diners

Review: Monarch Diner – Glassboro NJ

Monarch Diner is the latest restaurant opened by the former owners of Lamp Post Diner in Gloucester Township. Lamp Post was one of my long time favorite diners but it has gone down hill since it was sold. So, I’m thrilled to see the old owners back again with Monarch. The menu is even very much the same. It’s a bright and clean diner with friendly staff that serves up a ton of standard diner fare with some unique dishes thrown in for good measure. My personal favorite, a carryover from the glory days of Lamp Post, is the “mile-high meatloaf.” It consists of slices of meatloaf layered with mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, onion straws and barbecue sauce. It’s so nice to again be able to get this dish made as it should be!


Of course, as any diner should, they do their baking on premises and serve breakfast all day. The only downside is that they’re not open 24 hours. Lamp Post isn’t either though, so this is not a surprise.


I anticipate that this diner will do great in my old college stomping ground of Glassboro and I’m glad it’s still not far too from home for me since I’ve already been back few times.

Posted by Michael in Reviews

Review: Snydersville Diner – Stroudsburg PA

I’m a big fan of old school traditional diners. I randomly stumbled upon the Snydersville Diner while traveling through the Poconos. Upon walking in, it was clear that this was a traditional old diner much like the one my grandmother worked in many years ago. It’s nothing fancy. There’s plenty of chrome all around. It looks like it hasn’t changed one bit in the decades it’s been open, yet it is clean and tidy.

The food is simple but delicious. There’s nothing fancy; just your standard diner fare. Everything was hot, fresh and made exactly as it should be. Diner’s are about comfort food and that what you find here.

The waitresses are your classic diner waitresses. They are friendly and more than happy to suggest the best items on the menu yet just gruff enough so you know that you probably don’t want to mess with them. The only odd thing is that the waitresses wear what appears to be a uniform you’d find on an employee in a doctor’s office. It’s not a bad thing, just odd.

One of the things that our waitress provided a suggestion on was dessert. Snydersville Diner is apparently well known for baking a huge variety of pies. Since we were there in the Fall, I chose a slice of pumpkin pie. The waitress told me that she suggested that I order a slice of pumpkin cream pie instead. She was right, it was delicious. Though I suspect that it would be very hard to find a pie on their menu that isn’t delicious!

Whether you want a delicious fresh cooked meal, yummy pie or just a step into the past, this diner is worth a visit.

Posted by Michael in Reviews

Review: Lamp Post Diner – Gloucester Township NJ

Lamp Post Diner ExteriorThe first time I visited the Lamp Post Diner was just a few days after they opened. There were a few small glitches like a waitress who apparently quit in the middle of her shift. The management did their best to figure out what orders she had or had not taken. The next few visits were much improved. We spoke to one of the owner/managers and he was very friendly. It’s clear that they are working hard to make their new diner the best it can be.

The food was quite good and their selection of desserts is expansive. Their portions are huge. I’ve tried sandwiches, breakfast and other menu items and haven’t been disappointed. Personally, I have to give them some extra points for serving their coffee classic “diner mugs.”

The only negative is that they are not open 24 hours/day. I hope that they will soon move to a 24 hour schedule since that’s what I expect from a true New Jersey diner. I also found the fact that there are TVs around the restaurant a little odd.

Overall, this is one of the first new diners to open around here in a while and it seems to have some real potential to become a long lasting institution in the community.

Posted by Michael in Reviews

Review: Ponzios Diner – Cherry Hill NJ

Diners are a New Jersey staple. You can find a one on almost every corner. Ponzio’s, however, stands out. Yes, you can order breakfast all day and you order all sorts of sandwiches and other diner fare. But Ponzio’s in Cherry Hill, NJ is reminiscent of what diners were in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. This huge diner is a place where I’d be confident ordering any meal on the menu. Actually, I’d highly recommend their seafood. Their crab cakes are as good as you’re ever going to have at a diner and better than some seafood places.

The amazing cheese rolls, cinnamon bread and other breads that grace the table before your meal are just a small sampling of the amazing baked goods that Ponzio’s bakery turns out. You’ll have a hard time resisting the urge to press your face against the massive bakery display cases. No matter what you choose you’ll be happy with your selection. Personally, I’m partial to their cakes such as red velvet.

Just recently I recommended Ponzio’s to someone who was staying nearby for a few days. They were not disappointed and even took some baked goods back to Virginia with them.

One other somewhat random thing worth mentioning is that their wi-fi is one of the fastest internet connections I’ve ever seen anywhere. That was an unexpected surprise.

Posted by Michael in Reviews

The father of the Egg McMuffin dies

Here in New Jersey when we think of a delicious breakfast, the mind immediately conjures images of a diner. I’m particular partial to a bacon and cheese omelet, with hash browns, some toast and a bottomless cup of diner coffee. However, sometimes you don’t have time to spend in a diner. That’s where my second favorite breakfast place comes into play. I like just about anything from McDonald’s breakfast menu, but the item that most people associate with McDonald’s breakfast is the Egg McMuffin. It was created by Herb Peterson in 1972. After 36 years and more sandwiches sold than he ever imagined, I’m sure, Herb passed away at the age or 89.

Some people’s legacy is on a headstone, Herb’s will live on on the McDonald’s menu board. 🙂

Read his obituary on CNN.

Posted by Michael in Cooking/Food, Interesting Links