had the good fortune to see itbefore 2000 and havent seen it since, stay away. Many of us went to preschool, elementary school and high school together. It isnt a converted rail car. If you want meatloaf you can get that, but you can also get jambalaya or a big, leafy salad instead and polish it all off with a bottle of Ommegang Hennepin ale. Howard Johnson's is synonymous with 1950s and '60s dining. | Photo: Randy Garbin. Rundown of Eateries Opened from 1875 to 1986. Jackson Mahomes, the brother of two-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes, is being investigated for allegedly shoving a waiter and forcibly kissed the female owner of an Overland Park, Kansas, restaurant last Saturday. My parents would take me to DeeDees diner every Friday for the fried seafood platter. Your email address will not be published. Photograph: Courtesy Vetri. 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. At least another great concept tookModo Mios place at 2nd and Girard: Cadence, our pick for 2018s Best Farm-to-Table Restaurant. Petrogiannis has also restored the the 24/7 hours of operation. From the Kinolibrary archive film collections. | Photo: Randy Garbin. dining. A couple of notesthe Boylevard Diner is now closed, the K Diner was first known as rhe Crest Diner and around 1978-79 it became Mil-Lees Luv-in, and Casa DEspana on Whitaker Ave was formerly known as the Franklin Diner, which was a local icon and was always busy. Heavily remodeled 50s-style diner that currently serves Asian food. My boyfriend was pulled into an alley between Walnut and Chestnut and held at knifepoint; my necklace was ripped off while I was walking; my mother was mugged; purses were torn from shoulders; people threw bottles into store windows on days when the Phillies lost. | Photo: Randy Garbin. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. 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. I only ate there once and the food was so-so, but I had made the mistake of ordering from the dinner menu, when everyone knows the best food at any diner is breakfast food. Easy parking. Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. Sad on both counts. The stronghold of McDonald's, Pizza Hut , Burger King, and other giants of the '80s made the competition stiff. Sat Dec 05, 2015 | 12:00pm. Theres too much crime. McD's in Montreal used to as late as 1980 (and the Quarter Pounder could actually turn out medium rare ..)-bebopper. HAPPY HOUR. 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. 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. By 1930 Cleveland had 1,073 restaurants with 5,959 full-time employees, doing $27,084,127 worth of business. It's RADICALLY different from all the others: It's a Pure Energy, bubble gum pop, super charged, time-travel thrill! Owner Vanessa Jerolmack kept prices affordable and turned a once-vacant lot into a family-friendly seasonal gatheringplace for the neighborhood, but she made the tough choice to not reopen for the summer season this year. AS A PERSON WHO works in Center City and who writes about real estate and economic development I cant claim to be disappointed by downtowns success. Privacy Policy. Now, well have the opposite a luxury hotel erected by New York developers ona spot thatmany Philadelphiansconsiderhallowed ground. Oak Lane Diner on North Broad looking worse for wear. Its sad what became of The Ritz. memorable shutters. vending machines-meets-restaurant featured walls of serve yourself windows Its where I met my husband. I dont want to step in dog waste, or walk 10 blocks before I can find a trash can. Last summer, Kurt Vile played a concert in that now clean, bright courtyard, and I looked at the people in line at food trucks, friends meeting up and hugging each other, people dancing, and I thought, What the hell happened to this place? That courtyard has gone from 12 Monkeys to Frank Capra on Ecstasy. I WAS BORN AT Hahnemann Hospital in 1968, swaddled, and taken to a studio apartment, where I slept in a dresser drawer until the crib arrived. People were mugged a lot, and women didnt travel in most Center City areas alone.. Commissary, were expanding palates throughout the region with international All-in-all, the Melrose still mostly looks and feels like the Melrose. In July 1928, 681 Cleveland restaurants were feeding an average of 300,000 people daily. Spice Grill in Port Richmond. What I wrote about Kabobeesh applies to the Penrose as well. THERE WERE A PAIR of arcades on Chestnut Street between 15th and 17th: the dark, dirty Zounds, and the shiny new Supercade. Ellwood or Holy Angels? 2023 BygonelyPrivacy policyTerms of ServiceContact us. Today the diner seats more than 250 people. | Photo: Randy Garbin. Sbraga told him he had fond memories of dining with his family at the Pub in Pennsauken, N.J. during the 1980s. 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 Domino Diner facts were about 99% correct with the exception of the operating name at its original location in Medford, Massachusetts. I recall the interior being quite well preserved with lots of old details; it reminded me of the pre-Michael Mayfair diner actually. "On our first visit to Philadelphia, my friend recommended we try Talula's Garden. I may allow some slack for most diners, but, in my mind, a well-run diner must do two things perfectly every time: Coffee and home fries. Kids discussed open marriages in art class, and the 2000 block of Sansom Street was the bohemian center of the west-of-Broad universe, with head shops, cafes and clubs that leaked strains of poetry, jazz, disco, and the smoke of that natural plant. | Photo: Randy Garbin. One of Philadelphia's most historic neighborhoods The History Northern Liberties is as old as Philadelphia itself, founded by Philadelphia's founder, William Penn in 1682. Though, waiting around for a seat is a form of torture, especially for anyone trying to shed a muffin top. So why do I miss the dirty, second-rate downtown I grew up in? Lets cut the nonsense, shall we? Even though nations first automat restaurant made its debut in What do you like most about this 80s-themed restaurant in Pennsylvania? But theres something about the national retail chains, about the people in teal, about the loss of diners and movie theaters in all their sticky-floored glory that makes me feel Center City has edged a bit too far toward the post-Giuliani NYC model of moneyed, sterilized urbanity. Or we could go to Deluxe Diner for milkshakes; the Midtowns I through IV; one of the two Little Petes; or even R&W, which was kind of repulsive but good for private conversations in the empty back room. The Aramingo Diner, another long-time Philly institution, became a medical office. Sorry, Bern, but thats just not true. Joe Palookas sports bar was to serve as one of several attractions in an ambitious heritage tourist development in Wilkes-Barre called Market Square that included the Lehigh Valley train depot, the Stegmaier brewery, a nightclub, and a collection of Pullman sleeper cars repurposed as a hotel. Finelli had two places, one on Tenth Street above Chestnut, and another on Chestnut east side of Broad. | Photo: Randy Garbin. The place had a well earned reputation for great food and friendly wait staff, and it was ruined, just like that. The Domino Diner suffered a fire eight years ago and is likely abandoned now. Keep up the great work! The iconic, streamlined style fell from fashion or was outright prohibited by municipal design codes by the mid-1960s. Alex, you are correct. In Mt. Only a couple of years later Swingle would close up shop, but Morozins request pushed diner manufacturers to fashion restaurants in various styles dictated by the often-dubious tastes of the operator. If someone ever takes the initiative to remove the brick, Ill send you a photo. Hard, uncomfortable seats, tables cleaned with the same hot tea you drank, long waits for . When built, the few remaining companies produced restaurants in confused styles, but no one held a candle to some of the creations that came out of the Kullman factory. It all shuttered by late 1999. flavors. But problems with the logistics of the space and rent hikes got to be too much for the chef, whosstill got Paesanos, Monsu,and Heffe Tacos. But it felt like home. 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. I remember thinking we might get in trouble, and also feeling jealous that my friend seemed to be able to identify cocaine. I dont want a Rittenhouse Square ringed by abandoned construction sites rather than beautiful hotels. (2) Snow White I worked as a waitress at Bobs Diner for two summers when I was home from Penn State in the early 70s. Also, I didnt have an omelet at the Oregon, but I can say with some authority after trying dozens of times in places just like these, the Big Greek Diner cant make a proper omelet to save their lives. | Photo: Randy Garbin. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Oh, what about Middletons Diner? The Commissary - in its orginal configuration. On the other hand, dont count on it being there forever. 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. (185) That is, until 2008 when Bennigan's went bankrupt. Venerable Old Original Bookbinder's, Second and Walnut, is one of many restaurants Philadelphians still miss. Four Seasons is a restaurant not a diner. Our game holds from 2-14 players and is an awesomely fun thing to do in Philadelphia for ages 8+. After closing Mm,chef-owner David Katz hasbeen a culinary director at Honeygrow and is now spearheading Capogiros nationwide expansion. Next time Ill have to get the sauce on the side to be sure. Center City is still mourning the passing of this 24-hour Greek go-to that As I write, the diner is now boarded up after a fire closed it down last January. For the sake of their preservation as an architectural form, I mostly concern myself mainly with prefabricated diners. In fact, I miss all the movie theaters of my youth. When you attempt to offer as much as the Oregon does for that many people, greatness becomes nearly impossible. Dinner: 4-10pm Happy Hour: 4-6pm. with snapper soup on the menu, theres no way that this newish iteration And for post-dining . 3k Views. Sometimes it requires a fresh approach and maybe one that most might think is crazy. Little PetesClosed in: 2017The iconic 24-hour diner at 17th and Chancellor was one of the dwindling number of places in the heart of Center City where folks from all walks of life could congregate over a plate of scrapple or corned beef. We were married for 27 years before he died too young of cancer. Which kind of adult would I be? over the Bookbinders building between Front and Second on Walnut Street, but even An estimated area population of 1,204,799 in 1937 was served by 120 hotels. The fact that so few pristine examples remain should give anyone with an appreciation for aesthetic and structural quality reason enough to at least go in one and get a cup of coffee on a regular basis. The combo comes, oddly enough, with a dollop of tuna salad as well as fried shrimp, a crab cake, schrod, and scallops, my particular favorite. My favorite diners get creative, while still serving up the classics and preferably with fresh ingredients. 5. Rockefeller. One of the most tragic losses to the roster of Philadelphia diners came with the demolition of the long-suffering Wayne Junction Diner. They also all use the same playbook so any differences become nuance. a jumbo dog and mashed potato heavy fishcakes served on an Kabobeesh serves Indian and Pakistani food. Thank you so much for sharing a great posts. Fodero became one of the leading builders of these Mediterranean diners that truly began to reflect the tastes and preferences of their owners. Tam O'Shanter in Los Feliz, which dates back to 1922, is one of the oldest restaurants in the city and is owned by the same family as Lawry's. Though the menu is very similar to the upscale Beverly Hills steakhouse, The Tam's aesthetic is somewhere between a medieval drinking tavern and the Seven Dwarfs' cottage. The Farm & Fisherman. Yet I sometimes miss the grimy Center City of my youth. Instead, Chef and owner Kevin Sbraga invites guests to be instantly transported to the 1980s at Juniper Commons, his new restaurant on South Broad Street in Philadelphia. Thanks for this article. A million dollars later, the end result today includes a craft beer shop that sells over 450 brands and a well-designed dining area that preservesthe streamlined atmosphere of the original Mountain View-manufactured diner. Pizza with Duck Sausage wins quick stardom. The Frazer was built in the mid-1930s. Given the extent of his investments along the corridor, I dont think youll find anyone who has made a bigger bet on its comeback. About 6,000 were built; today, some 1,800 remain with roughly two thirds still in food-service operation. Good soups and lunch. Facebook/McGillin's Olde Ale House. Stephen Starr converted a mid-1960s Fodero diner and appropriately swanked the joint up making it one of the citys best known martini lounges. 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. Pepsi Joe's (AKA Happy Paradise) (10th, above Race). Thank you. Up until then the food and service were great, and they had fantastic thick-cut bacon. They began showing up in every majorcity and small town across the Northeast. Philadelphia opens restaurants as often as Lady Gaga changes outfits. By Antonio Gardella. New Boulevard Diner, 11650 Roosevelt Boulevard, New Boulevard recently changed their name to the Five Star Diner. Though a big diner, the Dining Car represents a rare breed that mostly excels in the kitchen, which explains the lines out the door during the dinner and weekend breakfast hours. Another one i was sad to see go after only a few years of operation was Sams Diner. It was another amazing Paramount-built diner, similar to the Oak Lane. Great article !! Switch to the dark mode that's kinder on your eyes at night time. . Quaker Diner in Five Points on Rising Sun Avenue. I forget its name at the time, but it could have been Stacys Place.. Continental Youll find only three stainless steel diners in near-original condition (Trolley Car, Silk City, and Bobs Diner), and two more (Melrose and Mayfair Diner) with renovations that, while they could have been much worse, still stripped away classic features. From long-livedgreasy spoonsto concepts from hotshot chefswho flamed out, we'rerememberingthese much-loved spots taken from us too soon. The sense of lawlessness was pervasive. In the city, diversity and relatively cheap real estate prices in many neighborhoods along with increasing demand for an authentic cultural experiences allowentrepreneurial restaurateurs to set up shop and flourish here. . 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. The Kubach family, for whatever reason, apparently had a long-standing no photography policy in-or-outside of the diner. MmClosed in: 2012Abelovedneighborhood spot (Fitler Square) serving quality New American fare is a beautiful thing. transformed into the ambitious but poorly received Avance before ending its We knew every corner of each others homes, including whose Rittenhouse Square rooftop made for the best water-balloon launching pad. There were also those nightclubs and discos: lan, Black Banana, Artemis, Revival, London Victory Club which, in glossy Studio 54 hindsight, must make Center City sound somewhat glamorous. 1970s philadelphia restaurants. Im not a fussy eater. The famed space at 1532 Walnut St. was briefly Some great diners in S. Jersey. The diner was built by Paramount and it still features the companys trademark wedding cake corners with the gazing ball ornament. Blanc de Blancs Champagnes are different from the majority of Champagnes.Check the list. In 1968, they traded up to a ten-sectioned monstrosity that Diners of Pennsylvania describes as an Arabian fantasy of stone, beige stucco, and arched windows. The family decided on thestyle after a trip to Las Vegas and, to the best of anyones knowledge, Fodero built none others like it. You wont leave hungry. Ask ANYONE who remembers. He was missing several teeth. Of those, around200 were built before 1965 and are still in original condition. Price $$$$$. I like mostly everything, but when I come for breakfast I get the omelette simply because Ive yet to find another true diner in the region that makes them as perfectly as Bobs. This was where we went to try new things to kiss, to reveal secrets, to drink, to smoke. St. Joseph County police searching for missing 12-year-old girl. Bucks a must-win for Philly? https://scholarship.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/bitstream/handle/10066/13686/19471217_OCR.pdf?sequence=10&isAllowed=y, It was fondly known as the greasy spoon among the Villanova students: Weinsteinand his then-partner Bob Elfant brainstormed an idea to bring a family-style restaurant to the former Roy Rogers location on Germantown. Your email address will not be published. Djangos homespun chic vibe and killer cheese plate signaled what was to come. My father and his partner owned the Domino Diner up until 1986. I just couldnt remember where it was. My grandfather purchased the property and had the diner built in the 50s It was then Jersey Queen Diner. Melrose really had some good food under the Kubachs. Twenty-four diners now operate in Philadelphia, down from 30 in 1990 when I first toured the city In 1980, this magazine called subway trains slums-on-wheels. Buses werent much better. Living now in Georgia, diners are much missed by this 91 year old Philly/south Jersey lad. I also waitressed at Oak Lane Diner when I was in grad school in the late 70s (Hmm, tuition=extra money=diner job). Theres little left to see inside its cave-like interior. The Big Greek Diner has generally thrived through the overall decline of the industry since the 1960s, largely because its owners reacted to the advance of minimized menus of fast food chains by piling it on. Bobsadheres very closely to the basic diner credo: Serve good food at reasonable prices in a clean and friendly atmosphere. 2400 Market St 4th Fl. Center City Philadelphia has exclusive retail, superb restaurants, imposing new skyscrapers. Mayfair Diner is still clad in chrome. Fond memories. In Spain. The Pub had four satellite locations around town two in Center 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. Gus' Oyester House Milano Family Philadelphia, PA Closed Gus's Restaurant 713 Orange St., Wilmington, DE 1949-1959 Closed. The Melrose apple would seem to be one of those exceptions. Often overlooked for inclusion in the Philly diner pantheon, the Dining Car on Frankford Avenue in the Northeast nevertheless continues to get plenty of love from the neighborhood, and for good reason. Seeing the Mayfair for the first time in 1991 was a jaw dropping experience. Your email address will not be published. Here are some fascinating photos that offer a glimpse into 1980s Philadelphia. Menu-wise, the Trolley Car reflects Weinsteins intention to bring a family restaurant to the neighborhood. 2. We do, and it was great. Manufacturing was collapsing, the population was falling, and the tax base was turning to dust. The transformation will shatter your heart to see how the owners destroyed one of the worlds most gorgeous authentic diners and covered over or demolished the surface materials and original fixtures, most of which you cannot get or remake anywhere. Click here to go to the official Facebook page of A Slice of the 80s. 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. You can see this on the builder tags still affixed over the door, and on that tag youll also find a serial number 5907 which tells you that it was the seventh diner built in 1959. Was there a Galaxy Diner located on Erie Ave. below I Street back in the Sixties / Seventies ? For the most part, the Big Greek Diners all serve more or less the same thing. Since 1969, restaurant, hotel, travel & other witty reviews by a handpicked, worldwide team of discerning professionalsand your views, too. Rundown of Eateries Opened from 1875 to 1986. Savoy Yes, I think that was it. ONE BOY WHO accompanied our Bellevue wanderings was the son of a South Street fortune-teller. I remember when this first opened in about 1966. Along with an array of punch-packing tropical drinks, Pub Tiki boasted a I go to a diner to immerse myself in the neighborhood, especially in a city like Philadelphia that still has so many of them, each with their own distinct identities. Eagle II People might offer you drugs. This was the place to reconnoiter, the hub, the treehouse club, the HQ. The Franklin Institute, but his biggest contribution to the city has to be Trolley Car Diner, 7619 Germantown Avenue. Parents kept their stashes in the open. None of that here in Atlanta area. Continue with Recommended Cookies. It has been so long, but that name rings a familiar bell. In its place first came the colonial style diner, then the Mediterranean style diner complete with Doric columns, the modern design and its glassy glitz, or some unfortunate melange of all three. Both the Melrose and the Mayfair shared a particularly endearing practice of pinning their waitresses with the year they started service. It is a bona fide, old-school diner in continuous operation since it opened in 1947. Developers are breaking ground on skyscrapers. Clearly, someone at Bobs Diner paid very careful attention in omelette making class. My family used to eat there once a week for years. On Sun, 17 Sep 2000 19:33:55 -0400, Ruth Savitz My top three (almost a three-way tie) are: 1. On the plus side, he replaced the communal booths. As a preservationist and a diner fanatic, I tend to give considerable slack to vintage diners, especially when they make an obvious effort to do right by the customer and their community. Yet another Petrogiannis acquisition. the well-worn griddle. The gauzy visions of a prosperous and dynamic Center City that once seemed like pipe dreams have, in large part, become reality. Since then, it's grown up, gotten a job, and emerged as the much more responsible . The next event in Phoenixville Public Library's co-sponsored "Community Gardening around the Village" series will take place on Sunday, March 5, from 2:30 to 3:30 PM. Or maybe I just miss my old neighborhood. Designed and constructed by Philadelphias own Len Davidson, the sign depicts an animated scene of a trolley car rolling, stopping, and dropping off a passenger. 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. People from Vietnam settled here in the 1980s and 90s, an influx that gave rise to hybrid French bakeries such as Ba Le (606 Washington Avenue) and noodle parlours like Pho 75 (1122 Washington . The pillars around the fountain were chipping, like teeth losing their enamel. Crime spiked. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. These days it serves up Mexican fare as Jessis Diner behind a horrible brick faade which was installed by the previous owner. The Trolley Car Diner represents Ken Weinsteins support for Mt. his They ruled that neighborhood. Ride Trains. Sometimes one or two exceptional items can make a restaurant a landmark. Supercade was too fresh and clean. Former St. Joseph County Democratic Party Chair Butch . I believe the diner was called the Heritage before it was the Ritz, and I remember the manager or owner was Steve? Press Every diner taken over by the Michaels diner group, has suffered a precipitous drop in quality. Sometime in the aughts theystripped out more. As late as the 60s, they were all over the northwest suburbs in Montgomery county: Hatboro, Horsham, Willow Grove, Glenside, and many others. I worked there as a dishwasher in the 1980s. 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. Her name was Taz Lang and she was brutally murdered. Italian. At the Oregon, my family and I ordered dinner that included chicken soup, pot roast for me, spaghetti and meatballs for the kid, and pasta primavera for my wife. I saw with my own eyes, he says, the massive money and time being spent to make Philadelphia a retail center. Philadelphians, he says, are fashion-savvy, creative and artistic: They get it.. Le Bec-Fin was a French restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that first opened in 1970.Owner and founder Georges Perrier named the restaurant after the French colloquialism for "fine palate". I have the original plans and zoning for the building. 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 former Boulevard Dinernow called theFive Star Dineris all glass and steel and looks like a small, Reagan Era officebuilding. From there, others imitated his success until Samuel Jones in Worcester, Massachusetts began building and selling more of these lunch wagons for others to operate. Sit in the Square, as we did, and it was a pageant: People were black and white, gay and straight, rich and poor. Now he owns the big, Mediterranean style structure of undetermined ancestry. From the New York Metro Area all the way down to D.C., andespecially in New Jersey, you still see them everywherethe expansive diner-restaurants with menus that seem to specialize in EVERY DISH EVER MADE! If you cant get it atone of these places you probably never heard of it anyway. And some fan favoriteslike Burger Chef, G.D. Ritzy's, and Howard Johnson'sfell by the wayside. 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.