Glider Diner - Scranton, PA

Posted By Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle on June 18, 2008 2:02 PM

Never underestimate the power of good brown gravy. Blanketing a hot roast beef sandwich, served as a dip alongside crisp, salty fries, and of course pooled in the crater of a volcano of mashed potatoes, brown gravy can make or break a diner meal.

At the Scranton institution named Glider Diner, deep brown gravy is the star of a platter of thinly sliced roast beef piled atop white bread, sided by mashed potatoes. It seems everyone in Scranton knows to get the hot roast beef at the Glider, and it is good, but even better, we think, is the porketta platter, where the Italian-accented roast pork replaces the beef. Porketta, something we've never noticed on a menu before, is an Americanized version of the Italian pig dish porchetta, and is perhaps a cousin to Chicago Italian beef.

The Glider serves up all the diner classics, including omelets for breakfast and burgers for lunch, along with good homemade rice pudding. We recommend sitting in the original Mountain View diner portion of the restaurant for full diner ambience, rather than the larger annex added in 1964.

Overall Rating

Hot Porketta Sandwich Platter

Hot Roast Beef Sandwich Platter

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Posted By Jay Silverman on December 19, 2008 5:33 PM

I grew up in Scranton. My first after-school job was right behind the Glider, and I was a frequent eater there. What always amazed me was the number of truckers who ate there. It's 40 years later and I still find myself dining at the Glider, and I still see the truckers and still love the food. The faces may have changed but the friendly and fast service remains the same.

Don't expect four-star food. If what you want is good all-American diner food then your expectations will be more than met. I love their hot sandwiches with a side of French fries and their famous gravy. The weiners and cheeseburgers are also a favorite of many. Hot coffee fresh from the urn is the rule.

Everyone feels free to engage all in conversation. A truly wonderful place to be.

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Posted By Deborah Pastor on March 23, 2007 4:50 PM

Scranton is a town with some great American food and the Glider Diner is a shining example. The decor is classic diner, right down to the jukebox and friendly waitress.

But best of all is the hot roast beef sandwich with gravy. It was delicious and the gravy seemed to be homemade with none of the tinny aftertaste or overfloury texture that you usually get at diners. We couldn't decide between the french fries or the mashed - so we got both, and both were great.

I wish I could tell you about other entrees, but the roast beef was so good we couldn't order anything else. Except for dessert. The cherry pie was the best I have had in years. The filling was homemade, the cherries tasted as if they were freshly picked and minimally processed. Next time we're in Scranton, we'll be coming back to try the rest of the selection.

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