Philadelphia, PA - iconic diners that pretty much blanket Philadelphia proper, stretching all the way from the Great Northeast across the city to deep South Philadelphia. So we decided to put together a quick roundup of some of the most well known and well-frequented classic diners in Philadelphia, making an effort to cover as many neighborhoods as we could.
Check out our list below and see if your favorite diner from growing up in or around Philadelphia made our list.
The Melrose Diner - The slogan at the Melrose Diner, a 70-plus-year-old South Philly institution, is “Everybody who knows goes to Melrose.” And, on weekend nights, it seems like every Philadelphian does. Booths here are shared, peach pies are homemade and the longtime servers are no-nonsense. (215) 467-6644 Details: 1501 Snyder Ave, (215) 467-6644
Trolley Car Diner - The large neon lights reflect off the silver exterior of the Trolley Car Diner, a Mount Airy mainstay on Germantown Avenue serving up fresh, locally-sourced fare. Nostaglic noshers can sip La Colombe coffee while they work their way through a stack of hotcakes and the local paper’s crossword puzzle. Details: 7619 Germantown Ave, (215) 753-1500
The Mayfair Diner - Located in the Mayfair section of Northeast Philadelphia, The Mayfair Diner has been a local favorite since 1932. President Obama has even eaten here. The classic diner-style restaurant is 125 feet in length, making it one of the longest diners in the area. NB: we still recommend getting there early on the weekends. Details: 7373 Frankford Ave, (215) 624-8886
Bob’s Diner - Touted as the place “where good people meet to eat,” Bob’s Diner has been serving the good people of Roxborough for more than 20 years from a vintage 1940s silver dining car on Ridge Avenue. (Take a sneak peek at Bob’s here.) Details: 6053 Ridge Ave, (215) 483-9002
The Dining Car - Located deep in the great Northeast, The Dining Car has been around for more than 50 years. This “Great American Diner” is famous for its French onion soup and Jewish apple cake. There’s also a full bar. Details: 8826 Frankford Ave, (215) 338-5113
Down Home Diner - Inside the always bustling Reading Terminal Market you’ll find the Down Home Diner, a little slice of “when times were simpler” that serves up no nonsense diner food to the Center City faithful. Details: 51 N 12th St, (215) 627-1955
Oregon Diner - Located deep in the heart of South Philadelphia, the Oregon Diner has been serving up classic diner fare around the clock for more than 20 years now.
Details: 302 W Oregon Ave, (215) 462-5566
Penrose Diner - With its close proximity to the stadiums and special late-night menu, the Penrose Diner is the perfect spot to fuel up on dippy eggs and Scrapple after the game (or before the tailgate for that matter). Details: 2016 Penrose Ave, (215) 465-1097