This week, I decided to veer off of Main Street and onto Gilbo Avenue to visit Lindy’s Diner.
I had always heard great things about Lindy’s, but never took the time to go and dine there. Whenever someone would mention this place and I told them I’ve never been, the reaction always was, “You’ve never been to Lindy’s?!” I finally decided to go get breakfast there and see what it was all about.
Lindy’s is located at 19 Gilbo Avenue. This diner stands out from most just by the way it looks outside. The “Lindy’s Diner” sign looks like it has been there since the 60s, as well as the building — because it has been! The windows have a metal-like paneling around them with almost a stone look on the rest of the exterior.
What I like about this place, is that it looks, and is, retro.
Karina Barriga Albring / Senior Reporter: A Lindy’s Diner employee visits customers over the counter. The restaurant is located at 19 Gilbo Avenue in Keene, N.H.
Most of the restaurants on and around Main Street look very modern inside and have kept up with the times, but not Lindy’s.
Walking into Lindy’s is like going back in time. The inside of Lindy’s Diner is small and comfortable.
The restaurant is narrow, so if it gets crowded, it may be hard to move around, but the size of the place gives it that local, family-owned feel.
Large windows are along the whole restaurant and booths line the windows from each end of the place.
They also have a bar counter which just about covers the length of the restaurant where people can sit.
When I got to Lindy’s, the place was jam-packed, but I was seated almost immediately.
The menu offered almost anything you could think of, and the kicker is that you can order whatever you want at any time you want.
If you wanted to eat dinner at 11 a.m., they would cook it up for you. Or, if you wanted breakfast for dinner, no problem.
They serve all different kinds of breakfast foods, as well as sandwiches, salads, pasta, steak and even seafood.
They also have a whole list of appetizers and side orders to choose from.
I’m not too adventurous when it comes to breakfast food, so I decided to order my favorite meal: a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a bagel.
I’m quite picky when it comes to my bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches , so I was eager to see if the one Lindy’s made for me was up to my standards.
My food arrived quickly and it looked delicious.
The eggs were cooked perfectly, the cheese was melted between the bread, the bacon was crispy and the bagel was toasted to my liking.
I had high standards and Lindy’s delivered.
Owner Nancy Petrillo told me Lindy’s has been in Keene since 1961— a whopping 53 years. They serve American fare food with some vegetarian salads and dinner.
“Comfort food, we’re really a comfort food place and eggs all day,” Petrillo said.
The same people who own Timoleon’s Restaurant, also located in Keene, originally owned Lindy’s. Timoleon’s brought the diner into town from New Jersey. The name of the diner has always been Lindy’s, even before Nancy became the owner.
Customer Conway Gorges said he doesn’t get to go to Lindy’s very often because he lives out of town, but he tries to make it about three or four times a year.
I asked him why he chose Lindy’s over going anywhere else to eat, and he said it’s because of the home cooking and the atmosphere of the restaurant is his favorite thing about Lindy’s.
I have found that many diners close after lunch has been served, so I was excited to find out that Lindy’s opens daily at 6 a.m., and closes at 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, so customers can come in and enjoy a hot meal from morning until nighttime.
All in all, I had a very pleasant experience at Lindy’s.
It’s conveniently located near campus and off Main Street, so students can pop in for a quick, home-cooked meal for a killer price.
Petrillo said, “I hope that they had a good time, and the food was good, and it was priced right. And that they want to come back.”
Brooke Stall can be contacted at bstall@keene-equinox.com