First a little history:
The birth of the diner tradition itself is due in part to T.H. Buckley’s chain of Worcester-manufactured lunch carts, which began in 1890, according to the Worcester Historical Museum. The Worcester Lunch Car Co. produced a series of carts each labeled with a unique serial number and each possessing a unique history to match. Many of these carts still survive scattered across the eastern seaboard. The Blue Belle is number 814. And she’s finally getting her return to the spotlight.
Manufactured in 1948, the Blue Belle first opened on Chandler Street. In 1972, it was relocated to Prescott Street, then to an auto dealership parking lot on Route 9 in Shrewsbury to sit unused for several years. After that, the diner changed hands twice again but was used for display purposes only. Trotto, who opened Dinky’s just over the line in Shrewsbury in 1992, jokes that for many years the only person making any money off the Belle was the guy who moved the diner from location to location with his crane.
Trotto purchased the Blue Belle Diner in 2006 and opened it for business attaching it to his existing restaurant. Now called Dinky’s Blue Belle Diner, the Belle once again seats hungry customers ready for what Trotto calls “good, old American food.
Although we weren't able to eat in the actual diner here is a couple of pictures from the diner car part of the restaurant.
Today we were lucky to add others to our diner adventures - Jackie, Rob and Shelley Sheridan joined us for breakfast. Lot to choose from the menu as can be seen from this picture.
All our breakfast selections were pretty darn good except Jill's whose oatmeal was not up to her standards or probably anybody else's. Service was slow also but we were in no hurry.
Trying to keep up or start at tradition, took a picture of the diner queens after our breakfast. They are special.
