The best diners in America for comfort-food favorites

This historic Garfield neighborhood diner in downtown Phoenix combines a Southern twinge with scratch cooking. Growing from a 200-square-foot space to an upgraded space, the Welcome Diner offers meals across four different menus. Their all-day menu offers different styles of chicken biscuits amid other orders ranging from mac and cheese to various fries (from poutine to pulled pork to jackfruit). Along with a brunch menu, the diner offers a daily happy hour special with certain food and drink discounts and a “Later Skater” menu to savor a slice of lemon chess pie.

This all-in-one diner combines a restaurant, bar, beer garden and lounge catering to the evening and weekend crowds. Offering dinner, drinks and brunch menus, the Silk City Diner got its name from being built by The Paterson Dining Company, whose New Jersey location was then a thriving silk manufacturing industry. Along with a New American menu, Silk City Diner, Bar & Lounge offers a hybrid nightclub/concert space model with programming that supports local and up-and-coming artists.

This cozy diner was built on site in Rochester by the Orleans Company in 1948 and is the only remaining diner by this firm that is still in existence today. The Highland Park Diner is also quite beloved, with long waits on weekends for its 55-total seating arrangements of largely booths and some counter-side stools. Amid its breakfast, lunch, and dinner servings, the menu is also noted for its assortment of flapjacks and French toasts, plus a lengthy, flavorful selection of milkshakes.

Did you know that Rhode Island is considered the birthplace of the diner and that its origin story is linked to Providence? Taste that legacy at one of the city’s most beloved dining institutions. As an updated, prefabricated diner car, which has changed names and ownership since its opening in 1947, the West Side Diner serves breakfast and lunch. Among other dishes, find an elevated take on classic staples, including stuffed French toast, linguica sausage, and crab cake eggs benedict.

With its first location in Stamford and another one coming to Norwalk in 2024, this Moshos family-owned diner offers a lively atmosphere and incredibly sweet and photogenic treats amid its breakfast, lunch, and brunch options. The Elm Street Diner menu’s “Social Media Superstars” section features the photogenic Wow Waffle Tower, with two large Belgian waffles, ice cream, layer cake, donuts, candy and whipped cream. Traditional diner dishes are also available.

This beloved Kansas eatery gets as many looks for its fun wall décor, including many nods to Wichita State, as for its hearty portioned and made-from-scratch menu options. Founded by Patrick and Timirie Shibley, the Doo-Dah Diner offers popular orders such as their biscuit and gravy, banana bread french toast and crispy corned beef hash. Breakfast and lunchtime here can get busy, but you can add your name to a waitlist via Yelp’s app.

With four locations across the state—Fargo, Bismarck, Mandan and Minot—this 1950s-style diner has been serving German and American dishes since 1969. Across all of them, Kroll’s Diner has quite a menu spread with all-day breakfast, burgers and melts, and salads and sandwiches. Or try some German fare such as their famous Knoephla Soup, a creamy and lumpy potato-based meal in itself.

Since opening in 1983, The Chicago Diner has been serving dishes in a plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan format. Founded by Mickey Hornick and his partner, “Chef Jo” Kaucher, the longtime meatless venue incorporates menu items such as a Reuben with seitan in place of corned beef, veggie burgers, vegan milkshakes and home fries. It has two locations in Chicago’s Lakeview and Logan Square neighborhoods. There’s also a separate gluten-free menu.

New Jersey has a strong history with diner culture. Located in Keyport, this traditional railroad car diner earned accolades from NJ.com in 2022, in being voted “New Jersey’s best diner.” Food Network personality Bobby Flay came here in 2016 to film a CBS Sunday Morning segment on diners as well. While Tops Diner, a Harrison, NJ favorite, gets a lot of love, Broad Street Diner is adorned for lunch and all-day breakfast staples with fun twists such as their Elvis French Toast topped peanut butter and bananas.

With sites in Concord, Londonderry, Manchester and Nashua, this diner provides breakfast, lunch and dinner all day long. Plus, all are open 24 hours. Manchester, their original location, is also a popular stop among U.S. presidential candidates during primary season along New Hampshire’s political trail. As for menus, each Red Arrow Diner spot offers daily Blue Plate specials—from meatloaf to lasagna to haddock—served on an actual blue plate.