GET A REFILL FOR YOUR COFFEE MUG AND READ ON
Top 10 Diner Staples Everyone Should Try A Least Once
Image: Chad Montano
Diner restaurants are so ingrained into American culture that each year, thousands of foreign tourists pass through their doors for a bite and a taste of what is perceived, all over the world, as a classic moment of American life . Their plastic-laminated menus offer a distinct array of dishes, ranging from site-specific treats to the most traditional food items that no respectable diner can go without. From cheeseburgers to waffles , we have selected 10 of these culinary monuments for your perusal. Which of these are your favorites?
1
Bacon Cheeseburger
Image: Erik Odiin
Let us begin with the most obvious and ubiquitous diner staple of all time: the bacon cheeseburger . This decadent concoction of ground beef, buns, melted cheddar, bacon, and a few more ingredients has graced the menus of diners forever.
While most are meant to be eaten as a sandwich, more than a few places offer monstrous creations that have to be opened and eaten in pieces or with a knife and fork, as the sheer size of the hamburger cannot fit in an open mouth.
2
Club Sandwich
Image: Suea Sivilaisith
Another menu classic, the club sandwich consists of three superimposed slices of toast with two fillings, cut into triangular quarters that point upward like they're reaching for the heavens. Fresh turkey breast and bacon are the standard ingredients, but some diners have come to specialize in clubs and their variations.
Supposedly, the sandwich was invented in Saratoga Springs, New York, at the racetrack clubhouse in 1894, hence its name.
3
Hash browns
Image: Uwe Conrad
An iconic breakfast side, hash browns are an omnipresent add-on to scrambled eggs, bacon strips, and many more classic dishes. They consist of finely julienned potatoes that have been fried until golden browned.
No matter which diner you visit to get breakfast, you’ll more than likely find these crispy potato strings on the menu, as they are appreciated for their simplicity, versatility, and satisfying crunch.
4
Eggs Benedict
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A breakfast or brunch dish with a funny name, Eggs Benedict consists of two halves of an English muffin, each topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce.
While it was popularized in New York City, it is generally believed to have been created in New York City in the late 19th century, this dish can be found all over the country and is a menu staple in diners everywhere.
5
Biscuits and gravy
Image: John Cameron
A hearty breakfast ideal for chilly Midwest mornings and a cowboy diet staple, biscuits and gravy are made with warm, soft dough biscuits, covered in white gravy made from the drippings of cooked pork sausage, flour, milk, and often bits of sausage, bacon, ground beef, or other meat.
Most classic diners worth their salt will offer some variation of this delicious dish.
6
Tuna Melt
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Even though the title of this diner favorite suggests it, nobody has ever melted a fish yet. The "melt" part of a tuna melt is achieved by a substance that is much more capable of reaching that state: cheese.
Supposedly, this delicious sandwich was invented when a lunch counter cook accidentally tipped a bowl of tuna salad onto a piece of toasted cheese already frying on the flat top. The result proved quite tasty, and thus, the dish was born. Whether one decides to believe it or not, tuna melt makes for a great diner menu item.
7
Meatloaf
Image: Verena Böttcher
A close cousin to the traditional diner hamburger, the meatloaf also has German origins. However, instead of the pork and veal meat that must be used in its homeland, the American meatloaf is done with ground beef. Its distinctive flavor comes from masses of onions that meld with the beef fat, and the flavor mellows as the meatloaf bakes.
The resulting dish is smothered in gravy, and presented with lots of mashed potatoes, fresh vegetables, and extra gravy on the side.
8
Pancakes
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Passing on now to the desserts, we encounter a champion of American breakfasts and a menu item that no respectable diner should be without: the almighty pancake .
Whether it comes with fruit, chocolate chips, or more, this comfort food is covered with a generous amount of syrup to help lubricate and ease the journey from mouth to stomach with every bite.
9
Pie a La Mode
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French speakers might ask: "To Which Mode?" to which the answer would be: ice cream! Pie à la Mode is, simply put, a slice of -usually- apple pie with ice cream on top.
This sweet treat can be found in refrigerated glass display cases showcased in diners since refrigeration was invented. And there is a great reason for that, as the resulting mix of the crunchy base, the sweet apple, and the ice cream make for an amazing dessert.
10
Waffles
Image: Mae Mu
Sure, waffles can be thrown into a toaster right out of the box, in the comfort of your own home. But that is no match for a diner-style freshly made waffle (that is, if the diner is any good).
Waffles are a breakfast staple, readily available at your local eateries. There are few things better than biting into a waffle and being met with a pocket of melted butter and warm syrup.
