Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Maine Biddeford Palace Diner
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Palace Diner

Maine's oldest diner also happens to win acclaim for its elevated comfort food.

Biddeford, Maine

Added By
Luke Fater
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  michaelsiano14/used with permission
  w.brandon.white/used with permission
  w.brandon.white/used with permission
  foodiemonster/used with permission
  foodiemonster/used with permission
  winterbottom12/used with permission
Where the grill once stood.   zombiefetishist / Atlas Obscura User
  zombiefetishist / Atlas Obscura User
  zombiefetishist / Atlas Obscura User
  zombiefetishist / Atlas Obscura User
  brsigel / Atlas Obscura User
Cash only, ATM outside   ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
  ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
  ickaimp / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  marglily/used with permission
  kaiceemarie/used with permission
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Almost 100 years ago, the Palace Diner would have moved. It would have parked outside one of the then-functioning textile mills in Biddeford, Maine, when each shift let out. The barrel-roofed, stainless-steel car would have bulged with row after row of exhausted workers eager to stifle the day's hunger. They would have lined up behind one another as each finished their toast, eggs, and bacon on one of the diner's 15 stools. Today, the mill is a converted workspace, but people still line up to eat at the same diner every day.

The Pollard Company car, known as the Palace Diner, was built in 1927. It's now not only one of two Pollards left in existence, it's also Maine's oldest diner. It's maintained its original mint-green floor tiles, steel backsplashes, and worn countertop. "Ladies Invited" is still painted onto the exterior, harkening back to days when dining cars were primarily patronized by men. Ownership has changed hands six times since the last Roaring Twenties. Its most recent exchange may have been its most pivotal. 

Current owners Greg Mitchell and Chad Conley have earned this locally celebrated and quietly historical diner national acclaim. With stints in both high-end kitchens and highly regarded farms, the pair have applied their culinary prowess to the humble world of diner food. In other words, the brisket and short rib that go into the corned beef hash are brined for days and braised overnight; the breakfast potatoes are blanched, smashed, then fried to attain a perfect crispy exterior and creamy interior; and their legendary tuna melt is served on thick, griddled challah bread with house-made bread-and-butter pickles.

Related Tags

Diner History Maine New England Mill Awards Americana

Know Before You Go

Fifteen seats only and can be a long wait but worth it! Cash only! ATM located outside diner car if needed.

 

Community Contributors

Added By

lukefater

Edited By

ickaimp, Auroratorealis, maydaydancer, zombiefetishist...

  • ickaimp
  • Auroratorealis
  • maydaydancer
  • zombiefetishist
  • Collector of Experiences
  • brsigel

Published

January 22, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://books.google.com.mx/books?id=K0FM1LJU7EoC&pg=PA68&lpg=PA68&dq=Pollard+%26+Company+diners&source=bl&ots=tafxelFyld&sig=ACfU3U1n2Q54OC3wmymmNIr5ihqrd5uvtA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjEu-yNxJfnAhUILK0KHeLxCiEQ6AEwAXoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=Pollard%20%26%20Company%20diners&f=false
  • https://www.toastykettle.com/2019/10/31/palace-diner-in-maine-with-chad-conley/
  • https://maine.eater.com/maps/maines-10-most-iconic-diners
Palace Diner
18 Franklin St
Biddeford, Maine, 04005
United States
43.492671, -70.454698
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

One Blue Sky Mural

Biddeford, Maine

miles away

Seashore Trolley Museum

Kennebunkport, Maine

miles away

Lenny the Chocolate Moose

Scarborough, Maine

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Biddeford

Biddeford

Maine

Places 2

Nearby Places

One Blue Sky Mural

Biddeford, Maine

miles away

Seashore Trolley Museum

Kennebunkport, Maine

miles away

Lenny the Chocolate Moose

Scarborough, Maine

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Biddeford

Biddeford

Maine

Places 2

Related Stories and Lists

Retro Americana Is on the Menu at These 17 Diners

List

By Diana Hubbell

Dive Into Diner History With These 9 Retro Restaurants

List

By Sam O'Brien

Related Places

  • Oakley, Utah

    Oakley Diner

    What's a diner from the 1939 World's Fair doing in a remote Utah mountain town?

  • The special Coot is not for feeble appetites.

    Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

    Arkansas Diner

    Down-home Arkansas comfort food comes with a side of American pop culture kitsch.

  • The OG cheeseburger.

    Nashville, Tennessee

    Brown's Diner

    This beloved cheeseburger-slinging trailer holds Nashville's oldest beer license.

  • Wayside Inn

    Sudbury, Massachusetts

    Wayside Inn

    The oldest continuously-operated inn in the United States, once owned by Henry Ford.

  • Decatur, Georgia

    Waffle House Museum

    A late-night restaurant empire was launched from this humble storefront.

  • Pawtucket, Rhode Island

    Modern Diner

    The first ever diner included on the National Register of Historic Places is famous for its custard French toast.

  • Red Hook, New York

    Historic Village Diner

    A nearly 100-year-old dining car in upstate New York embodies the golden age of roadside dining.

  • Kenosha, Wisconsin

    Franks Diner

    Behind a modern brick exterior lies the oldest continuously-operating lunch-car diner in the United States.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.