Starlite Diner
Summerside, PE, Canada
Photo courtesy Alan Culley / 2007

Those giant ice cream cones out front are a pretty good clue that you’ve arrived at the Starlite Diner in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Add the rooftop STARLITE sign, pink trim and plenty of 1950s styling, and this place certainly knows how to catch the eye from the road. 10-07

Despite the vintage appearance, the Starlite isn’t an old diner car hauled here from somewhere else. It was built in 1996 as a modern tribute to the classic roadside diners of the 1950s, complete with red vinyl booths, checkered floors and tabletop jukeboxes. Naturally, there’s a dairy bar too, which explains those oversized cones standing guard out front. The diner changed hands in 2013 and briefly became the Starlite 'N Poutinerie, adding a little Canadian twist to the roadside diner formula.

UPDATE: Today the Starlite is still serving customers on Water Street East, and those giant cones are still out there. Hard to drive past this one without at least thinking about ice cream. 08-26

Melrose Diner (Demolished)
Philadelphia, PA
Photo courtesy Jim Zahniser

Now here's a sign that was hard to miss. Melrose Diner lit up its corner of South Philadelphia with a great red and yellow neon marquee, topped off by a giant coffee cup clock with a fork and knife for hands. If that didn't tell you there was a diner nearby, nothing would. 01-08

The Melrose got its start in 1935 and moved into its familiar building in 1956. For generations it was one of those round-the-clock Philadelphia stops where just about everybody eventually wound up for coffee, breakfast, or something from the bakery. Locals even had the jingle memorized: "Everybody who knows goes to the Melrose." The place picked up a little pop culture along the way too. Pennsylvania band The Wonder Years even named a song "Melrose Diner" in 2010.

After nearly 80 years of 24-hour service, things finally began winding down. Fires in 2022 and 2023 left the old diner with an uncertain future, and soon the familiar corner went quiet.

UPDATE: The Melrose Diner was demolished in September 2023 to make way for a planned mixed-use development. Its great rooftop neon sign was removed before demolition and is no longer at the site. 08-26

Johnie's Diner (Closed)
McConnellsburg, PA
Photo courtesy Jim Zahniser

Here's one of those roadside arrows that did all the talking. Johnnie's Diner sat along the old Lincoln Highway in McConnellsburg, with its big neon marquee pointing travelers right off the road and into the parking lot. 01-08

The diner dated back to the 1940s, when this stretch of Route 30 was busy with motorists crossing Pennsylvania. By 1965, Johnnie's had grown into a full roadside stop with a 14-unit motel next door, giving travelers a place to eat, sleep, and get back on the highway the next morning.

For years, the diner and motel made a pretty classic pairing, especially with those neon signs out front. The site even became part of Pennsylvania's roadside history, with a state marker recognizing the era of roadside dining.

UPDATE: Johnnie's Diner and Motel are closed. The buildings remain along Lincoln Way East, but the old neon signs have been removed from the site. 08-26

Trainer's Midway Diner
Bethel, PA
Photo courtesy Jim Zahniser

Now here's a sign worth pulling off the highway for. Trainer's Midway Diner sits just off Route 22 and I-78 in Bethel, with that huge old Midway Diner marquee rising above the roadside like a beacon for hungry travelers. 01-08

The diner itself dates to 1951 and started life as a Silk City dining car built in Paterson, New Jersey. It was remodeled and expanded in 1976, but thankfully that great roadside sign survived out front.

The Midway name fits too. The diner sits roughly halfway between Harrisburg and Allentown, making it a natural stopping point for travelers and truckers heading across Pennsylvania. There is plenty of room out back for the big rigs, and inside you'll find the usual home-cooked diner fare. Thursday's homemade chicken potpie has become something of a local tradition.

UPDATE: Trainer's Midway Diner remains open in Bethel, and its great old Midway Diner roadside sign still stands out front. 08-26

Santaro's Diner (Gone)
Malden, MA
Photo courtesy DJ Panda

Here is Santaro's Diner that serves pizza, subs, etc. It is located on the outskirts of Malden Square, right near a Walgreens that was built on the land of the former home of a branch of the local phone company. Many thanks to DJ Panda for info. 05-08

Here's one of those neighborhood places that didn't need much fancy decoration to get your attention. Santoro's Diner in Malden was the kind of old-school sandwich shop where the portions were big, the prices were low, and the service could be a little rough around the edges.

Locals came in for Italian subs, chicken cutlet parm, meatball sandwiches, and steak and cheese piled high enough to make the trip worthwhile. There was even an old-fashioned ticket deal where ten paper sub tickets earned you a free sandwich.

UPDATE: Santoro's has closed, and the old storefront has been remodeled for DP Saigon Subs. The original Santoro's signage is gone. 08-26

Henry's Diner
Burlington, VT
Photo courtesy Rick Ibsen

Cruising through downtown Burlington, those bright neon letters are enough to pull you toward Henry's Diner. The little Bank Street landmark has been feeding hungry customers since 1925, and the old sign still does a pretty good job of pointing the way inside. 04-09

Henry's started out as a Jerry O'Mahony diner car and was later built into the surrounding storefront, which makes the place easy to miss if you're only looking for shiny stainless steel. Step inside, though, and some of that old diner character is still there.

For generations, locals have stopped in for breakfast, burgers, Greek-American diner favorites, and plenty of coffee. Even Bernie Sanders has been known to stop by over the years.

The diner changed hands in 2007, but the new owners kept the old-school atmosphere and familiar menu going.

UPDATE: Henry's Diner remains open on Bank Street, still serving breakfast and diner fare beneath its classic vertical neon sign. 08-26

Parkway Diner
Burlington, VT
Photo courtesy Rick Ibsen

Cruising through downtown Burlington, those bright neon letters are enough to pull you toward Henry's Diner. The little Bank Street landmark has been feeding hungry customers since 1925, and the old sign still does a pretty good job of pointing the way inside. 04-09

Henry's started out as a Jerry O'Mahony diner car and was later built into the surrounding storefront, which makes the place easy to miss if you're only looking for shiny stainless steel. Step inside, though, and some of that old diner character is still there.

For generations, locals have stopped in for breakfast, burgers, Greek-American diner favorites, and plenty of coffee. Even Bernie Sanders has been known to stop by over the years. The diner changed hands in 2007, but the new owners kept the old-school atmosphere and familiar menu going.

UPDATE: Henry's Diner remains open on Bank Street, still serving breakfast and diner fare beneath its classic vertical neon sign. 08-26