Directory of Diners: New Hampshire

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Capitol City Diner

13 Water St., Concord. Operated by the same company that runs the Tilt'n Diner (NH), the Capitol City is equally nostalgia-retro. Though I usually don't approve of such things, they've done a good job of turning the former HoJo's into a 50's diner-style eatery. The food is quite good, with a variety of menu items. They make their own fabulous root beer (I once had them Fed-Ex a case to my wife as a treat) and offer old Life magazines and advertisements for sale. There is also a bar room in the back and they sell t-shirts and baseball hats. It's a lot of gaudy fun. Handicap accessible. If you'd prefer an authentic diner experience, check out the nearby Louis' Diner (NH).

Four Aces Diner

23 Bridge Street, West Lebanon.
The Four Aces has one of the oddest looking diner structures in the northeast. Some diners have newly built add-ons attached to the back but the Four Aces has a colonial-style "house" built around three sides of it, as well as a second story! It looks like the add-on part dates back to the 1800's but the diner part is so well incorporated into the structure that it couldn't be possible. The food is standard diner fare and not bad, either.

The Friendly Toast

Portsmouth, NH
9/13/98: They have a sign out front that boasts that it is the home of "big food," and they ain't just whistlin' dixie...especially in this yankee territory...i've eaten there on countless occasions, and NEVER have i been able to finish my meal...i personally recommend the huevos rancheros, which is served with HOMEMADE salsa and huge thick slices of anadama bread (is this a new england thing?) or the chocolate chip french toast (but be prepared to get a couple of new tooth fillings after...the home fries are like gilley's cheese fries...the best this side of the universe...the coffee is always hot and fresh, but the tea leaves something to be desired...but that's okay, b/c you're surrounded by 50's, 60's, and 70's kitsch and cute waiters and waitresses...-- Review by Kate Sundeen.

Gilley's PM Lunch

175 Fleet St. Portsmouth, NH (Worcester 1930's) Gilley's is a legend in the diner world. For years, Gilley's, (a small, mobile diner) was driven into the town square each night. The town did not allow such things and for years, each night, Gilley's would be ticketed and fined. Business was so good, though, that it was financially worthwhile to continue to bend the law...so much so that Gilley's apparently holds a Guinness record in that category. Gilley's now sits in a permanent space, though the truck that once pulled it is still attached, in more disrepair than the diner itself. It's a small, unique structure. The service counter is at one end. Opposite that, a thin dining counter and stools run the length of the three short walls. It's more a lunch wagon than a diner and it's a step back in time. Standard diner fare. Not handicap accessible.

9/13/98: Kate Sundeen sent me a bit of history on Gilley's:
The old guy who used to run the place...mr. gilley...was paid $10,000 by the businessmen of portsmouth to go to florida...this was a bunch of years ago...he took the money, said thank you, went to florida for a year, then returned...at which point the businessmen were pretty ticked, b/c they had raised this money...but they couldn't do anything, b/c he HAD gone to florida...now it's run by this guy who is generally very abrasive, but very on the ball, and who makes the best cheese fries this side of the universe....plus he won't cook anything with eggs late at night...so if you're craving a western sandwich when you get kicked out of the bars at 1:00AM (when nh liquor laws required them to stop serving) you won't be able to get it...but if you want a kraut dog with mustard or a cheesburger with the works, or anything else on that line, you can get it fast and tasty...plus the chocolate milk is 1%...and that's a plus!

Glory Jean's Diner

Rte. 25, Rumney, NH (O'Mahoney 1954) Glorious. Glory Jean's sits in the middle of nowhere, on a long stretch of mostly deserted but highly traveled mountain highway. Stainless steel and newly renovated, Glory Jean's is a tasteful and tasty experience. The add-on structure is well incorporated and the interior is clean and bright. I really enjoyed the pie and coffee and the breakfasts are all quite good. Handicap accessible.

Louis' Diner

Manchester St., Concord, NH (Worcester Lunch Car 1933) Never cared much for this place. The exterior, though obviously a diner, has been bricked over (albeit tastefully) in shades of brown and tan. When last I was there, the place reeked of cigarette smoke and the coffee did not taste fresh. They do have a jukebox and the place does have its regular clientele. I may have hit it at the end of a bad day. Not handicap accessible.

Tilt'n Diner

61 Laconia Rd., Tilton, NH (O'Mahoney 1950's)
Sure, it has a larger restaurant tacked on to the back of it, but the Tilt'n Diner is still a fun place to visit. Formerly the Monarch Diner of Waltham, MA, the Tilt'n is a stainless steel beauty that exaggerates its nostalgic qualities. It's very retro and customers can purchase old Life magazines and advertisements as well as Tilt'n Diner waitstaff shirts. I've never been disappointed at the large selection of menu items, though I can't say I've ever been overjoyed with a diner that revels in its own nostalgia. Still, it's a quality place and it has a sense of humor about itself. Handicap accessible.