New Jersey leads the world in number of diners and played an important role in diner history.
When searching for someplace to enjoy diner food in Denver you’ll find a few choices, Gunther Toody’s among them. However, you are not going to be overloaded with a long list of classic diners. If you’re looking to experience a lot of diners then you should head to New Jersey, which is often referred to as the diner capital of the world. With over 500 diners in the state, New Jersey has rightly earned the title.
What makes New Jersey so diner-friendly? For starters, the Jerry O’Mahony Diner Company, the largest manufacturer of diners, was based in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The company was started by Jerry O’Mahony and produced 2,000 diners between 1917 and 1952. He is credited by some as building the first modern diner. The long, narrow, stainless steel building with the look of a railroad car was the creation of Mr. O’Mahony.
The O’Mahony diners built in New Jersey were shipped across the country. There are at least 26 of his pre-war Streamline Moderne style diners (built between 1932 and 1941) still in existence. Among some of the more notable ones include Mickey’s Diner in Saint Paul, Minnesota and Collin’s Diner in North Canaan, Connecticut, both of which are included on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Summit Diner in Summit, New Jersey was built by the O’Mahony Company in 1938.
Sources: http://www.njkegstand.com/open-tap/diners-theyre-a-jersey-thing/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_O%27Mahony_Diner_Company