This decades-old Triangle restaurant was named the best retro diner in NC. Here’s why
A restaurant in Chatham County was named the best retro diner in the state.
Al’s Diner in Pittsboro was included in a list published in June by LoveFOOD. The digital publication, which is based in the United Kingdom, wrote in the article that the diners were chosen based on “user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team.”
While the publication is headquartered across the pond, LoveFOOD’s writers and editors are based around the world.
The title of the article, “The best retro diner in every state,” suggests that there would be only one diner listed per state. However, for a handful of states, writer Dominique Ayling lists more than one restaurant. Three California diners are mentioned, plus two each in Florida, Louisiana and New York.
A few of the diners in LoveFOOD’s round-up have been recognized before. In 2023, Southern Living published a list of the best retro diners in the South, and a few of them also made LoveFOOD’s list — The Diner in Norman, Oklahoma; Howley’s in West Palm Beach, Florida; Brent’s Drugs in Jackson, Mississippi; Original Market Diner in Dallas, Texas; and Dolly’s Diner in Princeton, West Virginia. (This year, the magazine named Raleigh’s Poole’s Diner the best diner in North Carolina this year, The News & Observer previously reported.)
Here’s what LoveFOOD had to say about Al’s Diner in Pittsboro:
- “Customers love this drive-thru diner thanks to its daily-changing menu — featuring classics such as chicken and dumplings, cheeseburger sliders, fried chicken club sandwiches, and spicy shrimp wraps. Al’s Diner has a decidedly retro vibe, with red leather booth seating and a black-and-white tiled floor. Satisfied customers call it ‘an old-fashioned diner with excellent service.’”
“It’s a community diner, so we have a lot of regulars that we see on a daily basis,” Al’s Diner co-owner Chasidy Parker told The News & Observer. “We have some regulars that we see multiple times a day. The area is growing so much that we also see a lot of new faces on a daily basis.”
As of publication, Al’s Diner has nearly 890 reviews on Google, with an overall rating of 4.5 stars. On Yelp, the restaurant has 3.9 stars and 44 reviews.
Chasidy said the diner has been recognized in Chatham County “best of” lists, receiving accolades for its cheeseburgers and status as a great family restaurant. But until The N&O contacted the owners, they didn’t know about LoveFOOD’s article or Al’s Diner’s place on it.
History of Al’s Diner
The Plummer family established the restaurant as Stacy’s Diner decades ago. They later changed the name to Al’s Diner, paying homage to Stacy’s grandson, Al.
Until husband-wife duo Wes and Chasidy Parker took over as owners in 2022, Al’s had stayed in the Plummer family.
Wes grew up in the Pittsboro area and had eaten at Al’s as a kid, said Chasidy, who attended high school in Apex. So when Wes heard that the restaurant was for sale, he was interested in acquiring it to preserve the local family-run business — even though neither he nor Chasidy had experience in the restaurant industry.
“It’s definitely a lot of hard work, but it’s also very rewarding in seeing different people in our community every day,” Chasidy said.
The atmosphere
From the outside, it’s clear Al’s has been a fixture in Chatham County for decades.
“But when you come inside, we’ve got black-and-white checkered floor,” Chasidy said. “We’ve got bright teal walls.”
It’s not just the vintage decor that feels familiar to customers, though. Some employees at Al’s have been serving guests for more than 25 years.
When the Parkers took over, they made it a point not to change the community institution. The most significant thing they’ve done is extend the restaurant’s opening hours, adding dinner service a few nights a week and breakfast on Saturday.
What customers love at Al’s Diner
Every day, the restaurant sells hundreds of hot dogs “all the way,” topped with chili and slaw. Cheeseburgers are also available “all the way,” with mustard, chili, slaw and onions.
Al’s also serves special daily menu features, such as meatloaf, steak tips, and hand-battered flounder and shrimp. The rotating dishes are shared with hungry diners each morning on Facebook.
Desserts are also made fresh daily and rotate, so one day, customers might find banana pudding and coconut cake, and peach cobbler the next.
Al’s seats about 60 inside and operates a drive-thru.
“We’re not quite as fast as McDonald’s or Hardee’s, but you’re getting, you know, a burger that’s fresh meat taken out of the refrigerator and put on the grill when you order it, not something that’s been sitting,” Chasidy said. “Most of our customers know that and don’t mind waiting just a few more minutes so that, you know, they get that experience.”
Al’s Diner location and hours
- The restaurant is located at 535 West St. in Pittsboro.
- Open 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday-Friday and 7 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday.
This story was originally published June 25, 2024 at 7:00 AM with the headline "This decades-old Triangle restaurant was named the best retro diner in NC. Here’s why."
