Modern Diner
Diner · Pawtucket ·
Historic train car diner serving classic comfort foods & specials
Historic train car diner serving classic comfort foods & specials
"Housed in the last known diner car of a historic Sterling Streamliner and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this quirky breakfast-and-brunch spot in Pawtucket radiates retro charm via booths, a vinyl-topped counter, and throwback plates and mugs. I try to arrive before noon on weekends to beat the line and always enjoy the custard French toast and the ever-changing wall of brunch specials — recent examples include a gouda, apple, and jalapeno bacon omelet and cranberry pecan pancakes. The menu nods to Pawtucket’s Portuguese heritage with items like Mozambique lobster grits and a linguica hash benedict, and service is friendly and lightning-quick (you won’t drain your coffee cup before a refill arrives)." - Nathan Tavares
"In 1986, Nick Demou and his late father bought an old, abandoned diner and moved it to its current location on East Avenue in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. But this was no ordinary diner. Built in 1941, it was one of only a handful of Sterling Streamliner diners still in existence, and is today one of only two such diners still in operation (a third apparently lies abandoned in Westport, Massachusetts). The Modern Diner, which Demou now runs with his brother-in-law, Frank Aguiar, has a few claims to fame. Its historic status is one. Even before Demou bought the joint, it had street cred: In 1978, it was the first ever diner to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Another claim to fame is Demou’s custard French toast, which in 2015 was named the best diner dish in the country by the Food Network show Top 5 Restaurants. The dish—which comes topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, sliced kiwi, house-candied pecans, and raspberry syrup—came into existence pretty much by accident. Some 20 years ago, Demou made an excess of vanilla pudding. Not wanting to let it go to waste, he thinned it out and added it to the French toast. The rest is diner history. Apart from the French toast, the Modern Diner sells many of the classic breakfast and lunch dishes you’d expect from an eatery of its kind. There are pancakes, muffins, sandwiches, burgers, plenty of eggs in various styles, and weekend specials such as the linguica hash and lobster Benedict. You’ll also find at least 30 daily specials on the wall as you walk in the door. It’s all tasty comfort food, in an old-school diner atmosphere that hasn’t changed in years." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
"“Modern” is in the name, but this diner serves up pure nostalgia. Take a seat at the counter or a booth, soak up the old-timey atmosphere, and order up some custard French toast, a Western omelet, or one of the more than 20 specials offered each day. Rhode Islanders love diners because they are said to have invented them; the restaurant genre can be traced back to Walter Scott, who sold sandwiches out of a horse-drawn covered wagon outside of the Providence Journal offices in the 1870s. Modern Diner is equally noteworthy: the Sterling Streamliner-style building, first manufactured in the ’30s, was the first diner listed on the National Register of Historic Places." - Jenna Pelletier
"In 1986, Nick Demou and his late father bought an old, abandoned diner and moved it to its current location on East Avenue in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. But this was no ordinary diner. Built in 1941, it was one of only a handful of Sterling Streamliner diners still in existence, and is today one of only two such diners still in operation (a third apparently lies abandoned in Westport, Massachusetts). The Modern Diner, which Demou now runs with his brother-in-law, Frank Aguiar, has a few claims to fame. Its historic status is one. Even before Demou bought the joint, it had street cred: In 1978, it was the first ever diner to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Another claim to fame is Demou’s custard French toast, which in 2015 was named the best diner dish in the country by the Food Network show Top 5 Restaurants. The dish—which comes topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, sliced kiwi, house-candied pecans, and raspberry syrup—came into existence pretty much by accident. Some 20 years ago, Demou made an excess of vanilla pudding. Not wanting to let it go to waste, he thinned it out and added it to the French toast. The rest is diner history. Apart from the French toast, the Modern Diner sells many of the classic breakfast and lunch dishes you’d expect from an eatery of its kind. There are pancakes, muffins, sandwiches, burgers, plenty of eggs in various styles, and weekend specials such as the linguica hash and lobster Benedict. You’ll also find at least 30 daily specials on the wall as you walk in the door. It’s all tasty comfort food, in an old-school diner atmosphere that hasn’t changed in years. Know Before You Go Modern Diner opens for breakfast and lunch daily (it closes at 2:00 p.m.). It only accepts cash." - Collector of Experiences, b blimpcaptain, Tony Dunnell, r rjsgutman, a adventuringshar, S SemiruralYeti, blimpcaptain, adventuringshar, Kerserker, rjsgutman, SemiruralYeti
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