Sometimes you just got to get down and dirty with a diner grilled cheese sandwich.
You won’t find an exotic menu at The Cutchogue Diner (sorry, no bee pollen doughnuts here,) but what you will find is good service, comfort food and consistency.
The bright red chair backs and purple paper placemats make the diner’s interior as cheerful as a Valentine’s Day card (and also matched the ensemble of two members of the Red Hat Society, who were dining at another table.) The chrome siding, old-fashioned counter and views of Cutchogue’s Main Street give it a delightfully retro feel.
After a week of rainy days and feeling under the weather, I knew some gooey melted cheese served between two fried pieces of bread was in order and that The Cutchogue Diner could deliver.
Cheese of your choosing is served on bread of your choice with a pickle and cole slaw ($5.95). Tomato and bacon are extra ($6.95 for tomato, $8.25 for tomato and bacon).
The diner has been here since 1941 and, after stepping inside, you can easily picture an overall-clad 1950s farmer like Hal Tuthill stepping in to drop off a case of fresh eggs, or teenagers ordering a malt at the bar after school.
The menu, which features drawings and hand-written text, is simple — unlike what you’d expect at many Long Island diners, which serve everything from chicken parmesan to whole steamed lobsters. But a limited menu means you can expect the establishment to do those particular items well. And this diner has the basics covered.
If you want meatloaf or a flounder sandwich, the Cutchogue Diner is your spot.
But don’t expect any late-night dinners after a wild night out at this diner. The joint closes at 3 p.m. every day.
The Cutchogue Diner is located at 27850 Main Road in Cutchogue.
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