Richard Swerdlow: Nostalgia is On the Menu

Richard Swerdlow reminisces about San Francisco’s diner culture.

Can I top off your cup of coffee?

Sorry, refill by radio is not possible. But if you’ve lived in the bay area long enough, it is possible you remember a vanishing breed of restaurants – the diner serving up bottomless cups of dishwater coffee, huge breakfasts, milkshakes, slices of pie, pancakes. In the ‘40s and ‘50s, these not-so-fine dining establishments were in every San Francisco neighborhood.

Growing up, I liked our city’s diners. I like the familiarity – whatever neighborhood, diners had the same formica counters with stools and artificial leather booths.

More than blue plate specials, I appreciate how diners are uniquely American. France has cafes, England has pubs, we have diners. It’s a statement about the impact of the diner on American culture that diners are settings for numerous TV shows, plays, movies, even paintings, such as Edward Hopper’s “Nighthawks.”

But iconic or not, diners are dying out in San Francisco, the hearty and affordable meals no longer popular…cholesterol in eggs, gluten in toast, who knows what in hot dogs, weak coffee. These time capsules of Americana are gone – remember Fog City Diner? Doggie Diner? Woolworth’s luncheonette? These days, I sometimes pass an old diner, surprised that the stools and booths have been replaced with sleek modern decor and an expensive minimalist menu.

But like a bottomless cup of coffee, with sentimental reminiscing, eventually you’ve had enough. San Francisco is always changing and the way we eat is changing, too. So, here’s what’s on my menu: remember San Francisco’s disappearing diners with fond nostalgia, and enjoy the creativity of the innovative dining scene of this city, famous for food.

But a bottomless cup of joe sounds does sound good…

With a Perspective, I’m Richard Swerdlow.

Richard Swerdlow is a retired San Francisco teacher.