Years ago, when I was working selling medical products to hospitals, I would travel through Somerset on a regular basis. This small town is charming, but doesn't have a lot to offer when it comes to food. There is a nice little restaurant called the Pine Grill, a little bar called Maggie Mae's, an Eat'n Park, and a great diner called the Summit Diner. One ominous memory that I have is eating breakfast there, getting in the car to travel back to Pittsburgh, and learning that the attacks of 9/11 had just occurred, with one of the plane's crashing in a Somerset field.
A couple of weeks ago, Stacy and I were headed to Cumberland Md for a family visit, and stopped for lunch at the Summit. The place has been updated since my last visit, but still holds the great charm of a Pennsylvania diner. The waitstaff were dressed in '50 attire and they were just getting ready for an afternoon car cruise, with car owners arriving in their classic cars and parking them behind the restaurant.
The menu was diner typical, in a good way. Basic home cooking and a great selection of pies. Stacy ordered a chicken salad, and I went for the club sandwich. When the food arrived the salad looked bland and Stacy looked disappointed, but that soon changed when she tasted it. The greens, while mostly "diner iceberg" were fresh and crisp, the dressing homemade, and the flavor was great. My club was also a winner. We didn't try dessert, but the pies looked really tasty, and I'm sure we will make it a point to sample them on our next stop.
I highly recommend this as a good diner experience if you find yourself traveling the Pa Turnpike in need of a good, quick and fun dining experience.
3 comments:
Knowing about the Summit Diner will come in handy for the next several months, because the eastbound Turnpike service plaza in Somerset is completely closed for renovation until late spring 2012. Good to have an alternate spot to change drivers and get something to eat and drink.
Funny that you say that...I just got back from Lancaster an hour ago. On the way out yesterday, I stopped just because of that reason! It was my intention to get one of their great burgers, but when I got there, I learned that the special was Chicken and gravy over waffles, with a side of mashed...I finished it with a slice of banana cream pie.
I need a nap.
Oh the Summit!!! We used to hang out @ the Denny's in Johnstown during my college years, and we would all travel to the Summit at like 3AM when we got bored w/ Dennys just for a change in scenery...oh I miss those days :-)
Post a Comment