A landmark diner in Summit has received a $50,000 grant to preserve its unique and historic character. According to a TAPinto Summit article by Chris Wightman, the Summit Diner has been located at the corner of Union Place and Summit Avenue since 1928, and its original railroad car diner has been serving customers since 1939. The Summit Diner (shown left in a moody image by Charlie Cusumano) is widely regarded as one of New Jersey’s oldest diners and has long been a gathering place for locals. It's consistently listed as one of the top North Jersey diners on critics lists and attracts the attention of locals and food afficionados from around the region.
The local institution's rich history and role as a neighborhood hub captured national attention and is the only New Jersey restaurant selected for a Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant this year, despite referring to pork roll as Taylor ham.
Now in its fifth year, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are once again supporting 50 small or independently owned restaurants across the country through the Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program. Each restaurant—all places that contribute to their neighborhoods’ unique history and identity—will receive $50,000 in funding to help them improve their businesses and positively impact their communities.
Since it began, the Backing Historic Small Restaurants program has helped preserve America’s culinary heritage and beloved neighborhood buildings by awarding over $8 million in grants to 180 historic small restaurants across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These grantees represent cultural pride, and are resilient, community-rooted establishments that have thrived through generations of challenges.