The D.C. area's best classic diners

"Is there anything better than pulling into a diner parking lot and seeing an "open" sign glowing in the window? Jonesing for a bottomless cup of coffee? You got it. Triple-decker sandwich with crispy french fries? Coming right up. Roasted turkey with all the fixings no matter what the calendar says? Just say the word. We combed the region for its homiest, most classic diners."

"Amphora's Diner Deluxe, a chrome-encased bastion of breakfast platters, has been packing 'em in since the Clinton administration. Co-owner Maria Cholakis says the 16,000-square-foot eatery, which has been immortalized in one of local author David Baldacci's spy novels, just keeps doing what it does best: cranking out Greek dishes and crowd-pleasing baked goods. "It's not unusual to hear, 'My grandparents used to bring me here,' followed by, 'Now I bring my kids,'" she says."

"The core menu, which is so big it has colored tabs to break up the sections (omelets, sandwiches, Amphora classics), runs the gamut from honey-soaked, nut-studded baklava-style pancakes to chicken marsala. The variety is intentional, Cholakis says: "The menu allows everyone to order what they're in the mood for." She adds that "our team is always there to help narrow things down or suggest favorites.""

Diners offer open-faced welcome signs, bottomless coffee, towering sandwiches, holiday-style roasted meats, and unpretentious, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food. Regional picks emphasize homely, classic diners with griddles running at all hours and fast, no-nonsense service. Amphora's Diner Deluxe exemplifies the tradition as a chrome-encased, 16,000-square-foot spot serving Greek dishes and baked goods since the Clinton administration. Generations of customers frequent the place. The extensive menu uses colored tabs to separate sections and ranges from baklava-style pancakes to chicken marsala. Staff members help diners choose, and signature items include a Cajun-style Benedict and house moussaka.

Read at The Washington Post