FNYC Standards9 places
Diners, Counters & Luncheonettes in NYC
Hand-picked by Gothamly and checked against each place’s own site. Nobody paid to be here.
- Since 1922
Square Diner — Tribeca
A standalone railcar holding its corner for a century — eggs, formica, regulars
- Since 1929
S&P Lunch — Flatiron
The old Eisenberg's counter, lovingly revived — tuna melt and a matzo ball soup
- Since the 1930s
La Bonbonniere — West Village
Cash-only griddle classic — pancakes bigger than the plates
- Since 1936
Tom's Restaurant — Prospect Heights
Cherry-lime rickeys and chocolate-chip pancakes; they hand cookies to the weekend line
- Since 1938
B&H Dairy — East Village
A sliver of a kosher dairy luncheonette — challah French toast and mushroom barley soup
- Since 1950
Junior's — Downtown Brooklyn
The cheesecake standard-bearer on Flatbush — order it plain, as intended
- Since 1952
Airline Diner (Jackson Hole) — Astoria
Chrome-and-neon Goodfellas landmark by LaGuardia — burgers the size of hubcaps
- Since 1954
Veselka — East Village
Ukrainian soul food on Second Ave — pierogi and borscht at nearly any hour
- Since 1974
Joe Junior — Gramercy
The burger scholars’ consensus pick — smashed, simple, perfect at the counter
More from NYC Standards
Classic Bars, Taverns & Dives10 Great BurgersPizza PilgrimagesBagels, Bialys & LoxDelis, Pastrami & KnishesChinatown ClassicsHot Dogs, Ices & Street FoodSteakhouses & ChophousesBistros & BrasseriesRed Sauce, Old World & Soul FoodBakeries, Cheesecake & Black-and-WhitesOld-School Cafés & Soda Fountains
Picks like this, every Friday
Seven things worth leaving the apartment for, hand-checked. One short email, free, one tap to leave.