I'm a Jersey girl, and we Jersey girls (and guys as well) cannot live without our diners. Yes, you may have noticed that I'm forever milking my Jersey heritage. It makes living in New York City always more interesting for me.

Anyway, whenever I'm back in the Dirty Jerz, there's a good chance that you would be able to find me at one of my favorite diners within a fifteen minute distance of my house.

You see, there's nothing better than a diner that serves up Taylor Ham with breakfast or disco fries smothered in gravy and mozzarella cheese. Those delicacies don't seem to exist outside of the tri-state area, but I digress. 

It's safe to say that no city-- especially NYC-- is complete without that good ol' neighborhood diner where you can always either start the day or close out the night.

You see, diners consistently bring something to the table for everyone.

You can have breakfast at any time of the day, but you can get real food too-- like food that you only thought your mom could make (like that classic meatloaf dish, for example).

You can devour larger than life club sandwiches and fries or you can indulge in decadent diner desserts. The possibilities are endless, the food's always great, and it'll always feel like your lil' slice of home.

"Yeah, diners are awesome!" you might be saying to yourself right now, and you're right. And yes, New York City still has some good old-fashioned diners hangin' around (#saveNYC, will ya?). Here are 8 of those old school diners you need to check out ASAP for a classic, cheap, and delicious New York meal.

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1. Veselka (144 Second Avenue)

If you love pierogis, potato pancakes, and more, then look no further than Veselka. This classic, Ukrainian diner has been an East Village gem for more than fifty years, and they continue to turn out Eastern European specialties on a daily basis.

Oh, and fun fact: Veselka is open for twenty-four hours, as all diners should be. You're welcome. Grab a plate of pierogis with your choice of fillings (whatever you decide, have at least one meat pierogi for me) and dig on in.

[anad]

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2. Stage Restaurant (128 Second Avenue)

Stage Restaurant is just a few blocks from Veselka and they serve quintessential Polish food (which is nearly identical to Ukrainian food). But hey, we say both are worth a try, because pierogis. And because why the hell not.

Stage has everything a diner should have: a vast variety of food (so that you'll never get bored of their menu), specials for every meal, and great prices. However, Stage is cash-only, so make sure your wallet is full because that your tummy deserves to be as well.

And yes, they also have epic Polish dishes like kielbasa and pierogis. That's what makes Stage a great place. You can indulge on a plate full of Polish delicacies or stick to diner classics like deluxe cheeseburgers or happy waitress sandwiches.

Perfect!

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3. Tom's Restaurant (2880 Broadway)

Does Tom's look familiar to you? That's because it regularly appeared on Seinfeld under the name Monk's Cafe.

Tom's is as typical a diner as it gets, but honestly, that's why diners are so great. Their similarity is strangely comforting and appealing. Oh, and again: cash-only. But that's fine because this spot is worth it.

#Protip: order their milkshake. It doesn't matter if you have it with Tom's fantastic pancakes or burgers. Just make sure you get it. You won't be disappointed.

[anad2]

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4. Cup and Saucer (89 Canal Street)

Talk about vintage. On the outside, Cup and Saucer looks like a little LES dive, but we should all know by now that it is what's on the inside that counts. At Cup and Saucer, customers sit at an old-fashioned lunch counter where they order and eat.

Bottom line is this vintage, down-to-earth diner is a small slice of NYC history that you don't want to miss out on.

Amongst Cup and Saucer's best sellers are their egg sandwiches, served with cheese and/or your favorite breakfast meats. The burgers are giant-- literally giant-- and their coffee is great too.

Yep, old school NYC at its finest... cheers!

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5. Bel Aire Restaurant and Diner (31-91 21st Street - Queens)

Rule of thumb: a list about NYC diners is absolutely not complete without a Greek diner. Greek diners are mandatory because they have everything regular diners have, plus Greek specialities, and who doesn't love to get their Greek on every now and then?

Astoria is home to many Greek restaurants, but what about the Bel Aire?

Their menu is endless, and I mean almost literally endless. There is no possibility unmet or unfulfilled this menu. You could get gyros or juicy Greek chicken with vegetables and potatoes or you could just get waffles. It's your call.

But save room for dessert, since their dessert menu is equally as massive.

[anad]

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6. Comfort Diner (214 East 45th Street)

With the keyword being comfort right in the name of this diner, you know what you can expect from this retro Midtown East spot: comfort food classics.

Oh yes, you'll be comforted all right by meatloaf, chicken pot pie, and a Thanksgiving platter that's served every day of the year.

Comfort Diner serves everything your mom whipped up for you while you were still living at home. And don't worry, you can have breakfast for dinner, too.

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7. Pete's Cafe (570 East Fordham Road)

At Pete's Cafe, diner classics and Mexican specialties come together to create one feel good place where variety is more than just the spice of life. Their french toast is bomb and so are their quesadillas, served with sour cream and guacamole (which doesn't even cost extra).

They even offer some Greek specialities, including a really tasty Greek salad, to keep the spirit of the Greek diner alive right up in the Bronx.

[anad2]

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8. Johny's Luncheonette (124 West 25th Street)

This Chelsea greasy spoon serves food until 5 p.m. at an old-fashioned lunch counter, but it's Johny's breakfast that is especially good and a constant crowd pleaser.

Have you ever wanted literally everything for breakfast, but didn't know what to choose?

Get Johny's Big Man Breakfast, complete with eggs, your choice of pancakes or french toast, bacon, sausage, toast, and homefries. Why would you ever do this to yourself? Well, if you have to ask, then you probably don't take diner life very seriously.

Also, during breakfast in the morning hours, coffee is free. I mea really, what more could you ask for?

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If you enjoyed this article, check out Hangover Cure Heaven: 10 Bangin' Brunches to Chow Down on in NYC! 

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Feature image article courtesy of Thrillist.