Center Lisle Diner

Welcome to the Center Lisle Diner! It might not look like much from the outside, but looks can be deceiving. The food coming out of this kitchen is phenomenal, and that is coming from somebody that considers herself an (albeit amateur) foodie. I Google, Yelp and study restaurants and their menus, following them for sometimes a year (sorry Burger Mondays – Binghamton) before I step into their restaurant. I like to see good ones succeed (The Commons Kitchen – Ithaca) and when they don’t, I’m sometimes heartbroken (The Knight Kitchen – Binghamton).

The Center Lisle Diner is different. This diner holds a special place in my heart. It has been open and closed, under new management then closed; under new management with a new name then closed again, repeatedly, over the last several years. A vicious and unfortunate cycle for this little diner set in the middle of farm land and the busy Route 79, carrying Ithaca College and Cornell University students and their parents from I-81 to Ithaca. It has been the Dudley Creek Diner, Crossroad diner and many in-between.

For the first time in 10+ years, the diner is back in the Gehm family, being ran by the daughter and granddaughter of James Gehm, the building owner. Jo and her daughter JoAnne are an amazing team! They are turning out some of the best BBQ Chicken, Cheeseburgers and omelets that I’ve ever had.

Sunday and Monday, the diner is open from 7am to 2pm, serving breakfast (till 11am) and lunch. Tuesday, and Thursday through Saturday, they open from 7am – 8pm with a different dinner special every night. They are closed on Wednesdays.

Tuesday they will be serving chicken and biscuits. Thursday is Spaghetti with homemade sauce and homemade meatballs. Friday is your choice of a Fish or Prime Rib dinner.  Saturday is their delicious Chicken BBQ, where you can get ½ a bird for $7.50 or the dinner for just $10.00, which includes your choice of homemade macaroni or potato salad, corn on the cob and a dinner roll.

Meals are very reasonably priced, with breakfast items coming with toast and coffee… $3.29 for one egg to $8.99 for the #1 selling 3 egg Garbage Plate omelet with ham, sausage, bacon, green peppers, onions, tomato and mushrooms. To complete the breakfast menu, they have pancakes, home fries, French toast, more than 5 different types of omelets as well has the best Sausage Gravy and Biscuits I’ve had this far North of the Mason Dixon. Apple/Orange/Tomato juice or coffee and tea, both with decaf available. Did I mention that most everything is homemade?

Their lunch/dinner menu has 8oz hand formed hamburger patties on a Kaiser roll with French Fries or chips for just $6.99. For less than $2.00 more, you can have a Bacon Cheese Burger with crispy bacon and warm melted cheese.  They also have sandwiches, salads, hotdogs and a cold plate for those hot summer days. Their BLT is the perfect amount of crispy bacon, juicy tomato and fresh lettuce on toast with just a touch of mayonnaise. All burgers and sandwiches come with hand cut French Fries or chips.

Last but not least, for those with a sweet tooth, they have homemade pies, muffins and…ICE CREAM! Both soft serve (chocolate, vanilla, twist) and hard (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry with cream). Smalls are $2.00, Med $3.00 and Large is $4.00. Milkshakes are $3.50.

Eventually they will expand their menu and their hours to include more nightly specials.

So, next time you are on Route 79 in Lisle, stop on in to the Center Lisle Diner to a quick bite, cold drink and friendly service… tell em Teri sent ya!