The writer accepted a complimentary meal at the diner.
Election Day in New Jersey (Tuesday, Nov. 4) marked the fifth anniversary of the
family ownership of Alps Diner, the colorful eatery located on the northbound side
of Route 23 in Wayne. At first glance, five years might seem like only a small
milestone to celebrate. However, given the current “diner downturn” environment
here in New Jersey, five years represents fortitude and survival; a commitment to
preserving the beloved Garden State diner tradition. The milestone for the diner is especially significant, as it first opened during the dark days of COVID-19.
A Family Affair
Alps Diner is a family affair, operated by three partners: brothers Tommy and
Ehab Hanna and their cousin Sam Fanous. Tommy and Ehab hail from Alexandria, Egypt, and came to the United States nearly three decades ago. Tommy said their journey is similar to the immigrant story of the many Greek families that came to New Jersey over the years, determined to live the “American Dream” in the diner business.
“I worked at the Gotham City Diner in Ridgefield for 25 years,” Tommy said. “I
learned from the Greek owners. I started as a busboy and worked my way up
to become the general manager.”
As an occupation, the diner enterprise isn’t for everyone, Tommy acknowledged,
citing the long hours required to become successful. “But there’s something about the diner business that draws you in. I like working for my customers. I like working with my employees. They make me happy.”
A Pandemic-Era Acquisition
In 2020, Tommy and his family partners decided it was time to acquire their own
diner. This is a typical roadmap in the diner business, as many aspiring entrepreneurs soon realize the value of owning a diner. As hard as it is to start and launch a restaurant, the task at Alps Diner was even more challenging, as they made their move at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, no one realized how contagious or deadly the virus would become, or how long it would last.
The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in New Jersey occurred in Bergen County
on March 2, 2020. A state of emergency was declared seven days later, and a
statewide curfew was imposed on March 16 on public venues such as diners, bars,
and movie theaters.
The pandemic further accelerated the diner downturn, and many businesses were
forced to close, but the owners at Alps persevered and remained focused on their
mission. “It was difficult,” Tommy admitted, looking grim as he recalled the Covid
memories. “We did interior renovations and worked hard—seven days a week—until things improved.”
Today, Alps Diner boasts of an extensive menu and daily specials, especially a full
slate of breakfast dishes such as eggs of all types, pancakes, waffles, wraps, griddle
and skillet specialties; lunch sandwiches, soups, burgers and wraps, and platters
such as Mac and Cheese and an assortment of supper platters—beef, chicken and
seafood, along with salads.
Anniversary Celebration
The affable Chris Vergano, who has served as mayor of Wayne since 2008, popped into Alps Diner on Election Day to congratulate the owners.
On the diner’s anniversary day, I dined on Buffalo shrimp on a soft, flatbread pizza. Delicious. For dessert, I enjoyed a seasonal favorite: a slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream, along with three cups of coffee.
Morris Nathanson (1927-2022) of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the renowned
architect, artist, and pioneer of contemporary restaurant architecture, designed the
eye-catching Alps Diner. The eatery originally was known as “Burger Deluxe” when it opened in the fall of 2008. This was a period when various upscale burger
chains were emerging on the U.S. restaurant circuit.
Nathanson also designed the ultra-modern, space-age style Skylark Diner, located
on northbound Route 1 in Edison, and the Americana Diner on the northbound side
of Route 130 in East Windsor, which has since been remodeled as the Americana
Kitchen and Bar.
Before the launch of Burger Deluxe, the site on Route 23 was home to the
Spindletop Diner in the 1960s and 1970s, which later transitioned into the
Northstar Diner. The now-defunct Master Diner manufacturing company of
Pequannock built the Spindletop. The name “Alps” presumably references the
majestic European mountain range. There’s also an Alps Road (Route 670) located
about a mile south of the diner on Route 23.
Cheers to Alps Diner, as it supports the New Jersey diner scene and celebrates its
fifth anniversary!
Alps Diner
1420 NJ-Route 23
Wayne, NJ
(973) 305-0033
