A shrine to simple American cooking, diners are known for a handful of classic, homey dishes, like corned beef hash, home fries, biscuits and gravy, and egg creams. These recipes are among our favorite diner foods to make at home.
If Plato had imagined hash browns, they’d have been rösti: fresh potatoes coarsely grated, pressed, and fried. In the dish’s native Switzerland, recipes include bacon, rosemary, caraway seeds, eggs, pasta, cheese, even coffee. These variations can be delicious, but we found the definitive version in Bern, at Restaurant Della Casa—golden, impeccable, ideal. Get the recipe for Swiss Hash Browns (Rösti) »
This decadent creation from reader Denise Woodward, author of the blog Chez Us, combines hollandaise, spinach, and a homemade sausage patty that cleverly encases a runny egg yolk on a toasted English muffin, for an out-of-this-world breakfast sandwich. This recipe first appeared in our April 2011 special Sandwich Issue with the article Picture-Perfect. Get the recipe for Pork Patty Breakfast Sandwich »
Boiling the potatoes for ahead of time and letting them cool completely, preferably in the refrigerator overnight, results in crispier, browner homefries.
Creamy-soft scrambled eggs require slow cooking over low heat. Drier ones call for a hot skillet, less stirring, and quicker cooking. The version explained here employs the slow-and-low approach, with butter, chives, and heavy cream added just before the eggs are done.
Sweet, braided challah, traditionally eaten on Sabbath and holidays in Jewish households, is perfect for the dinner table—and leftovers make great french toast.
Red potatoes are mashed with corned beef and a multitude of flavorings then fried until crispy in this Southern favorite. Topped with poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce, and a sprinkling of chives, corned beef hash is an easy crowd pleaser.
For many kids, it’s a relief to discover there’s no actual egg in a chocolate egg cream–just a frothy mix of cold milk, seltzer, and rich chocolate syrup.
One of the pillars of the Southern breakfast table, buttery biscuits smothered in a sausage-studded white gravy makes a hearty meal any time of day. A hint of cayenne brightens the gravy’s richness, but it’s even better with a dash or two of hot sauce. Get the recipe for Biscuits with Sawmill Gravy »
A scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hefty slice of pie go into the blender together, and out comes the ultimate dessert: A creamy shake with buttery crumbles of pie crust and ribbons of gorgeous fruit filling throughout.
A cloud of meringue is piled sky-high over lemon-curd filling in this recipe inspired by a diner classic served at the Modern Snack Bar in Aquebogue, New York.
This burger, inspired by one created in Modernist Cuisine co-author Nathan Myhrvold’s culinary lab, is topped with a tangy cream and vermouth sauce. Adding egg yolks to freshly ground meat makes for a supremely rich burger. Get the recipe for the Ultimate Grilled Cheeseburger »
