Everything You Need to Know About the New Kellogg’s Diner

1. A little history, first.

Kellogg’s Diner has been a neighborhood fixture in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, since its opening. The shiny, railcar-like building with the neon blue and red sign, has stood on the same corner for nearly 100 years, satisfying hungry New Yorkers 24/7 with staples like fluffy waffles, western omelets, club sandwiches, and crinkle cut fries. But, like many local diners, it’s had challenges in recent years, including management changes, a global pandemic, and rising costs.

Last year, the diner fell on tough financial times and, instead of letting another New York institution close its doors for good, restaurateur Louis Skibar, owner of Coppelia, Toloache, and Old John’s Luncheonette, jumped at the opportunity to revive it.

2. How it all came together.

Since Kellogg’s Diner had been around for nearly a century, it was important to Skibar to preserve it as a community restaurant, catering both to new and younger Williamsburg locals, but also to anyone who had been to the diner years before. Wanting to preserve the diner’s ethos, but put a modern spin on it, he was eventually connected to chef Jackie Carnesi, formerly of Roberta’s, Empellón Cocina, and most recently, Nura, by Nura’s owner, Michelle Lobo.

Carnesi’s mission? To pare down the diner’s nearly 200-item menu. Originally, Carnesi and Skibar intended to put forth a fully Tex Mex menu for Kellogg’s that would downsize the diner’s original menu of nearly 200 items. The idea to do a Tex Mex menu was inspired by Carnesi’s upbringing in Brownsville, Texas, and later college years spent in Austin. The menu has since pivoted to be more inclusive of many regional American diners and cuisines. That means enchiladas and pozole, but also chicken and waffles, an egg salad sandwich, and chicken noodle soup.

“We pivoted from purely Tex Mex, because we wanted longevity,” says Carnesi. “Why not represent many pockets of America and tap into the overall sense of nostalgia?”

3. The decor is same same, but (slightly) different.

Nico Arze and Matthew Maddy, whose firm Walk and Talk Consulting also designed Lilia, Llama San, and Oxomoco, redesigned the restaurant. They made sure to keep the iconic diner elements like the counter, booths, and plenty of stainless steel, but gave it a contemporary feel with terrazzo and painted glass. Instead of your typical fluorescent diner lighting, they’ve gone with a soft glow, too.

4. Let’s talk about the food.

Whereas in previous times when dining at Kellogg’s was more of a convenience than a thought-out plan complete with a reservation, Carnesi hopes to flip that script with her top-down redesign of the menu. It nods to the original, but possesses a unique approach to nostalgic American classics. There’s a little Tex Mex, like queso, huevos rancheros, enchiladas, and a chipotle mayo topped club sandwich, but also a chicken pot pie, cheesy shrimp and grits, and bibb lettuce cupped Waldorf salad meant to be eaten with your hands.

Breakfast dishes are also a given, and you’ll find buttery, gluten-free cornmeal masa pancakes, as well as a short rib hash, sausage biscuits topped with white gravy, and a version of the classic bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwich.

Pastry chef Amanda Perdomo, previously of Contra, Wildair and the now-closed Cool World, riffs on dessert classics like hummingbird cake and coconut cream pie. Of particular note is the strawberry pretzel salad with layers of pretzel shortbread crust, cheesecake, strawberry Jell-O, and whipped cream. You’ll also find a multi-layered espresso-infused red eye chocolate cake, and a perfectly balanced caramel banana cookie swirl sundae.

5. … And what you’ll be drinking.

Cocktails at the new Kellogg’s Diner lean toward classic throwbacks, but not without an innovative twist. Bartender Chris Amiraul, whom Carnesi worked with at Nura, and who also had stints at the Maybourne Beverly Hills and Otium in L.A., developed a menu filled with Cosmopolitans, Screwdrivers, and Old Fashioneds, drawing on the melting pot that is New York City to cross cultural lines and fuse disparate flavors.

For example, in Amiraul’s interpretation of a Cosmopolitan, you’ll taste cherry blossom sake and lychee-infused vodka, instead of the usual flavors of lime and orange to go with the cranberry grenadine. In the Kellogg’s version of a Paloma, Amiraul borrows elements from the Screwdriver, creating the best of both worlds, with tequila, orange and grapefruit sherbet, pasilla chile, and a Topo Chico float. For fans of darker spirits, he’s put an extra decadent spin on an old fashioned with oolong tea, cinnamon cordial, and a toasted marshmallow garnish.

And for those looking for zero-proof options, there’s also an entire soda fountain section of the menu with floats, shakes, and egg creams featuring housemade ice cream from Perdomo’s pastry team.

6. In short, long live the diner.

This revival of Kellogg’s Diner comes at a time when the city has seen a number of similar additions to the genre, including Montague Diner in Brooklyn Heights, Three Decker in Greenpoint, and Old John’s (also owned by Skibar) on the Upper West, as well as Golden Diner in Two Bridges/Chinatown and Thai Diner in Nolita. And here at Kellogg’s, Carnesi and her team have come together and built a diverse American comfort food menu aimed to satisfy many of New York’s cross sections.

“We wanted it to be polished, but still affordable and for all walks of life to sit down next to each other,” she says. “It’s important that the people who’ve been living in the neighborhood for years feel as welcome and comfortable as the newer residents.” Whether you’re in search of a creamy milkshake, a fluffy stack of pancakes, gooey grilled cheese, or steamy chicken pot pie, she wants you to know you’ve come to the right place.

Kellogg’s Diner is open daily for dinner starting at 5 p.m. and will eventually be open 24/7.

Kyle Beechey is a New York-based freelance writer and dinner party enthusiast who lives on the Lower East Side. Follow her on Instagram.