Thanks for this article. I was just starting to understand that Id have to become a grown-up, and I didnt really know what that meant. Cocaine! At Peter Dooner's one met the epicure element, les bon vivants of the town. a diner is a prefabricated food-service structure. After the end of the Laotian Civil War associated with the Vietnam War in the 1970s, a group of Hmong refugees settled in Philadelphia. In Mt. Since then, it's grown up, gotten a job, and emerged as the much more responsible . last May, no late night in Rittenhouse Square was complete without a trip to this Kanella SouthClosed in: 2018With Kanella South, it finally felt like Konstantinos Pitsillides finally had the right tools a spit, a wood-burning oven to really show off his skills. From the Kinolibrary archive film collections. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But the Lawlers outgrew their downtown space and chose to retool andrelocate their farm-fresh ethos to the suburbs. | Photo: Randy Garbin. Your email address will not be published. home to a stuck-in-time, chrome and vinyl diner. Please let me know. nest and fried wontons with complete with a mysterious dunking sauce. Since the 1950s, the Perloff family ran the Country Club in the Rhawnhurst neighborhood catering to its Jewish community. At least another great concept tookModo Mios place at 2nd and Girard: Cadence, our pick for 2018s Best Farm-to-Table Restaurant. ET. over the Bookbinders building between Front and Second on Walnut Street, but even As I write, the diner is now boarded up after a fire closed it down last January. I remember thinking we might get in trouble, and also feeling jealous that my friend seemed to be able to identify cocaine. 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. like something straight out of the Star Trek commissary. Whether or not hes actually improved on any of them depends on who you ask. Of those, around200 were built before 1965 and are still in original condition. Click here to go to the official Facebook page of A Slice of the 80s. HAPPY HOUR. One year, we heard a judge was hosting one of these parade-watching parties. More often than not, the grill goes cold and a suburban chain moves in. cheeky menu full of gems like sweet n pungent pork Tahiti and barbecue I started at 13 yrs old. legendary carrot cake. When you attempt to offer as much as the Oregon does for that many people, greatness becomes nearly impossible. I worked for your grandfather Pete and your Dad from the age of 12 to 17 at the Heritage. At the end of the 1980s, the city was on the verge of bankruptcy. No telling if they will survive and fade out of our existence or I fade out since Im an elderly person. The famed space at 1532 Walnut St. was briefly I think its called Walnut? Ill point the way, and then imagine her browsing at Barneys and Lagos, then having a drink at Rouges sidewalk cafe before heading back to her room at the Hotel Monaco. Manage Settings Thank you meme. 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. It was replaced with a stainless chrome and larger diner about 1949-50. We do, and it was great. worldwide team of discerning professionalsand your views, too. 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. Ive come here often, with family and friends in tow, and we enjoy whatever we order, particularly when I select something off the specials list. | Photo: Randy Garbin. Everyone enjoys eating out at Santa Barbara's amazing array of eateries. I want jobs and revenue and, yes, maybe digital signage, if thats what it takes to lure serious investment into more challenging parts of town. ribs Leilani, all accompanied by fried rice, bread and butter, a noodle Yet another Petrogiannis acquisition. anno 1980). The Fat Hams hot chicken | Photo by Vanessa Beahn. | Photo: Randy Garbin. Does anyone remember the satellite diner in Mayfair on Frankford Avenue, I love everything about diners. Years later I moved to Roborough and became a semiregular. Our friend came out with big news: There was a baggie of cocaine in the room. The city elected its first Black mayor in 1983, W. Wilson Goode, whose first administration was marred by the 1985 Move tragedy. I lived in Oak Lane fom 1939 to @1943and after the war from 1946 to 1954. Elenas Soul LoungeClosed in: 2012According to neighborhood lore, the West Philly building home to Elenas Soul had housed a bar or nightclub continuously for 104 years beforea fire on Christmas Eve in 2012 consumed the building. The wagons, eventually manufacturedby several different companies, grew bigger and more ornate and semi-permanent. Between 1913 and 1956, the companys tagline boasted, In our line, we lead the world. By the time they built Bobs, OMahony enjoyed a reputation for building high-quality, streamlined diners. Khyber Pass Pub. What ever became of Littletons at Ogontz & Cheltenham Avenues? Philadelphia, PA 19103. Keep up the great work! Just dont ask him when the actual trolleys will return to the tracks on Germantown Avenue. As far as the food at Bobs, I must loudly sing the praises of the omelets. Yes, the building is beat, worn around the edges, and unraveling in places, but it is also full of life, staffed by people who take pride in their work, and refreshingly devoid of kitschy self-awareness. There was always a lot of food and drink, and no one noticed the kids whod sneak in and out, grabbing rolled salami off of linen-draped deli trays. The waitress might call you hon, not because afocus group demanded it, but because that is how she talks. 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: . Koo Zee DooClosed in: 2013A 50 Best Restaurants-worthy (rare) Portuguese restaurant inNorthern Liberties (rarer) run by a James Beard Award-nominated chef (yep)? NBC10 hires Fred Shropshire to replace Jim Rosenfield as weekday evening anchor. 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. And instead of a suburban Dairy Queen parking lot, we had Rittenhouse Square. While most of the damage occurred in the kitchen, the diner has seriously deteriorated after what looks like an outright abandonment. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. McD's in Montreal used to as late as 1980 (and the Quarter Pounder could actually turn out medium rare ..)-bebopper. Even though nations first automat restaurant made its debut in PEOPLE OFTEN FEEL sorry for me because they assume Center City wasnt a real neighborhood. None of that here in Atlanta area. The Mulhollands also performed some minor renovations in the 1980s. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. You can also get dinner here. Most extant diners likely came from a New Jersey factory. 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. 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. Airys cedarbrook plaza. The best of them will serve you something that usually tops out at fair-to-good. But what about the diner? Polynesian-themed, date night spot on the 1700 block of Walnut Street. the well-worn griddle. Thank you Jay. On the plus side, he replaced the communal booths. While the the iconic Melrose and the Mayfair, both currently owned by Michael Petrogiannis, remain, the vast majority are gone. Spice Grill in Port Richmond. The real estate developer Ken Weinstein loves Germantown Avenue. Also the side dishes were very good. Another Michael Petrogiannis diner. Now R&W is the Japanese restaurant Zama. Snow WhiteClosed in: 2011Philly has lost a lot of its great diners in recent years. Jose Garces might have had historical preservation in mind when he took What do you like most about this 80s-themed restaurant in Pennsylvania? Please like & follow for more interesting content. Likewise, when transplants complain about SEPTA subway cars and buses, I marvel. The Trolley Car Diner represents Ken Weinsteins support for Mt. And for post-dining . That looks like the store Teddy Pendergasss first manager had a beauty products center. How could we not love this place? City, one in North Philly and the Pennsauken outpost thats still kickin Rundown of Eateries Opened from 1875 to 1986. It could have been dee dees it was about a half mile north of the aramingo. Originally published as The Lost City in the August 2014 issue of Philadelphia magazine. In the first decade of the 21st century, Petrogiannis also snapped up the Tiffany, Country Club, and Broad Street diners. From the looks of things, it has also seen several makeovers, the last one happening a year ago, making any effort to detect original features futile. But the retail counter was nixed and replaced with a full-service bar 2013 andearlier this year, the conceptbecame one of the surprisingly few casualties in Garces Groups recent restructuring due to outstanding debts. It was torn down in 2006. What I like, you may not. (This suspicion of nice things began early.). 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. | Photo: Randy Garbin. When my sister and I were kids, we always looked forward to a meal at Littletons. This was the center of our universe. today. I like how Starrs designers paid loving homage to the Mad Men era by stripping away some of the diners original colonial-style trappings. The diner offers a basic, no-frills menu. 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. The eggs were so-so, the homefries were lame, and the bacon was the thinnest cut Id ever seen, it was literally transparent. The Trolley Car Diner was built by the Mountain View Diner Company of Signac, New Jersey, which seemed to do extremely well selling diners in the Wyoming Valley up into the Binghamton, New York area. Those children of the 1970s and 1980s grew up in and around the suburban malls. | Photo: Randy Garbin, When the Kubach family owned the Melrose Diner they managed to build up something of a one-diner empire. The Commissary - in its orginal configuration. Philadelphia's culinary world has long turned heads nationwide, only to bask in the spotlight once again when the prestigious 2022 James Beard Awards named 16 local chefs and restaurants as semifinalists. Required fields are marked *. Burgers you expected to find for a buck fifty in such a place now cost five dollars, but the money bought you an expertly grilled fresh half-pound of meat served on a fresh-baked roll served with hand-cut French fries. Podcast: Is Sixers' prime time game vs. Joe was a veteran of the industry and had previously owned the Torresdale Diner just south of Academy Road and needed to expand. Your email address will not be published. Then there were our parents, the incense vendors, all those hookers on Broad and on 13th, my Quaker teachers with the puzzling facial hair. . Philadelphia restaurants long gone and greatly missed.My top-of-mind most-missed five:1. Outstanding memories. Great article thank you. Senior year, a friend and I went to see Hannah and Her Sisters. pleasure of visiting the Queen Village location know that theres nothing 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). Its where I met my husband. January 29, 2015. At the beginning of June, the City served a notice tothe owners that stated they had 30 days to either fix it or demolish it. Back then, these were not only the primary vectors for graffiti, but had torn and broken seats and rusted poles. Casa Del Marisco is a sports bar on 5th Street. Today, I can get stopped at the doors of an upscale hotel or silently ejected from a fancy boutique with an icy glare. I ended up working in the factory after high school from 81 to around 84 and the diner was still going strong. Went to Ellwood, Wagner, and Central. The old-school guys who built up these businesses now have kids with college degrees who dont see themselves working 18-hour days for two-percent margins. MILLER III / File Photograph. the end, hosting lavish breakfasts and brunches, power lunches and dinners https://www.facebook.com/lhapachapter/posts/3824830150954142, I am looking for a dive in dinner in pa in the 1950s It was I think back then near the Phila airport. Contemporary Americansseem to prefer fast-casual chains (like Panera Bread) over diners, where you canget a pretty good meal for not a lot of money and you dont have to bother with aserver. Frank Rizzo dominated City Hall, first as police commissioner, then as mayor. There was a diner on Aramingo Avenue we use to stop in back in the early 60s after a night of bar hopping. In its last incarnation, old heads from the Leroys Showcase Lounge days drank alongside members of the queer punk bands playing shows upstairs. looks like the Oak Lane died as well. Anyone can buy an old Winnebago or shipping container and call it a diner, but the term comes from builders to describe their newer, better more stationery lunch wagons to be sold and set up across the country. By 1930 Cleveland had 1,073 restaurants with 5,959 full-time employees, doing $27,084,127 worth of business. (185) 4. 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. Here are some fascinating photos that offer a glimpse into 1980s Philadelphia. Being a person from the 60s it brought me fond memories of the diners. From international There was also Jersey Queen Dairy who began delivering milk in the city by horse and carriage. Enjoying our content? | Photo: Randy Garbin. 12 Restaurants That Define Philadelphia Dining. It's RADICALLY different from all the others: It's a Pure Energy, bubble gum pop, super charged, time-travel thrill! We look to blogs such as these for straight talk, not depends on who you ask waffling. The award-winning restaurant's unique dining style is a collaboration between celebrated restaurateur Stephen Starr and Aimee Olexy. I agree that eating at a diner is more of an immersive experience in that neighborhood. For the most part, the Big Greek Diners all serve more or less the same thing. Inside he ripped out a third of its extensive counter to accommodate more booth seating and wider waistlines, and he replaced much of the diners original laminate surfaces. St. Joseph County police searching for missing 12-year-old girl. For nearly 100 years, this family-owned classic on 6th between South and But beyond that, this: Strictly speaking, adiner is a prefabricated food-service structure with counter service and tables. A Slice of the 80s is located at 19 Congress St, Bradford, PA 16701. Trolley Car strikes that rare balance between food quality and attitude. The diner was originally built by Fodero of Bloomfield, New Jersey. Silk City The diner also offered a lot of benefits to employees which was why so many stayed a long time. Cant beat the prices and food anywhere. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Live in a walkable community. He currently works as an independent website developer and art director. So why do I long for the old days? Every diner taken over by the Michaels diner group, has suffered a precipitous drop in quality. If there are photos of this grand 1920s OMahony in its original setting, Id love to see them. The Big Greek Diner typically gives you a lot of food for the money. 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. | Photo: Randy Garbin. Sometimes one or two exceptional items can make a restaurant a landmark. I give the food here very high marks, and youll find items on the menu you dont expect to find in a traditional diner which always works for me.

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