Long before the advent of the neon-light,
stainless-steel diners, Newark was dotted with a vast array of neighborhood
diners - long, narrow, shack-looking things, quite a few painted
white, many with sliding entry doors that gave way to mostly counter
seating.
They were the kind of places where you didn't have to mind your
social manners; where you went for a hot and hearty meal, a cup
of coffee, a piece of pie, and still walked out with money in your
pocket.
They were the kind of places where the short-order cook could
work on half a dozen orders at one time and never break a sweat.
And you sat elbow to elbow with business and trades people and no
one seemed to mind.
I had a favorite - a diner on Central Avenue. I can't remember
the cross street, but it was a block from Newark College of Engineering.
I counted on that diner at least three nights a week when I got
off from my downtown job at Western Electric and had to attend nighttime
engineering classes.
The one meal that still sticks in my brain is the meat loaf and
mashed potatoes with gravy. I think it may have been the best I've
ever had.
So, the question is, am I alone in my memories of these special
places to eat? Like I said, they were all over the city, so I'm
sure some of you out there may have the same memories. They were
definitely a fixture of old Newark.
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Responses:
rich:
Manny, Andro's Diner (before it was a RESTAURANT) was a late night
favorite of mine. Posner's(sp?) on East Ferry St. was another haunt.
Now there was a diner on Mary St. and the end of Avenue "L"
(which I can not think of the name) that we hit also for some late
night grub. Of course there was the Market Tower on Market and Fleming
Sts., the St.Al's/Red Shield crew's favorite.
Joey George:
Manny,
My favorite was the "Blue Castle" on Broadway, next to
the Boys Club. Barely enough room inside for six or seven people
to eat but always crowded, especially in the wee hours of the morning.
The owner, Tom Brown, was a thrifty fellow....I remember running
into him in a bar and he admitted (under the influence) that his
tuna salad was two parts bread and three parts tuna. The Woodside
Diner was a pretty cool place too.
Phil Lynch:
There is still one of these types of diners on the corner of Market
St. and Fleming Ave. It used to be called Market tower but now its
called the Ironbound diner.
marytee:
Do not forget Scotty's diner on Broad St. Good diner and I remember
the Woodside diner too! I loved the no airs attitude with everyone
back then and we knew one another-either by looks or name. Woodside
Diner had the BEST shrimp salad sandwich any where-but Stashes Evergreen
had the best corn beef! I knew Marie La Marca some also. I still
look for the booths - the stools the familiar- but I haven't found
any replacements for those days.
Jack Keegan:
Hi Manny,,
Does the Christie Diner at the corner of Christie and Ferry St.
still exist. I remember many great times there
Jule Spohn:
I can't remember any of these types of diners in Newark, but I still
pass two of them everyday in Kearny. One is called MAX's and the
other is right across the Harrison Street from the City Hall but
I don't know the name of it. The third one I pass every day is a
little bit larger, but is still a diner, called TOPS in East Newark
just as you cross the Clay Street Bridge. It is a great place to
eat.
JIM T:
What ever happen to "Dons 21"?
rich:
Jim T., Don's 21 closed some years ago. The building is still there
and now operated as Seabra's Rodizio Restaurant, Brazilian cuisine
I believe
rich:
Jack, Up until a year ago, the Christie St. Diner was still open
for business. My parents were still living on Brill St. so I was
around there often
Nicky G:
Many the only place I could think of was a little place on High
and Central or the was a very good one on Norfolk and Central it
had great meat loaf. The name I think was the Norfolk diner
Phil Lynch:
Rich and Jack,
The Diner on the corner of Christie and Ferry is still open during
the day
Janice:
Wasn't there a small diner at the end of Mott Street. It as right
in front of the trestle and across from a bar. I guess I was too
young to remember the names. The diner was pretty beat up in the
early 50's. My husband 'hung out' at the Market Towers in the 60's,
but that's a whole nother story
Jule Spohn:
Hello Manny and all. You mentioned that the short order cooks could
work on six or so orders at the same time. A few years ago I was
sitting at a counter in a restaurant in Manhattan on Church Street
a few blocks away from the World Trade Center and was amazed watching
the waiters calling their orders out to the chef and him making
those orders in a few minutes and with no mistakes. I just sat there
in amazement and even told the chef that I've never seen anyone
remember that much stuff in such period of time and get it out so
fast without forgetting anything. AMAZING to watch those guys work
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