Best Diner '97

Best Diner

5 & Diner
4330 E. Broadway
4520 N. Stone Ave.

READERS' PICK: These diners with their shiny chrome and red neon signs have been popular in Phoenix for years. Earlier this year two locations joined the ranks of the Tucson family of franchises; and judging from the perpetually packed parking lots (not to mention our overwhelming readers' poll), they appear to be getting a warm reception from the locals. 5 & Diner is open into the wee hours of the morning, a feature especially prized by famished, bleary-eyed night owls. And the red vinyl booths, black-and-white linoleum floors, and the everlasting words of Chubby Checker ringing in the air ("twist again like we did last summer") can't help but strike a nostalgic chord, even for those of us whose closest brush with a sock-hop was a Happy Days re-run. The food is just what you'd expect from America's original family restaurant concept: burgers and shakes (served in a fancy soda-fountain glass, with requisite chilled metal container alongside); meat loaf and chicken-fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy; and a special children's menu including hamburgers, hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches. In keeping with our modern-day obsession with entertainment, a resident balloon-artist works the room, offering a tableside spectacle of elaborate headwear, blunt-edged weaponry, spaceships and animal creations.

Rockin' around the clock as it does, 5 & Diner hasn't forgotten about the first meal of the day--the full-scale breakfast offers waffles, pancakes, French toast, bacon and eggs. Mini-jukeboxes grace each cozy booth, letting you select your favorite oldies in private for just a quarter--though explaining to your toddler that it's time to go, even if you haven't yet heard "Woolly Bully" blaring overhead, has proven a challenging proposition for more than one diner, in our experience. Obviously, the solution is to plan a return trip soon...something more families appear to be doing on a regular basis.

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Grill, 100 E. Congress St. (See Best Late-Night Dining. )

A REAL SCREAM: Remember the Martin Scorsese movie Alice Doesn't Live Here Any More, filmed in downtown Tucson in 1973? The diner at which much of the movie was filmed is long gone, but its homey soul has migrated eastward to Bread and Butter Café, 4209 E. 22nd St. The offerings of this fine eatery are the soul of simplicity, as is the way of all good diners. Five bucks will buy you a ham steak, pork chops, or a hot meat loaf sandwich with all the trimmings, along with an endless supply of ice tea and plenty of smiles from the waitresses. The place opens at dawn and closes at 3 p.m., so plan an early meal. You'll be glad you did.

1998 Winner: Grill
1996 Winner: Little Anthony's Diner
1995 Winner: Little Anthony's Diner