To the relief of many Bay Ridge residents, the rumors of Bridgeview Diner’s demise were greatly exaggerated.
Instead, the longstanding eatery—a neighborhood staple that was purchased in February of this year by experienced restaurateur Dimitrios Kaloidis—is about to undergo a bevy of renovations its new management promises will only better the Bridgeview.
“[He] wants to help and serve the community with his expertise,” said a manager of Kaloidis’ intent. “We’re going to give it a clean atmosphere, better service and continue to serve good food for an affordable price.”
While the manager cited a decline in the number of diners throughout the Big Apple (a figure that was once in the thousands is now in the low hundreds, according to Department of Health records), this certainly isn’t Kaloidis’ first rodeo.
The new owner of the Bridgeview fathers four other eateries: the Georgia Diner and Nevada Diner (both in Queens) as well as the Floridian Diner and Arch Diner in Brooklyn. Kaloidis also has ties to Terrace on the Park, a banquet hall in Flushing, Queens.
Spruce-ups to Bridgeview, management explained, will include a fresh coat of paint to “brighten up the place,” as well as a new sidewalk outside, a repaved parking lot and a more “upscale” menu—complete with new panini, new salads, new entrees and more.
Renovations to the sidewalk and parking lot will begin as early as this week, with the rest of the remodeling slated for the coming months. The diner will remain open throughout renovations.
“We’re going to try to make it better, inside and out,” the manager said, inviting community members—both fond of and unfamiliar with the neighborhood staple—to help “keep this generations-old diner going” by checking out what its new owner has to offer.
Bridgeview Diner – located at 9011 Third Avenue – is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.