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Where to eat the best greasy-spoon breakfast in and around Boston
Fancy, decadent breakfasts and brunches can be fun, but nothing beats the food at a good old greasy-spoon diner. Bonus points if that diner is housed in an O’Mahoney diner car.
Here are 15 of the best Boston-area diners for classic comfort food and old-timey vibes.
This diner car spent its first four decades on the side of Route 13 in New Castle, Delaware, but it’s been slinging greasy-spoon breakfast foods in Somerville’s Ball Square since the mid-1990s. Get the ham and eggs for breakfast or the roast turkey sandwich for lunch. Cash only.
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Everything is excellent at this Watertown diner car — which has been in operation for over 70 years — but no visit is complete without ordering the chicken livers. It’s some of the tastiest offal in and around Boston (and a great hangover helper). Bonus: Blue Man Group filmed a music video there.
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The menu is all over the map at this no-frills Central Square eatery, and that’s a good thing. One can snack on huevos rancheros or order something from the Mediterranean section. Not feeling either? That’s fine: Go with the veggie eggs Benedict, the ham-stuffed Western omelet, or the over-the-top baklava pancakes. Cash only.
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A staple for college students and before- (or after-) work coffee and doughnut grabs, Twin Donuts has stood at the crossroads of North Beacon and Cambridge streets in Allston for decades. If you’re ducking in for a doughnut, the chocolate glazed is an excellent starting point. Have more time? Get the combo #1, a two-plate feast of eggs, a choice of meat (the corned beef hash is always a good bet), potatoes, French toast, and pancakes.
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Open since 1969, Cabot’s is a decades-old Newton dining landmark. Sure, you can find all the usual diner suspects here — egg plates, burgers, a melty grilled cheese — but the old-fashioned spot is especially known for its expansive ice cream selection. Sundaes, ice cream sodas, frappes, jumbo banana boats — it’s all here.
This Leather District landmark is a rarity in Boston: It’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When it opened in 1947 it functioned as a place for factory workers to get a bite after a long shift; today, it functions as a place for hipsters and late-night party animals to wind down after a night of boozing. Catching an early train from South Station? It’s a short walk away; making this the perfect 4 a.m. breakfast spot.
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Time capsules are rare in the age of redesign and redevelopment, but Brookline’s Busy Bee is very much a time capsule. Slide into one of the turquoise booths and order a turkey club on rye, or go for one of the daily specials available Monday through Saturday. Breakfast is served all day, of course.
Thornton’s is an unpretentious breakfast, lunch, and brunch spot in an increasingly pretentious neighborhood. The menu is massive (and affordable) and can accommodate almost any diet. There are nearly countless egg dishes, as well as sandwiches and wraps, salads, pasta, and lots more.
There’s a lot of Boston landmarks on this list, but Charlie’s is one of the most prominent among them. The 32-seat diner, which was founded in 1927, earned a place in the Green Book, a historic traveling guidebook for Black Americans, for rejecting segregated dining in the 1900s. It still stands today as both a beloved marker of history and a really excellent spot to get a Reuben on grilled rye bread.
The Galley Diner is a South Boston institution; customers especially love the hash. It’s currently only open Thursday through Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (It’s set to resume Wednesday service in the fall.)
Mike’s has all the diner hits, but everyone goes to this South End spot for the pilgrim sandwich, which is, of course, made with turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Every day is Thanksgiving at Mike’s.
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This Roxbury joint, around since 1972, is reliably great for a greasy-spoon breakfast, but lunch is solid too: Get the oxtail or the curried chicken. Cash only.
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Head to this Roxbury diner — right near the Newmarket T station — for gigantic pancakes, fried fish, or a drink from the bar; it’s got a full liquor license. Liberty Diner dates back all the way to 1962.
The Vic has been open since 1949 (ownership has changed hands since then, though) and is one of the most — if not the most — iconic diners in Boston. Try the thick and fluffy challah French toast, the hangover burger — an eight-ounce patty topped with cheese, bacon, a fried egg, and blanketed in a black pepper maple syrup aioli — or the eggs and sirloin steak tips cooked to order.
Head to this Quincy classic for a giant selection of omelets, Benedicts, burgers, and more. Bring your appetite, as there’s hearty portions all around.
This diner car spent its first four decades on the side of Route 13 in New Castle, Delaware, but it’s been slinging greasy-spoon breakfast foods in Somerville’s Ball Square since the mid-1990s. Get the ham and eggs for breakfast or the roast turkey sandwich for lunch. Cash only.
Everything is excellent at this Watertown diner car — which has been in operation for over 70 years — but no visit is complete without ordering the chicken livers. It’s some of the tastiest offal in and around Boston (and a great hangover helper). Bonus: Blue Man Group filmed a music video there.
The menu is all over the map at this no-frills Central Square eatery, and that’s a good thing. One can snack on huevos rancheros or order something from the Mediterranean section. Not feeling either? That’s fine: Go with the veggie eggs Benedict, the ham-stuffed Western omelet, or the over-the-top baklava pancakes. Cash only.
A staple for college students and before- (or after-) work coffee and doughnut grabs, Twin Donuts has stood at the crossroads of North Beacon and Cambridge streets in Allston for decades. If you’re ducking in for a doughnut, the chocolate glazed is an excellent starting point. Have more time? Get the combo #1, a two-plate feast of eggs, a choice of meat (the corned beef hash is always a good bet), potatoes, French toast, and pancakes.
Open since 1969, Cabot’s is a decades-old Newton dining landmark. Sure, you can find all the usual diner suspects here — egg plates, burgers, a melty grilled cheese — but the old-fashioned spot is especially known for its expansive ice cream selection. Sundaes, ice cream sodas, frappes, jumbo banana boats — it’s all here.
This Leather District landmark is a rarity in Boston: It’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When it opened in 1947 it functioned as a place for factory workers to get a bite after a long shift; today, it functions as a place for hipsters and late-night party animals to wind down after a night of boozing. Catching an early train from South Station? It’s a short walk away; making this the perfect 4 a.m. breakfast spot.
Time capsules are rare in the age of redesign and redevelopment, but Brookline’s Busy Bee is very much a time capsule. Slide into one of the turquoise booths and order a turkey club on rye, or go for one of the daily specials available Monday through Saturday. Breakfast is served all day, of course.
Thornton’s is an unpretentious breakfast, lunch, and brunch spot in an increasingly pretentious neighborhood. The menu is massive (and affordable) and can accommodate almost any diet. There are nearly countless egg dishes, as well as sandwiches and wraps, salads, pasta, and lots more.
There’s a lot of Boston landmarks on this list, but Charlie’s is one of the most prominent among them. The 32-seat diner, which was founded in 1927, earned a place in the Green Book, a historic traveling guidebook for Black Americans, for rejecting segregated dining in the 1900s. It still stands today as both a beloved marker of history and a really excellent spot to get a Reuben on grilled rye bread.
The Galley Diner is a South Boston institution; customers especially love the hash. It’s currently only open Thursday through Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (It’s set to resume Wednesday service in the fall.)
Mike’s has all the diner hits, but everyone goes to this South End spot for the pilgrim sandwich, which is, of course, made with turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Every day is Thanksgiving at Mike’s.
This Roxbury joint, around since 1972, is reliably great for a greasy-spoon breakfast, but lunch is solid too: Get the oxtail or the curried chicken. Cash only.
Head to this Roxbury diner — right near the Newmarket T station — for gigantic pancakes, fried fish, or a drink from the bar; it’s got a full liquor license. Liberty Diner dates back all the way to 1962.
The Vic has been open since 1949 (ownership has changed hands since then, though) and is one of the most — if not the most — iconic diners in Boston. Try the thick and fluffy challah French toast, the hangover burger — an eight-ounce patty topped with cheese, bacon, a fried egg, and blanketed in a black pepper maple syrup aioli — or the eggs and sirloin steak tips cooked to order.
Head to this Quincy classic for a giant selection of omelets, Benedicts, burgers, and more. Bring your appetite, as there’s hearty portions all around.
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