KUTZTOWN, Pa. – A longstanding spot for omelettes, French toast and other freshly prepared eats is starting a new chapter in Berks County.
Letterman’s Diner, a full-service diner known for its classic and unique takes on breakfast and lunch favorites, closed in early January at 242 W. Main St. in Kutztown, but tasty eats have already returned to the iconic dining spot.
Longtime Letterman’s employee and new diner owner Selena White on Tuesday opened Selena’s Diner at the site, bringing new decor, menu updates and a fresh vision to the space.
The diner’s new iteration, now accepting credit cards, will hold a soft opening on Tuesday and Wednesday with a grand opening planned for 7 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5.
Selena’s Diner
“If you’re eager to experience our delicious food, earlier, you’re invited to our soft opening today until 2 pm today and tomorrow from 6 am – 2 pm, as we finalize our preparations,” reads an announcement on Selena’s Diner’s Facebook page. “We can’t wait to see you!”
Doug Letterman opened Letterman’s in 1998, and White – a Kutztown native – worked at the diner for the past seven years.
White is introducing a handful of new dishes, including some new sandwiches, but most of the familiar favorites from Letterman’s will remain.
“I’m going to keep [the menu] basically the same, including the large portion sizes,” White told 69 News. “I’m also going to do some things that are my own.”
White labels the cheesesteak omelette (steak meat, onions, American cheese and sauce), smokey omelette (smoked sausage, bacon, ham, onions and green peppers) and “stuffed hash browns” (country fried steak stuffed between potatoes and topped with two eggs omelette style, American cheese and sausage gravy) as customer favorites.
Other menu highlights include breakfast sandwiches on choice of bagel, toast or English muffin; breakfast combos with various combinations of eggs, potatoes, pancakes, French toast and more; and specialty omelettes such as “The Flying Dutch” (scrapple and American cheese) and “Dirty Jersey” (pork roll, tomato, onion and American cheese).
Letterman’s Diner closed in early January after nearly three decades of operation at 242 W. Main St. in Kutztown.
Ryan Kneller
“Honestly, everything is popular,” White said. “Whenever someone would ask me what’s popular, I’d just read them the entire menu.”
Selena’s Diner also will serve up other specialty items such as a “He-Man Special” (three eggs, two meats, potato and toast) and “Trainwreck Mix” (bacon, ham, sausage, cheddar cheese on top of a bed of potatoes, topped with cream dried beef and an over-easy egg); lunch classics such as a cheesesteak, cowboy burger and Selena’s burger (homemade mac, sauce, pickles, onions and American cheese); quick bites such as crispy chicken wrap, avocado BLT and veggie quesadilla; and made-to-order mac & cheese bowls with optional choice of protein.
The prefabricated diner, manufactured in Patterson, New Jersey, celebrated its 100th birthday last year.
The structure was transported to Kutztown by highway from its original location in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where it operated from 1925 to 1940, according to a historical account on the diner’s menu.
“It was first operated in Kutztown through the ‘40s by Mrs. Reisinger, Al Lutz and William Dorn, until Darius L. Blatt and his son Joseph assumed ownership in September of 1947,” the account reads.
“… Then in 1951, the Blatts moved the diner 2 doors down so it would be on the corner, where it’s remained ever since! Joe and Gloria Blatt operated the diner well into 1980s, though in the later years as a breakfast-only affair, closing at 11 am. In 1987, the [Blatts] retired due to Joe’s declining health and the diner was briefly operated as a Coney Island Hot Dog stand before being renamed “The Country Nook,” and was operated as such until 1998 when it became the legendary Letterman’s Diner!”
White is excited to take the reins of the cozy borough dining staple, which features counter stools for around a dozen guests and additional seating for around a dozen more at nearby tables.
She’s an alum of Kutztown Area High School and Kutztown University, graduating from the latter in 2024 with a degree in business, and recalls regularly visiting the diner during her childhood.
“I grew up in Kutztown, and Letterman’s was always the place I wanted to go when I was younger,” White said. “My mom would surprise us with trips to Letterman’s for breakfast.”
Prior to taking over the diner, White was juggling a career in the insurance industry with her job at the diner.
She eventually discovered that her heart lies in the restaurant world and devoted her full attention to the diner.
“It just made more sense to me because I’m such a people person,” White said.
“I love to talk to people, and it was hard not seeing everyone every day. I was sitting behind a computer, and all I wanted to do was to talk to people.”
Last year, as Letterman was dealing with health issues, White picked up more responsibilities at the diner, and she came to see herself as a good fit to take over operations following Letterman’s retirement.
Over the past few weeks, White added new wall paint and other updates to the space.
On the newly created Facebook page for Selena’s Diner, White thanked the community for its support.
“Thank you so much for all the love and support — I’m beyond excited to begin this new chapter and truly grateful for the opportunity,” she stated.
The post garnered more than 600 reactions and over 80 comments, primarily from community members extending warm wishes to White.
“Congratulations Selena!” one person wrote. “Looking forward to coming in!”
“Best wishes on your new adventure!!” another person stated.