Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
3 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
4 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
5 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
6 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Rhode Island Pawtucket Modern Diner
Gastro Obscura

Modern Diner

The first ever diner included on the National Register of Historic Places is famous for its custard French toast.

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Added By
Tony Dunnell
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  Alex Larson / Alamy Stock Photo
  Alex Larson / Alamy Stock Photo
Modern Diner before it was purchased by Nick Demou and saved from demolition.   Library of Congress
  Kenneth C. Zirkel
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Improbcat
Custard French toast at the Modern Diner   Kenneth C. Zirkel
Modern Diner   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Modern Diner (July 17, 2005)   Kerserker / Atlas Obscura User
Lobster Eggs Benedict   SemiruralYeti / Atlas Obscura User
  SemiruralYeti / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In 1986, Nick Demou and his late father bought an old, abandoned diner and moved it to its current location on East Avenue in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. But this was no ordinary diner. Built in 1941, it was one of only a handful of Sterling Streamliner diners still in existence, and is today one of only two such diners still in operation (a third apparently lies abandoned in Westport, Massachusetts).

The Modern Diner, which Demou now runs with his brother-in-law, Frank Aguiar, has a few claims to fame. Its historic status is one. Even before Demou bought the joint, it had street cred: In 1978, it was the first ever diner to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Another claim to fame is Demou’s custard French toast, which in 2015 was named the best diner dish in the country by the Food Network show Top 5 Restaurants. The dish—which comes topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, sliced kiwi, house-candied pecans, and raspberry syrup—came into existence pretty much by accident. Some 20 years ago, Demou made an excess of vanilla pudding. Not wanting to let it go to waste, he thinned it out and added it to the French toast. The rest is diner history.

Apart from the French toast, the Modern Diner sells many of the classic breakfast and lunch dishes you’d expect from an eatery of its kind. There are pancakes, muffins, sandwiches, burgers, plenty of eggs in various styles, and weekend specials such as the linguica hash and lobster Benedict. You’ll also find at least 30 daily specials on the wall as you walk in the door. It’s all tasty comfort food, in an old-school diner atmosphere that hasn’t changed in years.

Related Tags

Diner Architectural Oddities Breakfast Americana Architecture

Know Before You Go

Modern Diner opens for breakfast and lunch daily (it closes at 2:00 p.m.). It only accepts cash.

Community Contributors

Added By

Tony Dunnell

Edited By

adventuringshar, Collector of Experiences, Kerserker, blimpcaptain...

  • adventuringshar
  • Collector of Experiences
  • Kerserker
  • blimpcaptain
  • SemiruralYeti

Published

February 17, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.providencejournal.com/entertainmentlife/20190709/modern-diner-still-serving-up-nations-best-diner-dish-in-tiny-pawtucket
  • https://www.abc6.com/story/40864042/ri-eats-modern-diner-in-pawtucket
  • http://www.thenewportbuzz.com/modern-diner-in-pawtucket-wins-food-networks-best-diner-dish-in-america/5373
  • https://www.valleybreeze.com/2015-09-08/pawtucket/modern-diner-hits-food-network#.XkMEAIhOnIU
  • https://moderndinerri.com/menu/
  • My own knowledge as author of "American Diner Then & Now" and expert as profiled in Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/diner-museum
Modern Diner
364 East Ave
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 02860
United States
41.868829, -71.386876
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Old Slater Mill

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

miles away

H.P. Lovecraft’s Grave

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

Ladd Observatory

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Pawtucket

Pawtucket

Rhode Island

Places 3

Nearby Places

Old Slater Mill

Pawtucket, Rhode Island

miles away

H.P. Lovecraft’s Grave

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

Ladd Observatory

Providence, Rhode Island

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Pawtucket

Pawtucket

Rhode Island

Places 3

Related Stories and Lists

A Stack of 10 Places for Pancake-Lovers

List

By Diana Hubbell

Retro Americana Is on the Menu at These 17 Diners

List

By Diana Hubbell

Dive Into Diner History With These 9 Retro Restaurants

List

By Sam O'Brien

Related Places

  • Decatur, Georgia

    Waffle House Museum

    A late-night restaurant empire was launched from this humble storefront.

  • Kenosha, Wisconsin

    Franks Diner

    Behind a modern brick exterior lies the oldest continuously-operating lunch-car diner in the United States.

  • Arcadia, California

    Denny's Windmill

    A relic from a forgotten bakery chain still spins atop a diner.

  • Lansing, West Virginia

    Bridge Walk

    In West Virginia, you can walk across the longest single-arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere.

    Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism
  • The Cathedral Café has been serving its community for more than 120 years.

    Fayetteville, West Virginia

    Cathedral Café

    Soak in the sacred vibes at this beloved food and coffee hangout inside a former church.

    Sponsored by West Virginia Department of Tourism
  • Petrópolis, Brazil

    Belvedere do Grinfo

    This spaceship-like structure was once a popular roadside restaurant.

  • Créteil, France

    Choux de Créteil

    A cluster of cylindrical apartment buildings nod to the city’s vegital past.

  • Jaraba, Spain

    Santuario de la Virgen de Jaraba

    A medieval shrine set into a towering canyon wall.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.