Fluffy pancakes straight from the griddle. Sizzling corned beef hash. Strong, hot coffee served in a sturdy mug.
There are certain constants we’ve come to expect from diners, most having to do with the comforting, no-frills menu. But to diner purists, the restaurant’s physical structure is also important.
Traditionally, a “diner” means a restaurant that is prefabricated and transported to its location, rather than constructed on-site, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Think stainless steel walls, chrome fixtures and Formica countertops — visual cues as American as apple pie.
And in Massachusetts, prefab diners often mean one thing: The Worcester Lunch Car Company.
“Providence rightly claims itself as the birthplace of the diner concept, but Worcester, Massachusetts, gets the credit for starting the industry of building diners,” author Randy Garbin writes in his 2005 book, “Diners of New England.”
More:An ode to the Worcester Lunch Car Company
“For a short while around the turn of the century, Worcester reigned supreme as the center of the diner industry, with some builders churning them out by the dozens for use in towns and cities all over the industrial Northeast and beyond,” Garbin wrote.
The Worcester Lunch Car Company delivered its last diner car in the late 1950s but left a lasting legacy on New England’s culinary landscape.
The diner cars’ historic look tends to draw in customers, according to Jessica Fidrych, who runs Chet’s Diner in Northborough.
“Everything about the diner is quirky,” she said in a recent interview. “It’s a totally different experience than going out to just a general … restaurant.”
Fidrych said wherever she goes, she tries to seek out authentic dining experiences in that area.
“And that’s what the diner is about, right?” she said. “It’s true Americana at its finest.”
Related:10 mouthwatering, must-try sandwiches in and around MetroWest
Traditional diners were once plentiful around MetroWest and Greater Milford, with destinations including Ted’s Diner in Milford, as well as the Boston Trolley Diner and Lamy’s Diner in Marlborough — though the latter moved around to Framingham and Hudson.
However, there’s still a handful of these classic gems around today. Here’s where you can find a few of them:
Hours: Breakfast from 8-10:45 a.m., Thursday through Monday; lunch and dinner 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; and open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday
Casey’s is a testament to the phrase, “Good things come in small packages.”
At the diner’s 10-seat counter, customers will find a limited menu that delivers on classic, comforting flavors. Aside from the more standard egg sandwiches, French toast and Belgian waffles, the menu also includes Casey’s specialty: hot dogs.
The 'heartbeat of Natick':Even in pandemic, Casey's Diner hot dogs still a big draw
“Easily the best way to order a Casey hot dog is ‘all around,’ with mustard, relish, onions, and a side dish of another hot dog. Maybe two,” Garbin wrote of Casey’s.
The diner dates back to 1890, when Fred Casey operated a four-stool, horse-drawn wagon, according to Casey’s website. The existing structure was built by the Worcester Lunch Car Company in 1922, and according to Garbin, that makes Casey’s likely the oldest operating Worcester car, “if not the oldest operating diner — at least for the moment — in the world.”
Address: 191 Main St. (Route 20), Northborough
Hours: 5:30-11 a.m., Monday through Friday
Chet’s Diner opened along Route 20 in 1931, located in a Worcester Lunch Car that was reportedly assembled from two pieces on-site because of its size. Fidrych’s grandparents, Nancy and Jim Pantazis, purchased Chet’s in 1960. Her father, onetime Detroit Tigers pitcher Mark Fidrych — nicknamed "The Bird" — was from Northborough and was also known to help out behind the counter.
“I’ve grown up there. My whole life, I’ve known the diner,” she said. “A lot of my customers I have known truly my entire life, … and then their grandkids come in, their kids — all these people I form relationships with, and it’s unlike any other.”
From 2010:Chet's Diner celebrates 50 years of food and friendship
Over the years, Fidrych said her family has strived to keep the diner as original and authentic as possible.
“For me personally, it’s Americana, which is my favorite,” she said. “It’s literally my favorite thing on the planet.”
With a simple menu and an emphasis on fresh foods, practically every dish is a bestseller. Bacon and eggs reign supreme, according to Fidrych, and the hash and blueberry pancakes are also popular options.
Hours: 6-11:30 a.m., Friday through Sunday
Lloyd’s cherry-red exterior is a standout along Fountain Street, where it has been a destination for breakfast lovers for more than 30 years.
But Lloyd’s wasn’t always a Framingham fixture; it began in 1942 as Whit’s Diner in Orange and got its current name in 1990, when Richard and Joan Lloyd purchased and relocated the diner.
Related:Five places to get a good bagel around MetroWest and greater Milford
“Since 1991, (Richard) Lloyd has provided hearty breakfasts and lunches to a grateful market,” Garbin wrote of Lloyd’s. “As is typical for diners like this, the specialty is breakfast. Lloyd piles the home fries high on the plate and slaps down plate-size pancakes. Rare is the appetite that doesn’t get beaten into submission here.”
Today, the pancakes remain massive and golden brown, the portion sizes heaping, and the hungry customers satisfied. Note: Lloyd’s is cash only.
Miss Mendon Diner, at 16 Uxbridge Road in Mendon, also offers the classic Worcester Lunch Car experience, having originally been in service as the Miss Newport in Vermont. However, the diner has been closed for an extended period due to renovations.
While a March 2022 post on the Miss Mendon Facebook page suggested the renovations had finished and the diner would reopen soon, the restaurant told the Daily News in a Facebook message that it does not yet have a reopening date.
These MetroWest and Greater Milford diners aren’t located in historic prefab diner cars, but their food is in the spirit: