On a recent misty Wednesday morning, inside a robin’s-egg-blue train car, a bulky man sporting a ginger beard greeted an older woman with white, wispy hair and hands knotted with arthritis.
“How come you always tell me to behave myself, huh? Last time I saw you, you said, ’You be good now,’” he said loudly as he approached her table from across the restaurant. The woman looked up at him through thick glasses with composure and a hint of attitude. “It’s because I knew you were trouble,” she replied.
This scene is a typical one in West Haven’s Elm Diner. Following its 1950s production in New Rochelle, New York, the train car was shipped to its current location, and ever since it has been a working diner and a space for community bonding over late-night shifts and perfect home fries.
“I’ve been here for 21 years, since 1986,” the waitress on duty told me. “I’ve been waiting on families for three or four generations.”
Overhearing this comment, the man with the ginger beard piped up, “It’s a tradition. I came here with my grandfather and my dad. And now I’m here with my son.” He nodded at a small boy sitting across from him eating a hot dog. “Everything here is home style, none of that processed stuff. Some places, if you want corn, you get it out of a can…People go to McDonald’s, but why go there when you can go to a place like this? This is 100 times better than an Egg McMuffin, and there’s not even a difference in prices anymore.”
West Haven is a sleepy town that looks out onto Long Island Sound, sitting conveniently at the halfway point on the route to New York City. Given its proximity to Manhattan, the diner’s prices are, indeed, reasonable. The city’s influence is also evident in a menu that offers New York classics such as pastrami or corned beef hash with two eggs ($6.95) and generous lunch and dinner specials alongside breakfast and lunch staples such as omelets, pancakes, waffles, triple-decker sandwiches, and salads.
“What’s the best thing on the menu?” I asked my waitress, but before she could answer, the red-bearded man’s son interrupted.
“Everything,” he managed, with his mouth full of hot dog, and this would certainly appear to be the case. While I opted to order the classic scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, my breakfast partner chose the veggie omelet, which she pronounced “Very good, with lots of stuff in it.” The diner’s slightly elevated prices are evidence of generous portions—I could barely finish my eggs, which were perfectly cooked.
Later on in the meal, as I spread jam on my toast, the Elm’s co-owner, Ted, emerged from the kitchen, and I had a chance to ask him what it’s like to run a 24-hour landmark diner.
“It’s a good living,” he said, shaking his head. “I can support my family…I’ve been working in diners and restaurants since high school. I managed a Bronx deli for a while, then moved back to Connecticut and started working at the Elm. That’s when I met John, who owned it at the time. Eventually he asked me to buy in. We’ve owned it together for the past 13 years.”
Ted emphasized how stressful owning a 24-hour diner can be. The hours are long, and customers and suppliers can be ornery. But he’s “been here for awhile,” and is not planning to sell anytime soon.
“It’s about nostalgia,” he said, his voice an equal mix of fatigue and affection.
The 24-hour element also affects those who frequent the Elm. Besides the tight-knit community of regulars, the diner sees late-night customers after fairs, dinners and dances; revelers returning from a few drinks at a bar; and a variety of people getting off of night shifts: fishermen from the Connecticut River or the Sound, security guards, truck drivers.
The diner’s classic look, simple and flavorful food, friendly atmosphere, and the convenience of a quick stop on the road to somewhere else combine to attract a diverse and colorful crowd. On the way to New York for the weekend; driving back from a concert, gallery opening, or a night at home; or looking for a short-term Connecticut adventure? At noon, midnight, or 4 a.m., stop by the Elm Diner and become a part of the tradition.
**********************************************************
The Lowdown:
Located at 427 Elm St., West Haven.
Approximately 40 minutes southwest of campus, easily accessible from the route to New York City.
Phone for directions: (203)933-9966.
Open 7 days, 24 hours.
Essential menu items:
Cheese omelet—$5.95
French toast, pancakes, or waffles—$3.45
Grilled cheese with bacon and tomato—$5.95
Breakfast Special: Pancakes/waffles/French toast and coffee—$2.95
Breakfast Special: 2 eggs, toast, home fries, and coffee—$2.95
Lunch Special: Meatloaf with soup, French fries, coleslaw—$5.95
Dinner Special: Chicken Parmesan with potato, veggie, soup or salad, and drink—$7.95
Ice cream soda—$2.25
Also try in the area:
Sea Bluff or Prospect Beaches—Both due south of West Haven, offering excellent views of the sound, great for walking or swimming, depending on the time of year.
Book Trader Café, 1140 Chapel St., New Haven—A student-frequented hangout featuring sunny armchairs, great coffee and lots of books.
Savin Rock Museum, 6 Rock St., West Haven—See photos, history, and parts of the old rides from Savin Rock, a 100-year-old Connecticut amusement park. Or, if the Colonial era is more your speed, the 1690s-era Ward-Heitmann House Museum is nearby as well.
Leave a Reply