Before me I see timeless nostalgia served with a side of waffle fries, an Oreo shake, and a steaming cup of Joe …
I’ve walked into Rochester’s iconic railcar diner more times than I can count; the pastel yellow exterior leads into cherry red booths, chrome barstools lining the long counter, and neon accents surrounding coffee pots and condiments.
The streamline dining car has been on the corner of South Clinton Avenue and Goodman Street since 1948. After briefly functioning as an off-track betting parlor, the joint was purchased and remodeled by Bob Malley, officially opening as the Highland Park Diner in 1986. Malley operated the restaurant until he retired in 2003, when the Zissis family took over ownership. It’s been operated by Van Zissis since then.
Before we dive into the food, the name is worth a mention—many would assume Malley named the diner after Highland Park in Rochester, but it actually has zero relation to the city park at all.
“Malley was a big car buff and had a lot of old cars. He named the restaurant after the historic Ford plant in Highland Park, Michigan,” Zissis says.
The diner is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week, and customers can order breakfast or lunch at any time—might as well have both with how expansive the menu is. It serves more than a dozen different Benedicts, endless skillets, frittatas, omelets, pancakes, waffles, wraps, sandwiches … the list keeps going. Some of the cooks have worked there since Malley owned the business, and while the menu has grown and Zissis has added his own plates, the diner still serves many original recipes.
It’s hard to pick favorites, but the following dishes are some of the most popular:
Nutella Stuffed French Toast: Nutella draws me in on its own, but drizzle it over fresh strawberries, bananas, whipped cream, and the best bread I’ve ever had—it’s to die for. Funny thing, I’ve never liked French toast. Not as a kid, not as an adult, just never. But I’d order this again and again. Zissis uses challah bread, a slightly sweet Jewish egg bread. It’s soft but thick—not soggy even after letting it sit while I take photos—and the sprinkled powdered sugar on top seals the deal for me.
If I’m having breakfast, yes, I’ll sip on coffee, but I’m also getting a milkshake. I can’t think of a better time of day to have one. And with more than twenty flavors to choose from, who could resist? The most popular is the Oreo shake—chocolate drizzled down the glass, Oreo crumbles on top, and the perfect consistency: thick but not too thick. With extra on the side, one shake could serve two—unless you’re like me and you one, don’t want to share, and two, have no problem devouring the entire thing.
Florentine Benedict: I order this dish about fifty percent of the time I go to the Highland Park Diner. It’s a Benedict that’s done right. It’s simple with two poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, fresh spinach, and English muffins. Check, check, and check. And the home fries are a perfectly suited side.
Highland Skillet: The gravy on this is thick, capital T. Home fries rest on the bottom, scrambled eggs on top, and cheese smothering it all, hidden under the gravy. Once you get a couple bites in, the cheese is stringy and really caked on there. It tastes like a big bowl of comfort—a solid morning-after plate, too. I don’t eat sausage (which is in the homemade gravy), but since the Highland Skillet is the most popular menu item, I had to try it. And I’m glad I did; the gravy coats everything perfectly and is packed with flavor. If you’re an occasional meat eater, don’t let the sausage gravy scare you—this skillet is worth it! Oh, and the biscuits—just try them; they’re fantastic and perfect for dipping.
Buffalo Chicken Wrap: This might have been my favorite pick of the day. A huge pet peeve of mine is a wrap that isn’t rolled up tight and doesn’t stay together well. After every bite, this one stayed solid. The chicken is moderately spicy, and the lettuce is fresh and crunchy—a perfect cleanse to the spice. It’s packed with flavor, and it’s hard to choose whether to savor each bite or inhale the entire thing at once. And the waffle fries? They have my heart. I love curly fries, and these taste similar, but a bit crunchier and with more surface area. If you’re a texture person, these are for you—the flat crisscross is quite satisfying midbite. Bonus points for the side of blue cheese instead of ranch.
Honestly, there isn’t a single wrong choice when picking a dish off this menu. And the fifties’ ambiance alone is worth enjoying. Grab a stool at the counter or slide into a booth … there’s something about a classic diner that just feels right. Maybe it’s the simplicity of it all.
“It’s original, there aren’t too many of these left, and to have one in Rochester says a lot—the people have been supportive after all these years,” Zissis says. “We use a lot of local vendors for our ingredients, so people that come from out of town get to help support local as well. We’re going to keep it going as long as we can. As long as people come and support it, we’ll be open.”
For more information, visit highlandparkdinerny.com or stop by in person any day, eight to three.
Highland Park Diner
960 S. Clinton Ave., Rochester
461-5040
This article originally appeared in the September/October 2026 issue of (585).
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