The best way to enjoy Troy close to Hudson Valley
John C. Longton III
Staff Writer
Hidden at the bottom of the hill on the corner of first and Main Street, the South Troy Diner is one of the best kept secrets Troy has to offer. The diner is only a two minute drive down Route 4 away from campus. The ride is quick and the food and service are great.
“Even though I’m full now, I can’t wait to get back and eat some more,” said first time patron Jim Bungay. “The food was fast and great and Natalie is impeccable,” he continued. “Overall I thought the experience was excellent.”
Established in 1991, the diner has been putting out fast dishes for almost twentyfive years. Most people are stunned when they see how fast the meals come out. The average ticket time for a breakfast dish is roughly five minutes.
Their cook, John Zwack, has 30 years of experience and seems to be getting better and faster. As soon as he receives an order the food is already on the grill. “Omelettes are my favorite dish to cook,” said Zwack. “It’s a creative dish because you can put anything in them.” John is a one man wrecking crew in the kitchen and is the fastest short order cook this side of the Mississippi.
Breakfast is his specialty and he gets it out quick. Even though breakfast is a big part of the business, the South Troy Diner has a full menu and has much more to offer.
Anibal Flores, owner of the diner, decided that he want to offer a variety of dishes. The menu has over fifty dishes from pancakes to burgers. “The reason why I have such a big menu is because I want to offer more choices to different people,” he said.
They also have daily specials that are not on the menu that they whip up for their patrons. Everything is homemade including their desserts made by waitress Natalie Williams, who has over 30 of experience as well.
“I make grandma style desserts from scratch that are different every day,” said Williams. She has a wide range of pies, cheesecakes, and a strawberry shortcake with homemade biscuits. Williams won’t sell you her secrets, but will serve you a slice of her upside down pineapple cake. The assortment of dishes and desserts makes customers leaving satisfied.
With the combination of sixty years experience between the diner team, they’ve come up with a formula on how to leave visitors satisfied. They work very well with owner Anibal Flores to put out a great product and ambiance.
The South Troy Diner is open Tuesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The total experience including the ride to and from campus should only take about forty five minutes. So if you have an hour or so in between classes, go to the bottom of the hill and do yourself a favor.