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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.
See also: Irresistible Pancakes Around Boston; Vital Brunch Spots to Know in and Around Boston; The Hottest New Brunches in Boston Right Now
Read MoreThis 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 (ATM onsite).
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Buddy’s is Somerville’s other great diner. It’s impossibly small — like, the size of a shed — so you’re probably going to have to wait in line if you head there on a weekend. Find it just outside of Union Square, on the edge of East Somerville. Cash only.
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Everything is excellent at this Watertown diner car — which has been in operation for more than half a century — 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 curry, the beef stroganoff, or the over-the-top baklava pancakes. Cash only.
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This Lower Allston diner car has been sitting on the site since 1962, although it was abandoned and in a bit of disrepair for some time. It came back to life as the Breakfast Club around the turn of the millennium and has been a bustling neighborhood favorite since then. There will be a line out the door, but it will be worth waiting because the corned beef hash is perhaps the best in the city. For those who prefer a sweet brunch, the Nutella pancakes and the many flavors of milkshakes (such as Thin Mint or red velvet) are a hit.
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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. Eat at the counter, and gawk at the antique refrigeration situation. Breakfast is available all day, of course. Cash only.
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.
Mul’s has all the classic diner food — burgers, omelets, Benedicts — but it’s less about the food and more about the experience at this Southie classic, which opens at 5 a.m. daily. Take a moment to admire the polished stainless steel exterior. Cash only.
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The Galley Diner is another South Boston institution; customers especially love the hash. It’s currently only open on weekends from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., following the 2019 death of owner Paul Skudris, who had operated the restaurant since 1995.
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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.
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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. It’s also open late (until 5 a.m., to be exact) on Fridays and Saturdays.
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Head to this Quincy classic for a giant selection of omelets, Benedicts, burgers, and more, hearty portions all around. (Note: no relation to Boston’s Wheelhouse burger shop, which recently closed in preparation for a move to a new space.)
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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 (ATM onsite).
Buddy’s is Somerville’s other great diner. It’s impossibly small — like, the size of a shed — so you’re probably going to have to wait in line if you head there on a weekend. Find it just outside of Union Square, on the edge of East Somerville. Cash only.
Everything is excellent at this Watertown diner car — which has been in operation for more than half a century — 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 curry, the beef stroganoff, or the over-the-top baklava pancakes. Cash only.
This Lower Allston diner car has been sitting on the site since 1962, although it was abandoned and in a bit of disrepair for some time. It came back to life as the Breakfast Club around the turn of the millennium and has been a bustling neighborhood favorite since then. There will be a line out the door, but it will be worth waiting because the corned beef hash is perhaps the best in the city. For those who prefer a sweet brunch, the Nutella pancakes and the many flavors of milkshakes (such as Thin Mint or red velvet) are a hit.
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. Eat at the counter, and gawk at the antique refrigeration situation. Breakfast is available all day, of course. Cash only.
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.
Mul’s has all the classic diner food — burgers, omelets, Benedicts — but it’s less about the food and more about the experience at this Southie classic, which opens at 5 a.m. daily. Take a moment to admire the polished stainless steel exterior. Cash only.
The Galley Diner is another South Boston institution; customers especially love the hash. It’s currently only open on weekends from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., following the 2019 death of owner Paul Skudris, who had operated the restaurant since 1995.
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. It’s also open late (until 5 a.m., to be exact) on Fridays and Saturdays.
Head to this Quincy classic for a giant selection of omelets, Benedicts, burgers, and more, hearty portions all around. (Note: no relation to Boston’s Wheelhouse burger shop, which recently closed in preparation for a move to a new space.)
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