Diner | Brooklyn - Find. Eat. Drink.

Recommended By

- Chef Devon Gilroy of Amali in New York, NY

- Restaurateur Francine Stephens of Franny’s in New York, NY

- Wine Importer Kevin McKenna of Louis/Dressner Selections

- Dan Black co-founder of Black + Blum

Recommendations

Diner’s recommendations on where to eat and what to buy in New York.

Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY

What

Antique Kullman Diner serving American cuisine.

Why

They butcher their own meat and the menu changes daily depending on what is fresh.

Diner | NYC

August 26, 2009

One block from the Williamsburg Bridge, sits a renovated 1920’s Kullman Diner. Back in the day, Kullman Diners were renowned for innovation and quality. Diner, the restaurant, would make Sam Kullman proud. With an in-house butcher, a menu that changes daily, and an allegiance to farm fresh ingredients, they too have earned a spotless reputation for innovation and quality.

The menu is the first clue that they do things right. The presentation is an art unto itself. A server scribbles down the daily specials on the plain white paper tablecloth, taking the time to describe each dish in detail.

But it’s the hamburger that draws people far and wide. Freshly ground meat, the burger is beefy and cooked to perfection. Juicy on the inside, charred on the outside, and served on a toasted bun. The fries are large and crispy and served with a side of mayonnaise.

Co-owners Mark Firth and Andrew Tarlow met in 1994, when they were waiting tables at the legendary Odeon in Tribeca. Andrew went on to work at Balthazar, but was itching to do his own thing. The money was good, but the appreciation wasn’t. After a few years and a bit of paint scraping, they opened the renovated diner in 1998 in a desolate part of South Williamsburg. People thought they were crazy for picking such an out of the way place, even though it was just a stone’s throw from the world famous Peter Luger Steakhouse. It didn’t take long for word to spread and now, a decade later, plan on waiting for a table.

Mark and Andrew first enlisted chef Caroline Fidanza to make the menu sing. Sean Rembold worked along side chef Caroline and is now at the helm.

The menu changes daily and ranges from house-made pasta primavera with snap peas, spring onions, asparagus and parmesan; pork Milanese served over creamy polenta with a salad of shaved carrot, almond, mustard and cumin; and grilled duck hearts on a toasted baguette with rhubarb butter and watercress salad. It’s been said that a simple roast chicken is the best way to test a restaurant’s ability. If they can get the chicken right, they’re probably headed in a good direction in the kitchen. Diner is going in the right direction; the chicken is succulent and flavorful.

Drinks range the gamut: Chimay on draft, a Rusty Nail, champagne by the glass, and an interesting naturally focused wine list.

While Diner is all about the food, this is the local Williamsburg factor: a good-looking crowd and a great neighborhood vibe. Recently, the previous owner of Diner, Stacy Pearl, wrote a comment on the New York Times website after they reviewed Diner. She lamented, “My customers were so wonderful and appreciative of my honest simple home cooked food.” Stacy, you shouldn’t worry. The cooking is still honest, though perhaps, a little less simple.

Recommendations