A Road Trip Begins

During this road trip we plan to visit diners in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire. In addition, we'll stop in at a few diners we've already visited in the past.

Our trip began just outside of Boston, MA, when we started driving on U.S. Route 1 and continued northeast. We navigated over to Route 128 and followed it to the traffic circle exiting onto Washington Street. From there it was over to Main Street for a few pictures of a circa mid-century O'Mahony diner.

Currently not a diner, the restaurant operates as the Supreme Roast Beef. On their sign it says "Since 1973." We aren't sure if that refers to their restaurant in business or the building physically being there since 1973. In the past it has been known as Chick's Roast Beef and Michel's Cape Ann Diner.

Supreme Roast Beef

At right is an example of the unique O'Mahony styling. Wrapping around the roof line is stainless steel sheets with a accordion fold. This is bordered by a piece of steel above and below. In the piece above we noticed there is one embossed horizontal line and below there are two. These elements give an almost streamlined appearance to the roof line. At the base of the diner, another piece is used, however this contains three lines. The Fodero Dining Car Company had a similar design. Though Fodero seems to have standardized on pieces with three lines. Reference the former Forbes Diner as an example. While not factory, notice the clock on the front of the vestibule near the roof line. Some O'Mahony diners would have the clock on top and centered near the front edge. Fodero placed their signature "winged" clock where you see Supreme's.

We spotted an easily overlooked feature. From this angle of the picture, you might not be able to see it. Notice the pattern in the steel below the corner window. In the vestibule a sheet of this is to the left of the entrance.

While some diner manufacturers boasted no two diners exactly alike, the picture shows another common O'Mahony exterior feature. The diner has five horizontal blue bands between the curved steel below the windows. Angelo's Orchid, Bishop's 4th Street, and Makris are examples of other O'Mahony diners with five red bands. A side note is Bishop's were painted blue within the last couple of years. There is something else to consider when identifying mid-century O'Mahony diners. Olympia in CT has four bands, and those are made of green flexglass. Vertical fluted panels are used in Zip's and the Shawmut diner.

Above the entrance door in O'Mahony diners, you'll find the diner's "tag." On it you may see the phrase, In our line we lead the world. O'Mahony diners were thought to be the best built diners. When looking at the interior, we've yet to see a pop rivet.

We invite you to tag along with us on our road trip. Next stop is the Fish Tale diner.



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Angelo's Orchid Diner
805 Rockdale Ave.
New Bedford, MA
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Bishop's Fourth Street Diner
184 Admiral Kalbfus Rd.
Newport, RI
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Closed and in storage
Forbes Diner

Makris Diner
1797 Berlin Tpke.
Wethersfield, CT
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Shawmut diner
943 Shawmut Ave.
New Bedford, MA
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Supreme Roast Beef
218 Main St.
Gloucester, MA
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Zip's Diner
Routes 101 & 12
Dayville, CT
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