Quintessential is a word you sometimes hear used. It refers to a principle in, of all things, alchemy, where it represents taking the essence of something, then repeating that five times with the result (Take the essence of the essence of the essence of the essence... .) The Putney Diner occupies an unassuming space, in a Vermont house deliberately built close to the road by an innkeeper in 1850. Enter through a small mudroom; peek through the window and you see a tight, warm room. Step in to be greeted by the big espresso machine and stacks of cups stacks on the barista stand that anchors the 5 seat counter. The owner and a diverse staff continuously pass through this space, on their way from putting in and picking up orders from the window, and the owner interacts with you as you get your table. Look right, over the fresh muffins in glassed-in trays, you see eight cozy fourtops and one table for two. There's sometimes a wait, but as I said, people talk to you, so the time passes well. Sit as we did, in the almost-hidden booth, and there are all the essentials. Pancakes, French toast, eggs and omelets nestle in a generous -- but not overly so -- menu of sandwiches, salads, and specials. Your server is modest and friendly and manages the small space with grace. We got a toasted bran muffin -- the right amount of sweet nuttiness, crunch and salty butter; a maple latte, a plain latte -- the creamy milk and sweet maple balancing the double shot potency of the espresso. A Reuben and a scrambled egg-hashbrowns-pancakes NE breakfast. The sandwich and breakfast were generous and just right. The eggs tasted local, the Reuben had flavorful corned beef, the onion rings focused on the crunch, the bacon was in that sublime meat candy state. All pretty much what you're after. And the price is reasonable... the low end of reasonable, even. The entire experience is something not enough eating establishments provide. Unhurried, in touch, hitting its marks. It's cozy, but private. It's a Vermont thing, and it's a diner thing. Give this place a try. It's not too far out of way, and worth it. read more

Small sit down diner that serves breakfast all day and has classic diner items like open face turkey with fantastic mashed potatoes. I had the green mountain special (meatloaf sandwich with VT cheddar, cranberry sauce and homemade cranberry wheat bread. I would skip the sweet potato fries as they were bland, but not horrible. Wife had a maple iced latte that she loved. Only comment would be to ensure folks get checked on at the end of meals so they do not have to wait so long for checks. Definitely stop in and give them a try. read more

Crowded, noisy, and greasy food. We stopped there looking for a quick diner lunch and it was terrible not recommended at all.

Great menu, and excellent food and service. A gift to the community, Putney diner is the real deal with fresh, local ingredients and perfect preparation. read more

Eclectic diner for an eclectic Vermont village. I had the hamburger club sandwich, a classic prepared perfectly. Onion rings were delish. If I wasn't so full I would have tried the Maple Royale (scoop vanilla ice cream, drizzled with maple syrup, and a shot of espresso). The menu is fun to explore, service was friendly and professional . Looking forward to coming back. read more

Consistently great food and accommodating staff. Make sure to get there early on Saturday and Sunday as there will be a line out the door.

RUN don't walk to the Putney Diner! My favorite place to go for breakfast. The lattes are amazing and creative. Today I had a s'mores latte, last time I had a Nutella latte. Breakfast today was the Vermonter omelette stuffed with cheddar cheese, crispy ham, bacon and sausage. Don't even get me started in the home fries! Delish! Comfortable, clean atmosphere and friendly people. Super service! read more

The corned beef is perfectly browned and savory as you'd expect in the northeast, the home fries are crispy perfection, but the real star of the show is their pastries. Everything they do with laminated dough (think croissants, danishes and basically the best baked goods France had to teach us) is AMAZING and worth the stop alone. If they have the lemon danish with blueberries, grab one for now and one to go. If they have the little sugar dusted "cruffin" (no idea what they call it here), that goes double. These people know the best things in life start with butter and sugar. So glad we stopped in (and again and again)! read more

The Putney Diner - Lemon blueberry danish - Diners Near Me - Putney, Vermont

So, sometimes the service here can be cranky. But I kind of like a cranky diner, myself. But the food is great. The coffee and espresso drinks are great. You really can't go wrong. The line can be long, but it usually goes really fast. read more

Best breakfasts ever! Vermont maple syrup. Ask if it's not on the menu, they can probably provide what you want. Excellent burgers and fries. Gluten free. Home made muffins if you're on the run. Great service. read more

It may not look like much on the outside, but the warm welcome included welcoming our dog! This was such a pleasant surprise, as was the bottomless hot chocolate with the tower of whipped cream. The staff couldn't be nicer, they even brought Rosie a side of bacon! The "day after Thanksgiving" sandwich was out of this world! If you aren't in rush, it's certainly worth the stop! read more

A charming little local diner with wooden booths. Our server was attentive, charming and helpful. We has pancakes, a vegetable omelet, sausage and pancakes. The omelet and sausages were tasty and well prepared. The buckwheat pancakes were a bit dry and floury tasting- a disappointment, although the blueberries in the pancakes were nicely integrated into the cakes! Overall we enjoyed the visit, and would come here again read more

Eleni is the best and we are so lucky to have her in our community! Her dedication to sourcing local ingredients comes out in the delicious creations they put on their specials and throughout the menu. Definitely worth the wait if there is one. read more

So many yummy options that fit whatever you are in the mood for. The waitress we had was so nice and answered the questions we had about the menu. The food portions were perfect and you can tell they use really good quality ingredients! We will be back for sure. read more

We picked this mostly because it was on the way south out of Vermont, but what a find. This local joint was bustling and friendly. Food was great and they make a great latte if that's your style. Classic diner charm worth visiting. read more

This is a great place for breakfast and desserts. Yummy pancakes and eggs, and delicious pies. I did veer off course and order a tuna salad sandwich once. It was surprisingly ungenerous, and not flavorful. But breakfast is the reason to go. Beware of the long lines at prime breakfast hours on the weekends. Maybe wait till the weather warms up, so that you're not sitting in your car in an effort to stay warm, are feeling too cold outside. read more

Club sandwich with burger is so good. Everything perfectly balanced. Multigrain bread is delicious

Delicious food in a charming space. Quintessential Vermont. My husband and I were wishing we could find food this fresh and local in our home state of Colorado, but alas this is a rare treat for us! read more

Quintessential small town Vermont Dinner. Great French fries! Reuben is good as well. read more

Absolutely great for breakfast. Great rooms, lots of seating options. Food terrific and varied. Service could be faster, but it was really busy and we were a group of 6. read more

Nice people, great, fresh food. Juicy burgers and hand cut fries. What more do you need?

Nice little spot with plenty of options (gluten-free included!) and delicious food! We ordered the corn beef hash, buckwheat pancakes, eggs, potatoes, bacon, and sausage (justified by a hike after). read more

The Putney Diner - Diners Near Me - Putney, Vermont

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Food was amazing. It's a small place so we had to wait a little for the table, but it was well worth the wait.

Always kind staff. Always yummy food our favorite breakfast place for miles. Coffee treats a gift.

The best diner in Vermont! Both the breakfast and lunch entrees are excellent! Great atmosphere and service as well!

I love the Putney Diner! Eleni and all the staff there are wonderful. The food is wonderful. More than that, the diner is a central and beautiful part of Putney's community and helps bring life to the town. read more

Food was great and staff very friendly. The place looked great. Love the way it set up like a nice little cabin. Felt welcomed

Family and I stopped in for lunch today. From the outside it doesn't look like much so we were a little apprehensive. We seated ourselves and met soon after by our server Marie. Drinks came quickly and orders taken upon delivery. The place is clean and decorated for Christmas. Even though we had seven people in our party, our orders came out quickly and all were hot. Not one of us had any food left on our plates once we were finished eating. The portions were perfect and the food was delicious. Our only complaint was the Ranch dressing didn't taste like Ranch at all. More likely a bottle brand with little flavor. Our server Marie was excellent and gave us great service. Would definitely recommend to anyone! read more

This was a great breakfast spot. It's a charming tiny little diner that has been around more than 50 years. It's not super fast but it looks like there are usually all of 3 people working there--2 serving and 1 cooking. So I get it, they probably get a bit slow when super busy. We had a fabulous breakfast burrito and a great omelette. I rate breakfasts on the potatoes and toast...both were amazing! We will DEFINITELY GO AGAIN!! Service was friendly and they have a charming decor. read more

The Putney Diner - Yummy omelette with potatoes, rye toast and a side of ham in background. - Diners Near Me - Putney, Vermont

Just what I was looking for, without knowing what I was looking for- a restaurant with small-town flavor, local color, fair prices, interesting menu, and hearty food made with care, not too far off the highway during our road trip. The servers at first seemed standoffish but warmed with engagement. I think it's a New England trait. The place was very crowded and I think they seem like they would be most comfortable when the place has just a few neighbors as customers. Reminiscent of the Double R diner in Twin Peaks, WA. The basic beef burger was delicious and satisfying and cooked perfectly, if not as large as I'd hoped (I was very hungry!). They made it to order with grilled onions and blue cheese. The reuben was made on outstandingly flavorful rye bread with pronounced caraway seeds; a little too heavy on the russian dressing, but very tasty. My wife thought the fries were not crispy enough. but I liked them fine. Other dishes that I saw coming out of the kitchen also looked great, including french toast and other breakfast items. We also got a corn bread muffin to go, which was delicious toasted for breakfast the next morning. It's still just a diner, so don't go there expecting fine dining. But it's an outstanding diner with a lot of character and a great experience. Very glad we stopped in. read more

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As diners go, above average in a small village Cons- it takes a long time for a server to come take your order, the fries tasted weird, the server had zero personality (imagine Eeyore asking how your meal was) Pros - once the server actually takes your order, the food comes out rather quickly, the Reuben tasted great and had a rye bread that had a full rye taste, vegetables on the Philly were fresh read more

The Putney Diner - Reuben with fries and coleslaw - Diners Near Me - Putney, Vermont

Great little place on our way home. The waitress was very friendly and food was excellent. We had farm fresh eggs, bacon, home fries and toast from local a local bakery. read more

Best food around. Great service. Fresh local ingredients. Worth the trip to Putney. Coffee Eggs Breakfast Salad Burgers Specials Baked goods read more

Cozy place for good food at nice prices. Got the Turkey Club and it was good roast turkey, not deli meat like you get in some places. Service was good even with only one waitress covering several patrons. Try the spiced hot cider if it's available (seasonal)! read more

The Putney Diner - Street view - Diners Near Me - Putney, Vermont

I was on my way home to NH and needed to stop for a cup of coffee and a snack so I jumped off I-91 into Putney, VT & stumbled upon this amazing cafe! When I stepped in to the diner I was greeted by one of the locals and an assortment of baked goods! I had a hard time deciding what I wanted because they all looked amazing and the best part is they're made right there on site. I ended up with the triple berry muffin and a large hot cup of coffee that hit the spot. The food coming out of the kitchen looked just as amazing as the home made baked goods, and I wish I could have stayed to chat longer but I needed to finish my journey home. The best part about Putney VT is its closeness to where I live in NH so making a trip over for a late breakfast or early lunch with my hubby will make for an enjoyable day during the week. read more

Wonderful staff and delicious food. We love the Putney Diner! Our out of town guests always asked to go again. Eleni is extremely kind and we love supporting this local business that supports a lot of farmers in the area. Delicious coffee - not your regular diner coffee. Best home fries! read more

My wife and I love the Putney Diner! It is a cozy and unpretentious restaurant with tasty food and friendly service. If you're in the area and you are hungry for breakfast or lunch, do yourself a favor and visit this place! The prices are very reasonable and the portions are good sized. Highly recommend for a casual meal! read more

The place was delicious for breakfast. The only thing was poor management due to the place being packed and only 1 server who was serving the entire restaurant and the counter by herself. I felt bad for her, she was running around like crazy but she did a good job for all the people she was serving. Food took a little long but was not her fault. I would come back but add another server! read more

This is the best Philly cheesesteak sandwich I've ever had, and I lived in Philly. The steak was tender, no gristle. Nice combo of peppers, onions and cheese. Iced tea could be more tasteful. Too watery, but that's a small complaint. Wait staff doesn't rush you out the door, but on the other hand doesn't present you with bill in reasonable time. You need to track them down to close out your account. Not only with us, but other patrons around us. All in all, a top notch place! read more

I was excited to try this place. When we walked in for lunch, there was a party ahead of us waiting and the place was packed. We were told it would be about a 15 minute wait and we were seated after 10 minutes. Our orders were taken pretty soon after that, so we thought all was going great. Our drinks were brought, but then we proceeded to wait for 45 minutes without seeing our waitress again. Our 7 year old was getting very hungry at this point and was reaching the end of his ability to wait. My husband managed to get our waitress's attention and asked her for more water for our son and asked if the food would be ready soon. She replied "we're very busy!" and then kind of reluctantly said she'd check. She didn't come back. 10 minutes later we could see that people who had come in before us still didn't have food and it didn't look like ours was likely to come anytime soon. By this time (waiting nearly an hour), our son was full on losing his mind because he was hungry and bored. We put down money for the drinks and left, telling our waitress on our way out that we couldn't wait anymore. She didn't show the slightest sign of surprise or care. I completely understand that they were extremely busy. However, something like "Sorry, I know you've been waiting a long time. We're doing our best to catch up; it's super busy!" would have made us feel like they at least cared and were trying. I don't feel like we're expecting too much to hope to be acknowledged in some way after 45 minutes of waiting. From most of the reviews it seems like people love this place. I'm very disappointed that we did not have a good experience. I don't plan on coming back. read more