Geoffrey Zakarian's Favorite NYC Diner Has Been On 5th Ave Since 1929

New York City is legendary for housing tons of restaurants, coffee shops, and old-school diners with a long and rich history. However, with so many places to enjoy a hot cup of coffee and Reuben sandwich, it's often hard to tell which eateries have truly stood the test of time through quality. Fortunately, at 2024's New York City Wine and Food Festival, renowned chef and cookbook author Geoffrey Zakarian divulged his favorite longstanding diners to Food Republic. Out of the dozens to choose from, Eisenberg's (now S&P Lunch) on 5th Avenue in NYC, is at the top of Zakarian's list.

Since 1929, Eisenberg's had stood as one of NYC's most beloved vintage luncheonettes, full of bar stools, mid-century appeal, and a menu of traditional classics like the tuna melt, peanut butter and bacon sandwich, and cherry-lime rickeys (club soda mixed with cherry syrup and lime juice). While the historical establishment has had a slew of different owners over the years, Eisenberg's was bought out for the last time in 2022. It had actually been closed the year before, and was reopened as S&P Lunch. The vintage luncheonette remains up and running, having undergone only minor changes. Egg creams, all-American cheeseburgers, and stacked BLTs deserve a permanent place on the old-fashioned joint's menu, and thankfully, the new owners have respected its history.

Geoffrey Zakarian is also partial to another vintage luncheonette entrenched in rich history: He calls the Miss Worcester Diner in Worcester, Massachusetts "fantastic." The eatery is considered a historical monument by many locals. It's a beloved relic of a time when prefabricated diner cars were produced en mass in the city, between 1906 and 1961. A descendant of horse-drawn lunch carts, portable diners became a way for people to enjoy a warm, traditional meal within the confines of a small yet homey space.

What draws people to Miss Worcester is a combination of respect for its tenure and a desire for crowd-pleasing, made-to-order classics. The traditional lunch cart features walls lined with colorful stickers, love notes from years past, and an overwhelmingly vast menu of breakfast staples. If you love French toast upgraded with delicious twists, customers swear by the "crunchie," which is French toast dredged in crushed Honey Bunches of Oats cereal and then deep-fried.

The common link between Miss Worcester's and Eisenberg's or S&P Lunch is their historical significance in the expanding landscape of restaurants in the U.S. These establishments remain as longstanding touchstones, bringing customers back to their love and appreciation for simple American food.