Latest News

New life in the Llanerch

Category: Latest

Published Date

Some fellow diner fanatics often don't quite get my penchant for some of the post-stainless steel diners that still dot the landscape. For whatever reason, I find myself quite comfortable and at home in some of the oddly designed, transitional/colonial diners designed in the late 1960s. I also treasure those distinctive structures that seem to exist nowhere on the diner design continuum. One perfect example of this sits at the junction of Routes 1 and 3 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Possibly as a way to stand out in a crowd, the upstart Swingle Diner Company designed this Le Corbusier-influenced restaurant, selling at least two of them. (The other you can see in Richard Gutman's first [i]American Diner[/i] book.) In 2006, the [b]Llanerch Diner[/b] became the property of Mark Klein, a Brooklyn native with his fingers in a few Delaware Valley restaurants, notably Rizzo's Italian restaurant in Glenside, Pennsylvania and more recently, the brand new Minella's Diner in Wayne, Pennsylvania, where he works for his father and uncle. The Llanerch needed a shot in the arm. When I last visited it in 2001, I found a well-preserved but run-down diner. Still at a busy crossroads, the Llanerch had great potential, but a new owner would need to spend some real cash upgrading and cleaning, which Mark essentially did. Thankfully, he didn't turn the Nixon-era landmark into another doo-wop nightmare. Instead, Mark tastefully and sensitively updated the interior, retaining and polishing its copper and bronze motif. Upgrades to the kitchen also improved the operation, and a new jumbo-tron-like sign at the curb attracts the attention of passing motorists. I stopped by for breakfast with the family last weekend for the first time since Mark took over and found a lively, comfortable place serving the diner classics. I have to give very high marks to our waitress, who never missed a chance to keep my coffee cup filled and heated up. Cheery, professional, and efficient, she exemplified the good diner waitress. The light and perfectly grilled banana pancakes filled the large plate, and along with my side of (unfortunately not homemade) hash kept me fueled for the remainder of my Sunday. Even our three-year-old behaved better than usual in that setting, kept occupied with good food and crayons. I look forward to trying the dinners as well as visiting Mark's soon-to-be second diner to be announced soon. The drive from our house took a little over a half-hour, but we all found it worth the trip and wished Mark would pick the place up and move it to the other side of the Schuylkill River. You'll find the Llanerch Diner at 95 West Township Line Road in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Call 610-789-6057 for more details. And tell them Roadside sent you.