The best Jersey diners that don’t exist anymore (Opinion)

When I received an email Sunday from comedian Julia Scotti telling me that the owner of the Yankee tower diner passed away,....in 2018 (it takes a while for news to hit where Julia lives)! I started thinking of all the great times I had there talking football with my father. It was then that I started reminiscing about the times I had in so many other great New Jersey diners that no longer exist.

Working at Great Adventure in the 80's, many a night we'd hit the Regent in Jackson or the Silver Bell on Route 9 in Lakewood. When I had my mobile disc jockey business while starting out in radio, many a post-party night was spent eating a cheese steak with lettuce tomato, and bacon at Mom's Peppermill diner on Rt. 33 in East Windsor. Mom's is gone but the empty building remains.

New Jersey diners are not only about great food, but the ambiance as well. You get to know the servers, they get to know you. It's fun seeing which celebrity's picture with the owner is hanging on the wall. New Jersey diners bring you something that the franchise places could never bring and that is a taste of New Jersey.

It could do one of these franchise places some good to find some of the recipes of these closed New Jersey diners and resurrect them for their menu. In the meantime, here's a list of those great New Jersey diners that no longer exist and the meals we loved to eat there.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise. Any opinions expressed are Steve's own. Steve Trevelise is on New Jersey 101.5 Monday-Thursday from 7pm-11pm. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.