By Rod Bacon
Since the 1930s, eateries designed to resemble railroad dining cars that feature shiny chrome interiors have been beacons for people seeking comfort food in small towns and big cities across the country.
Two area establishments built in the style of these classic diners are owned by Bob Pilarinos; the Ambrosia Diner in Queensbury and the Capital City Diner in Albany. Both were fabricated by the DeRaffele Manufacturing Company of New Rochelle, N.Y., which has been designing and erecting diners since 1933.
The family-owned business was launched when Bob’s father, Dennis Pilarinos, opened the Columbia Diner in 1984. He sold that establishment and later opened the Capital City Diner, the Ambrosia Diner in Catskill, the Plaza Diner in Hudson, and finally the Ambrosia Diner in Queensbury. He passed away in February 2024 but the family continues to operate two of his establishments. Bob explained that while the family still owns the other two they are operated by others.
He attributes the success of the enterprise to the fact that diners are convenient and offer a wider menu selection than traditional restaurants.
“You can get anything you want at any time of day” he said. “Parents might want a full dinner while the kids want pancakes, and we can accommodate that. There is also the ‘nostalgia factor’ among older patrons. They love the look and feel of the traditional diners.”
Operating the pair of diners is a true family affair. In addition to Bob, his wife Alaina helps out at the Queensbury site and his sister and her husband, Tina and Saki Tyrnas, run the day-to-day operation of the Capital City Diner.
Both diners are open seven days a week serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition to traditional diner fare there are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Each has an on-site bakery operated by longtime employees. For the past 10 years, Ambrosia Diner’s bakers have provided between 800-1,000 deserts for the Hometown Kitchen’s Thanksgiving dinner.
Approximately 80 staffers, many of whom have been with the company for years, are on the payroll.
In addition to enjoying a meal in the diner, patrons have the option of using a Latham-based online service called Mealeo. Those using the app in the Albany area can take advantage of home delivery. The company has not brought this service to the North Country yet, but orders can be placed online and picked up at the Ambrosia Diner.
Pilarinos noted that while changes to their menus have been made over the years, they weren’t made in response to competition from traditional chain restaurants.
“The core of our menu has remained pretty much the same over the years,” he said. “Every year we review our offerings and change those that aren’t popular for something else, but overall we’ve remained true to the core of our original menu.”
Supplies for the kitchens come from Clifton Park-based U.S. Foods and Ginsberg’s Foods, which is headquartered in Hudson, N.Y. According to Pilarinos, with the exception of Covid there have never been supply chain issues.
“Ginsberg’s is a family-owned firm that my father started doing business with when he opened his first diner,” he said.
The Ambrosia Diner is located at 518 Aviation Road in Queensbury. Further information can be found at ambrosiadinerqueensbury.com.
The Capital City Diner is at 1709 Western Avenue in Albany. Go to capitalcitydinerny.com for more information.