Maine's Oldest Diner Is A True Vintage Gem Worth Visiting

Railcar diners are a true American classic. While they're not built in repurposed railcars, they were designed to resemble them back when train dining cars were the epitome of elegance. (While Amtrak's dining car standards may not be as high as the trains of the early 20th century, train food is still better than airplane food.) Original railcar diners are a dying breed, however, and one of the oldest — the Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine — is one of just two remaining diners built by the Pollard company.

The Palace Diner, which dates back to 1927, may be the oldest diner in the state of Maine, although it has changed hands numerous times and the current owners took over in the 20-teens. In fact, in 2014 it was even named as one of America's best "new" restaurants by Bon Appétit. A year later Yahoo Food called it one of America's best diners, while in 2018 Eater named it one of America's 38 essential restaurants. In 2020, its two chef-slash-owners were even in the running for a James Beard award.

The menu's pretty traditional, although the prices are on the high side. A diner meal back in the 1920s might've cost 70 cents, which, even adjusted for inflation, is only around $12. At the Palace, that amount is still a few bucks shy of a tuna sandwich sans fries. Such is the price of history and accolades, though, and the diner's well worth a visit if you know what to expect.

Although the Palace Diner's not the cheapest dining option around, even fast food prices are sky high these days, and when it comes to restaurant ambiance, you can't get much better than an old-timey railcar diner. Still, the crowds lined up outside the diner are there for excellent food as well as vintage vibes. At the end of the day, the proof of the pudding is in the eating — metaphorically speaking, since pudding doesn't feature on the Palace Diner's menu. What the Palace does do, though, it does very well. One of the ways you can tell a great diner from a good one is how it handles breakfast, and the Palace has received rave reviews for its jalapeño-spiked bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich and browned butter banana bread. If you want to try the buttery flapjacks with real maple syrup, you'd better get there early, since they often sell out.

The lunchtime standout — also a frequent sellout — is a mile-high fried chicken sandwich piled with jalapeños and coleslaw and served with a lettuce wedge. The equally massive Palais Royale, two beef patties smothered in melted cheddar, was named as one of the state's best burgers by DownEast, and even at over $20, it's a relative bargain since fries are included. Even the fry-free tuna melt is worthy of your consideration, though, since Yankee Magazine considers this sandwich to be the "Platonic ideal" of its type.