Breakfast dishes at R Diner Breakfast at “R” Diner in Central Square (Danielle Benjamin | Contributing Writer) (Danielle Benjamin/Danielle Benjamin)
There’s nothing quite like an early morning, or late night, at a greasy spoon diner. And according to a new national list, some of the very best are right here in Upstate New York.
The Phoenicia Diner in Phoenicia, the “Historic” Village Diner in Red Hook and the Eveready Diner in Hyde Park all landed on Huckberry’s list of America’s 25 best diners. The clothing retailer praised each spot for delivering classic comfort food alongside a heavy dose of nostalgia.
Here’s what makes each one stand out.
Phoenicia Diner in Upstate New York Phoenicia Diner, 5681 NY-28, Phoenicia, NY Catskill Region. Michael Greenlar | NYUp.com (Michael Greenlar | NYUp.com/Michael Greenlar | NYUp.com)
Phoenicia Diner
5681 State Route 28, Phoenicia
If you’re headed to the Catskills, a stop at the Phoenicia Diner is practically mandatory. Built in 1962 and relocated to the tiny town of Phoenicia, population about 300, in the 1980s, the diner still oozes mid-century charm.
The Phoenicia has earned praise from “The New York Times” and has appeared in movies and television, most recently as the fictional Pip’s Bar and Grille in Apple TV+’s hit series “Severance.” Huckberry recommends fueling up here before a hike with an order of the diner’s home fries, known locally as Phoenician potatoes.
The “Historic” Village Diner 1927 Village Diner in Red Hook, NY. Listed on National Register of Historic Places. Richard Berkowitz | Getty Images (Richard Berkowitz/Richard Berkowitz | Getty Images)
The “Historic” Village Diner
7550 N Broadway, Red Hook
From the 1920s through the 1950s, the Silk City Diners division of the Paterson Vehicle Co. produced prefabricated diners that popped up across the country. Several still exist in Upstate New York, from a rescue in the Finger Lakes, a 1940s restoration in the Southern Tier, and a ramen house in Albany, but the “Historic” Village Diner in Red Hook just might be among the oldest.
Dating back to the 1920s, the diner was designed to resemble a railroad dining car. Its cozy interior and vintage details pair perfectly with a menu full of classic comfort food, making it a favorite stop in the Hudson Valley.
Eveready Diner Eveready Diner in Hyde Park, N.Y. Joseph Sohm | Getty Images (Joseph Sohm; Visions of America/Joseph Sohm | Getty Images)
Everready Diner
4184 Albany Post Rd, Hyde Park
With shiny silver chrome, this 1950s-style diner has a menu as big as its reputation. Eveready earned national fame when it was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri in the Season 1 “Local Legends” episode. On the Food Network show, Fieri highlighted the diner’s scratch-made pancake batter and house-baked bread. Huckberry reminds diners to save room for one of Everready’s six pie flavors.