Florida Eats: Angel’s Dining Car

What do you look for in a restaurant?  Something that’s tried and true?  A chain restaurant? Or are you adventurous and seek out interesting eateries?  A side benefit of traveling around the state looking for “old Florida” stories, is finding “old Florida” diners.  In this installment of Florida Eats, a trip to Palatka reveals the state’s oldest diner – Angel’s Dining Car.

Angel’s Diner

Angel’s has been serving customers since 1932, when Porter Angel took an old train dining car and converted it into a restaurant.  When Porter died, John and Diane Browning purchased the property.  Even though they are now divorced, the two still run it together.

Situated along busy Highway 17 in the heart of Palatka, the pink and green awnings, the bright silver chrome exterior and its neon sign rising up into the sky make Angel’s easy to find.  True to its history, the diner still offers curb service. Simply park your car, honk your horn, and a waitress will come out and take your order.  Of course, there is indoor seating as well, even though it is limited.

Ambience

Walking inside the dining car is like taking a step back to a time when diners were popular, when car hops skated from car to car taking orders, and when tunes from the jukebox filled the air. Cooks are busy keeping up with the orders and ring a bell to alert the waitresses that there’s an “order up!”

Pull up a chair at one of the pink tabletops or find a stool along the yellow counter.  As a dining car, the inside is narrow, with limited space to walk.

On the Menu

The black and white laminated menu includes both a breakfast menu and a lunch menu.  Although we have not been there for breakfast, the menu features a variety of pancakes and omelets. Like other restaurants, Angel’s has its specialties.  Their onion rings are a must-have.  From a vantage point at the counter, you can see the kitchen, where freshly cut onions sizzle in a vat of oil.  They are, without a doubt, some of the best onion rings we’ve ever had. Other favorite menu items include the Black Bottom – scrambled eggs, bacon and ground beef on a bun and the Pusalow – a chocolate frosty drink that tastes a lot like a Yoo-hoo.

Angel’s is a favorite of regulars and visitors alike.  A steady stream of guests come and go.  Some for the food, others for the nostalgia.  There are no frills.  It’s dated.  It’s old.  But it’s doing what it does best – cooking up great hamburgers and great memories.

Hours

Monday: 6:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.

Tuesday: 6:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.

Wednesday: 6:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.

Thursday: 6:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.

Friday: 6:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.

Saturday: 6:00 A.M. – 10:00 P.M.

Sunday: 6:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.

Floridiana Magazine (FM) Notes:  Palatka is about an hour east of Gainesville and about half an hour southwest of St. Augustine.  Click here to find out more things to see and do in Palatka.