Product Description

16 color illustrations, 160 b/w illustrations, 23 maps, 6 x 9
300 classic diners identified
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Anthracite Region and the Poconos, Central Pennsylvania, and Western Pennsylvania
"Its a book to keep in the car, to refer to before and during all Pennsylvania road trips, and great fun to travel through anytime. It makes me yearn for new trips, new encounters, and new daily specials." (Rick Seback, WQED-TV)

Built of stainless steel in a factory and transported to its site of operation, the diner is a unique American form that remains especially visible in Pennsylvania. Diners are known for their home-style cooking and nostalgic appeal, but according to roadside historian Brian Butko and geographer Kevin Patrick theres more to the story. Having visited some of the most famous establishments, they explain that diners have become an integral part of the landscape and the communities where they continue to thrive.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #806557 in Books
• Published on: 1999-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 250 pages

About the Author
Brian Butko, author of The Lincoln Highway, was the associate producer of the award-winning documentary Pennsylvania Diners and Other Roadside Restaurants. Kevin Patrick is a professor of geography at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful, well researched, well indexed; good maps.
Eagerly awaited this book, but expected it to be another 'photo' book, but it is a well-researched, nicely mapped handbook to the surviving diners of Pennsylvania. Very useful if you live in or expect to pass through Pennsylvania and love diners. Very highly recommended.

Wonderful book!
A great gift for someone or for yourself. Lots of information on Pennsylvania dinners present and past. Has wonderful photos and history. I bought the book as a gift and plan to buy one for myself to visit these rare jems of PA!

5 stars for presentation and research--but badly needs updating!
Just got this book--I've been a fan of diners forever. Realizing this book was published 9 years ago, I found in my first jaunt to discover new diners that much of the information of this book is out-of-date--which is to be expected after almost 10 years.

I went to the Fazer to Coatesville stretch of the ol' Lincoln Highway. Of those, the Ingleside Diner in Thorndale (a featured diner in the book) is gone--apparently since 2002 (according to further research on the web), the Crescent II is now the Double D (interesting name--but that is where I went--and really enjoyed it--has a real diner feel). What was the Downingtown/Cadillac Diner is there--looked kind of seedy--and was marketing on its outside its connection to "The Blob"--even though that original diner has been gone since the sixties...

Anyway, I realize (as well portrayed in the book) the frequent changes in the diner scene--and I also realize that keeping up with new information would be a gruelling task. That said, though, I think a revised addition is now needed--its been almost 10 years.