Food & Wine Named This Maine Diner One of the Most Historic in America

Maine is home to an impressive dining scene, offering everything from laid-back seafood spots to elegant fine dining destinations. Whether you’re visiting a popular Portland favorite or discovering a small-town hidden gem, there’s no shortage of great restaurants to enjoy in Maine.

One of those restaurants can be found in the up-and-coming foodie city of Biddeford, where an old dining car is taking the world by storm. In fact, it’s so iconic that Food & Wine has named it one of the country’s most historic restaurants. Yes, we’re talking about the legendary Palace Diner.

Palace Diner is run by Greg Mitchell and Chad Conley, who took over the vintage dining car in 2014. Since then, they’ve earned widespread praise for their creative takes on classic diner fare. The dining car itself is a true treasure — with just 15 seats, it has more character than entire cities. Believe me when I say it’s a one-of-a-kind dining experience.

What is the Menu Like at Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine?

The menu is like the 1927 Yankees of diner food, it’s just slugger after slugger. Some customer favorites include the giant stack of pancakes, corned beef hash, burger, tuna melt, and my personal favorite: the iconic breakfast sandwich featuring jalapeños and the perfect amount of mayo. It’s out of this world.

The diner was also prominently featured in the Maine episode of the Netflix show "Somebody Feed Phil," where it seemed like Phil Rosenthal tried just about everything on the menu. It was quite impressive and probably my favorite part of the entire episode.

What Makes palace Diner One of the Most Historic Restaurants in the Nation?

But enough from me, here’s Food & Wine discussing why the magazine included Palace Diner on its list of America’s most historic restaurants:

Palace Diner proudly operates in one of the last remaining Pollard train dining cars in America. Its 15-seat counter serves a lumberjack-worthy breakfast that, established in 1927, once fueled miners around the clock when the diner was open 24/7. Today, it's open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., walk-ins and cash only. Don’t miss the tuna melt on grilled challah, brown butter banana bread, or the signature Palace potatoes.

Yeah, those potatoes are absolutely killer. There’s no doubt about that.

Now, I will warn you: a wait is very likely given the limited seating. However, Palace Diner is surrounded by great coffee shops, bakeries, and eclectic little stores to help you pass the time and, trust me, it’s well worth the wait. I can personally guarantee that.

READ MORE: Maine’s Chase’s Daily Named One of America’s Best Vegetarian Restaurants

Congratulations to this great little diner on its latest accolade. It’s always exciting to see national recognition for Maine’s small businesses, especially those that truly deserve it. Palace Diner is certainly one of the most historic restaurants in this great country of ours.