Top New Jersey Diners: All-American Eats (No Denny's Allowed)

July 12, 2009 11:48 pm

Top New Jersey Diners: All-American Eats (No Denny's Allowed)

$Behind the Burner: Top New Jersey Diners: All-American Eats (No Denny\'s Allowed)$

When I was a small child growing up in California, my mother used to read me the book Frank and Ernest by Alexandra Day. The story revolved around a bear (Frank) and his elephant friend (Ernest) who take over the running of a restaurant owned by a close friend. The two spend the day shouting out hilarious orders for everyday menu items, causing customers to laugh at the exotic way they prepared the food. I loved the book and always wanted to eat at a restaurant just like theirs.

It took a move to New Jersey to help me realize that Frank and Ernest were running a diner and that I could have any of those delicious things if I really wanted to.

Diners are an integral part of a Jerseyans' diet. The menu items can range from the usual burgers and fries, to even more interesting fare, such as seafood, gyros, Asian dumplings and cocktails the size of your head. Though they may not boast the credentials of an upscale eating establishment, they non-the-less bring together friends and neighbors with both traditional and the non-traditional dishes.

My friend Alison has been enjoying split pea soup at Vicki's Diner in Westfield, NJ every Thursday, meeting her mother for a bowl and some conversation. Not only is the aforementioned soup to die for, but the seasonal Pumpkin Spice Pancakes are my favorite bite of Fall on a crisp October day. Vicki's boasts a rather varied menu, with close friends of mine praising the simple grilled cheese, to the more complex dinner entrees and burgers. There is never a lone eater and conversation in the small but divinely retro space is lively and upbeat.

If a night on the town is what you want, the Skylark Diner & Lounge offers a bar/club atmosphere with a diner twist. Off Route 1 in Edison, New Jersey, near the delicious Menlo Park Diner, Skylark dims the lights and ups the ante at this daring eatery. The cocktails are fresh and mildly original, and the menu is classic diner with a modern edge: Sauteed Tilapia Provencal with a garlic basil white wine sauce, Herb Roasted Chicken with with apple-sage bread stuffing and, of course, meatloaf a la Mama. Dressing up to get down with great fare and fine cocktails makes Skylark the new wave of diner dining.

Going to dinner in a group can be difficult, especially when everyone wants a different item. A diner such as Union Plaza (UP) is the perfect place to start or end a night on the town when you can't quite figure out what you want. Right off Route 22 in Union, NJ, the UP Diner's menu is about as large as a novella, and takes just as long to read. The waitress will have to come by at least two times before the whole menu is perused. Not only do they serve any type of food you might think up, but any alcoholic beverage you could ever want, including wines and beers. Margaritas are $3 dollars from 10pm until close, around 3am or later. Weekenders needing to wind down after a long night of partying usually pop in here around 1am to take a load off, order a Happy Waitress (open faced grilled cheese with tomato) and rehash the nights dramatic twists and turns.

All in all, the diner is a go-to safe place, balancing a refreshing meal with great company. They can be noisy, but always exude that down home feeling perfect for those searching for a little comfort early or late in the day. No matter what you crave, a local New Jersey diner is there to deliver.

—Kaitlin A. Lipe

Vicki's Diner
110 East Broad Street
Westfield, NJ 07090
908.233.6887

Skylark Diner & Lounge
17 Wooding Ave
Edison, NJ 08817
732.777.7878

Union Plaza Diner & Restaurant
2466 Route 22
Union, NJ 07083
908. 686.4403