“I’m back, baby!” Frank Costanza yells as he returns to cooking in Seinfeld. That same triumphant energy hit me walking into DinerLuxe in New Milford, Connecticut. After being closed for quite some time, it’s finally reopened under its original management and owners. Think of it like the Enchanted Tiki Room in Florida, when Disney scrapped the “new management” gimmick and brought back the beloved classic. Some things are just better the way they were.
DinerLuxe is what I’d call a “Designer Diner,” a place intentionally built to be a monument to the great American diner. Unlike most diners, which can be rehabbed buildings or converted train cars, this one was purpose-built to deliver that nostalgic East Coast diner experience. It was born to be what the sign reads outside: “An American Classic.”
And what does that mean exactly? The diner defies all nods to history and convention in every way. The architecture is pure American teenager defiance to old-world structure, with loud vibrant colors, a mismatch of building materials, and the regal majesty of silver and chrome accents. It also means we want to eat whatever we want, whenever we want. Breakfast at dinner? Of course. That’s the whole point. We didn’t come to this country to be told what meal goes with what time of day. “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.”
From the moment we sat down, the vibe was right. Our server, Megan, was just a genuinely happy human being. Her energy made everything better. It made the black coffee sweeter, the syrup flow smoother, added an extra crisp to the bacon, and almost made my brown eyes blue. Special shoutout to the food runner too. She brought an added touch of professionalism and care that really elevated the experience.
We were seated in a cozy booth. The cushion still had life in it, giving my backside just the right amount of support. I ordered the Farmer’s Omelet with home fries, rye toast, and a side of coleslaw. The coffee cups were small, which meant frequent refills, always delivered promptly with green-handled pots that seemed to appear exactly when you needed them.
The plate for the omelet was perfectly sized. No separate plate for toast, no awkward overcrowding. You don’t always notice good design when it’s done right, but you definitely feel it. The ratio of home fries to omelet was spot on. I’m convinced they used the golden ratio or Fibonacci sequence to portion it all out. The omelet was perfectly cooked, with bacon bits that brought the ideal combination of salt, fat, and texture. The coleslaw was another hit, with beautifully shredded cabbage and just the right amount of dressing, hitting that Goldilocks zone.
The home fries had a beautiful griddle sear, crispy on the outside and tender inside. The rye toast had a rich golden brush of butter and was cooked just right, not dry or underdone. They didn’t have the usual suspects like Frank’s RedHot or Tabasco, but I appreciated the notch above with Cholula, both red and green varieties.
I also took a bite of my wife’s bacon, egg, and cheese on a plain bagel with fries. It was excellent. Everything came together in harmony, each bite better than the last. My son’s chocolate chip banana pancakes were another standout. Honestly, it made me question my entire pancake history. How have I never had bananas in my pancakes before? What kind of messed up life have I been living?
We’re already excited to go back and bring more people. We’re even talking about ordering dinner at dinner, so yes, we are officially living on the edge. New Yorkers take their diners seriously, and that point was hilariously underscored when we walked out and saw a black BMW SUV with a vanity plate that simply read “DINER.”
Please go to DinerLuxe. It grows the economy. It saves lives. As my friend used to say about a girl he was infatuated with, it’s the complete package.
Final Verdict: 9.25/10
Life with Chicken and Broccoli 
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