On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Mon-Sun. 6:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Loading...
I LOVE this place. We went there around 1PM and the wait was about 20 minutes, which wasn't too bad.
Once we sat down, we ordered the following:
1) Turkey Chili - YUM!
2) Classic Benedict with Ahi Tuna Steak - the hollandaise sauce was superb.
3) Buttermilk Pancakes with Chocolate Chips & Strawberries - this is a guilty pleasure... dessert for breakfast! The pancakes were so good that no syrup was needed.
4) Belgian Waffle with Whipped Cream & Bananas - YUM! The whipped cream was so fluffy and light. I'm not even a big fan of whipped cream either.
Everything was perfect. I would definitely return again. There aren't that many places that I would rate 5 stars... but this is it!!
I love this place. I have nothing more to add or detract from the other yelpers who reviewed the restaurant here. The only reason I'm writing this is so that I can add Classic to my list of "America's Best Breakfast" - let the sun shine in!
Did you know you can buy the bacon on QVC? Yum.
Wish they would open one in NYC!!!
I can list all the things I tried and tell you about how amazing each was... but then I would be repeating my self and be over using "delicious, tasty, great, wow"...
So don't ask me what I tried.. Just go here and try anything :)
We over ordered for the three of us and there wasn't a bad dish (in fact there wasn't even a dish that was soso... ok, maybe the fries were so so since we actually took them to go and eat them cold 5 hours later... but that isn't fair evaluation)
Happy Eats!
Lots of food, classy atmosphere, limited hours.
Less a classic diner, more a nice casual bistro restaurant. The food was delicious if not exceptional, the service was fine, the atmosphere restrained and tasteful. The wife and I both had breakfast food, but the lunch food at the tables around us looked just as nice. The pancakes were massive, just massive. The plates were these white ceramic curved platters, super cool. The hours - I think they close at three, and even though I get up at six every day, I honestly would rather have breakfast later in the afternoon. But I'll be back whenever I get a chance.
If all diners were like Classic diner, my life would be perfect.
i was in town visiting friends and one of them suggested driving out to Malvern for brunch. She'd been to Classic before and thought it was really good.
They serve breakfast even during lunch hours so I was happy. I had heard about their hand cut fries and boy they were delicious. Thick and crispy cuts of potatoes were a tasty piece of carb heaven.
We ordered the pulled pork sandwich, which is ginormous! The Tuna BLT, the old bay chips, eggs benedict, pancakes and fried chicken. Everythign was executed to near perfection.
The food coupled with the cute shabby chic decor was a nice experience in the middle of nowhere. The only thing I was unhappy about was the service. The girls were a bit rude and forgetful. It makes me wonder if it was their first week on the job. I mean coffee with no mixing spoon and cream or milk, missing utensil settings, chasing her down for water. It was a rough start for sure.
All in all, cute place and worth checking out!
Great vibe and huge portions. Great staff. After an uncharacteristic early start, went around 9a on a sunday, probably less cramped, several empty tables still.
Wish I could afford to put salmon and crab in my benedicts or omelettes. Great options, but they do cost sufficiently extra.
Having gone to school just down the road, The Classic Diner was the go-to place for when my family would visit. Prior to my first experience at the diner, I had noticed on several occasions that the parking lot was packed every day of the week during the breakfast/lunch hours. One day, when the food at school was particularly horrendous, I decided to check out The Classic Diner with a group of my friends.
The food was excellent, especially during the breakfast hour. I ordered an omelette on my first visit, and it was fantastic. It was about the size of a small child, and was packed with apple-smoked sausage, fresh green peppers, onions and mozzarella cheese. If memory serves, it came with a couple pancakes on the side. I rarely have trouble finishing a meal, but this was one of those rare occasions when I was too full to complete it. On my second visit, I ordered a waffle, and I split a piece of "mile high"apple pie with my dining partner. While the waffle was standard fare, the apple pie was superb. It must be said that I am not a fan of apple pie, but theirs was exceptionally good.
The food is a bit pricey, but the portions were so monumental that it was worth the extra money. While the restaurant was nicely decorated, the tables were a bit too close together. The service was fair, but not exceptional. It was a great place to go if you are with a large group. A fifteen to twenty minute wait is pretty standard, which I suppose is a testament to their success.
A great establishment that continues to do great things and I am yet to find something on the menu which I don't enjoy.
Their french fries are particularly enjoyable and the coffee is always the freshest.
This is a must-try location for breakfast or lunch, unfortunately that often results in a 15-20 minute wait, but it's worth every minute.
Best eggs benedict hands down. I have eaten there many times and the only thing I ever want to try is eggs benedict because my mouth is still watering from the last time I ate there.
i love breakfast. and i love diners. so what could be wrong?
this is not your typical dirty greasy spoon diner. nope, not at all. but what would you expect out on the main line? and calling it classic, when it's been only open circa 1995...well, that makes me feel mighty old.
that being said...
apparently people out on the main line don't have much to do on thursday mornings, because the place was pretty darn crowded. cute, whitewashed walls... lots of echo-ing noise.
i got the build-your-own omelette. i asked for bell peppers, provolone, and apple sausage. they forgot the sausage--it's ok, because the omelette was already as large as my head and i don't think i could have eaten anything else.
tasty? yes. cute? yes. will i go back? most def.
The Classic diner is my favorite place for lunch and breakfast. Its not really a "diner" per say, its more of a upscale bistro pretending to be a diner.
The food and attention to detail is out of this world. The eggs Benedict, especially with Filet, is amazing. The omelettes are huge, with a ton of different ingredient options. The coffee is really solid too.
Lunch is also very strong. The crab cake sandwich, the tuna burger, and the lobster BLT are all very good. The burgers are very good. The quesildillas are solid. There isn't a bad item on the menu.
The service is very strong. They have very little turnover, and the woman who runs the place is very detail oriented. We no longer live near Malvern, but we try to make it back to the Diner at least once a month.
One thing to keep in mind, the place is always packed on the weekends. I recommend getting there very early in the morning, or later in the afternoon.
There is nothing classic or diner about this place, it is a small cramped cute little place along rt 30 that just knocks it out of the park with their food. Everything from Ahi Tuna eggs benedict to a crab cake bigger than your head with the right amount of meat seasoning and breading for texture, delicious hand cut fries, to peanut butter and banana french toast with very thickly sliced bacon on the side. Inventive, fresh, delicious but definately not "diner". Bring someone to share and split a main and still expect to take home left overs. 1 Point subtracted due to being too cramped. Would be great if they opened up for dinner.
Unfortunately they discontinued the lobster club sandwich on a brioche ....why oh why !!!
Fortunately, everything else still rocks, including the brioche french toast.
Have been coming here for years. This is not your Momma's diner. It serves upscale and delicious… Read more »
The Classic Diner continues to be the best diner around, by a mile. The portions are overly generous, you probably will not finish your plate! The waitors/waitresses are always friendly and you will wonder how they keep track of everything in such a small and crowded space. If you go there during a weekend, especially a Sunday, expect to wait a minimum 45 minutes if not more.
The food is excellent, it's very gourmet diner foods. That being said, the prices are not expensive by any means, but it is slightly more than avergae. You can get everything from omlets, bagels, BLTs, etc. The menu is very extensive and everything you order will be huge and come with even bigger sides of the home-made french fries or chips. The eggs benedict is as good as anywhere if you are a fan of that, but as I said most evertyhing is delicious. The Boston pulled pork sandwich is awesome and the BBQ sacue it comes with is worth asking for an extra side of! Defintely try their side of thick cut bacon as well, that's a big hit!
If you are taking out, avoid ordering omlets as they for some reason tend to be very runny and watery when you finally get back to eat it.
The only negative is that it's a very small space and it's usually crowded. I always wonder why they don't expand but I guess that is just part of the charm and it makes it feel more like an inner-city diner with the noise traveling throughout. They do usually turn the tables fairly quickly so don't be afraid to pull in even if the parking lot looks full!
Best hot chocolate EVAR!!!!!!!
Busy busy busy, but if you can find room and don't mind yelling you'll get some of the best food you could ever hope for. Fabulous french toast on a plate bigger than my head and my stomach. Their cinnamon infused butter is to DIE FOR!
Go for the food, not the intimate dining experience, you won't be disappointed.
Did I mention they make their own whipped cream...................... AGH!
Ok, so I haven't been here in al ittle over a year. I was seriously underwhelmed after all the great hype I had heard about this place. I ordered a burger. It was just ok. I found it to be overpriced once you added some simple (not necessarily "premium") toppings. Fries were pretty good though.
I wasn't even finished my meal before I was trying to figure out how soon I could come back. My boyfriend has been talking about bringing me here for months. Now I understand why.
On the way he mentioned how good their coffee is. Then he said, "Maybe it's the mugs. Can mugs make coffee taste better?" Since you taste with your eyes before your mouth, the latte mugs they use for their coffee really does add to the appeal. They are large mugs that they do a great job of keeping full. It helps that the coffee itself is actually really good. Just like the mugs, they know how to properly use plates here. They use large plates and fill the space (with sauces, potatoes, whatever) so you really feel like you are getting the full bang for your buck. It's nice but unnecessary because you will leave feeling full.
Prices can be a little bit steep for some items and extremely reasonable for others. Eggs benedict for $11 and change might be more than you want to pay, but when you add a ton of lump crab meat and only pay 15 clams... well, you just can't beat that.
We shared two breakfast items because my boyfriend is nice and because I am greedy and wanted to try as many things as possible. So we ordered the pear stuffed french toast and the crab eggs benedict. Both were really delicious but the crabby eggs were so good I think I'm going to have wet dreams about them for years to come.
Now, I thought the sauce on the eggs was a little bit thick. Actually, it was very thick. But, I'm so glad it was. Because it was so thick, it didn't move at all. This means that every delicious bite was slathered in delicious sauce. Did I mention that the food was delicious?
As a city dweller who stems from NJ, my favorite place for brunch in the city is Honey's. So for people like me who know Honey's a little too well (and not much else), I'd like to do a mini comparison.
Decor- both are simple. However, the decor here is more New England living room simplicity than farm house simplicity.
Service- both great with keeping mugs full and food coming out fast. The only difference is that here the servers cover their tattoos with freshly ironed shirts.
Food- both delicious, both fresh, and both will leave you spending a little bit more than you had hoped to (prices really are similar). But you'll never regret spending that money.
Sweetheart... darling... baby... mi novio... honey... when can we go back?
OK, first the bad. Like many have said, get there early or be prepared to wait. The parking lot is waaay too small. And ya, things can get kinda cramped. But those are my only real gripes and easily overlooked due to the food.
The food is, in a word, incredible. I have never, ever, ever, ever had a bad meal at this joint. Granted I only go there for breakfast and I get the same thing just about every time, but it always comes out tasting absolutely scrum-diddily-upmtious. Service is always with a smile. No attitudes allowed here (at least, that's been my experience). It can be funny sitting there waiting for a table with a crew of peeps who you just know had a really, really rough night on the town. They are a little more on the pricey side considering they bill themselves as a "diner" but they are worth every single penny and more. One of the best breakfast joints in the area. Worth the trip from anywhere in the area.
The crowds flock to this place and I don't blame them. The food we ordered was not only good, but you could tell that they paid special attention to the prep and ingredients. I had an amazing open-faced egg sandwich with redpeppers and cheese and my lovely date had the most amazing french toast.
This place is only open from 6am to 3pm, so finding an un-crowded time is tough and we were seated elbow to elbow, so plan on being flexible if you have more than 2 people in your group.
THE GOOD: Really fantastic breakfast food. Pretty waitresses dressed in black. Tasty coffee in big cups. Used to be my favorite breakfast place.
THE BAD: The parking is atrocious if you get there after 8am. Once you wedge your car in the last spot, you'll wait for a table. Outdoors. In crappy weather. For a long time. Once inside, you get to sit at one of their tables jammed 18 inches apart.
THE UGLY: Prices...you'll pay dinner prices for breakfast. Noise, like being on an airport runway. And the waitresses' I-don't-care-if-you-choke-or-come-back attitude.
Stylish waitresses dressed in all black; $15 eggs benedict; diners dressed to impress at 10am on a Sunday... Classic Diner has a vibe that's more NYC than Malvern; and it delivers on all counts. Classic Diner is a must-visit breakfast/brunch/lunch spot for anyone in the western suburbs. My go-to-dish is the eggs benedict (classic, salmon, crab, avocado, etc.) - it is gold standard and a reminder of how this dish is supposed to be prepared. Expect to wait and spend for breakfast what you usually spend for dinner... but, yes, it's worth it!
Update: Lunch is just as good as breakfast (I'd add a 6th star if I could). Huge portions. Amazing presentation. Don't miss the mile-high apple pie & the chocolate chip cookies for dessert (served warm if you eat it there)
I don't know why I'm writing this review. Because I don't want anyone else to discover this place and crowd it any more than it already is.
For whatever reason, this place is only open until 3pm on weekends, and does not serve dinner. They're also one order of magnitude too small for the amount of passionate devotion their low-priced, hugely-portioned, stellar food inspires. But if you and/or your family don't leave feeling it was worth the trip, I'll pay for your meal. (Just kidding, but seriously, it's awesome.) Recommended: the hot chocolate is probably not up to Ghiradelli standards, but for us East Coast folks, it's as good as it gets. Also any of the home-made fried potato products (fries, chips) are inexplicably addicting. Finally, the turkey hash and yogurt parfaits are frequent favorites. My wife and I gladly drive the 30+ minutes each way to this place from Bryn Mawr on weekends with a lot of time.
Classic Diner is sort of like the Sabrina's of the suburbs - essentially, it's a place to wait for a very long time for a delicious brunch. If you don't feel like waiting, there's a separate take-out menu. There's also counter seating, which often opens up faster than regular booths.
Among other things, the breakfast menu offers omelettes that can be customized with about 30 different ingredients. There's also peanut butter and banana french toast (with star anise honey syrup) and pear and cinnamon french toast with orange grand marnier syrup. The portions are ridiculously, almost painfully large. The coffee is excellent. Did I mention that there are like ten kinds of eggs benedict?
Unfortunately, one thing that separates Classic Diner from Sabrina's are the prices. This place is not cheap - on par with brunch places in Manhattan. (Ok, it's also different from Sabrina's because they give you a beeper/pager and there's nowhere fun like the Italian Market to wander around nearby. Also, Classic Diner doesn't serve dinner. The crowd is also pretty different and generally more annoying than the Sabrina's crowd. On the plus side, the weekend wait time is probably about half what you'd normally encounter at Sabrina's. In conclusion, it's actually nothing like Sabrina's at all!)
If you handle waiting usually 25 minutes, this place is definitely worth it. The food is always in extremely large proportions. I have the banana and peanut butter french toast and I think they used an entire jar of peanut butter on it. The lump crab omelette is also a must try.
I voted that it was not good for kids because it's an awfully cramped space inside and no real room between yourselves and the table, so any unruliness may not be appreciated by someone without kids.
Coffee is also a must have, the cups are large and after one cup you're good to go.
After arguing about whether we'd go to Burger King, Wawa or Cracker Barrel for breakfast (insert eye roll here) I convinced the boyfriend to try somewhere new on a recent Saturday morning.
I had heard from someone I work with that this was a great place for Eggs Benedict (which I've never had), and he was the first person who I'd ever talked to about The Classic Diner. So we decided to give it a try.
Upon pulling into the parking lot, which was exceptionally full, the boyfriend became concerned that we were under-dressed (me - Mike Schmidt t-shirt; boyfriend - NY Giants t-shirt). We might have been.
This isn't your typical diner AT ALL. I described it this week to some friends as what Pottery Barn would be if it was a restaurant. But it's crowded and loud. But cute. And the menu - wow!
Our orange juice was freshly squeezed and amazing. The coffee - in very large mugs, and just right. You can get either breakfast or lunch, and people were getting both. We got breakfast.
Boyfriend got stuffed french toast with pears with a Grand Marnier sauce and bacon. Liked the french toast, liked the pears, hated the Grand Marnier sauce (but the bread was thick, and didn't soak the sauce in, so he was able to salvage it) and LOVED the super-thick bacon.
I - well - I went a little overboard. I was going to get the stuffed french toast as well, but we have this little (annoying) rule that we can't order the same thing when we go out. So, I got an omelet with lobster and white cheddar cheese, which came with grilled potatoes and toast. WOW. It was a whole lobster tail surrounded by omelet. The cheese was great, the lobster was buttery, and potatoes were thick-cut and perfectly seasoned. It was expensive, and probably a little (okay, a lot) indulgent, but all in all, I'm really glad I did it. And a little embarrassed.
We did see lots of other meals; since it is really cramped in there we actually got a good look. Salads and sandwiches look like works of art. They're huge and amazing-looking. I really wanted to get the crab or lobster blt with avocado. If we go there near lunch time again, that's probably what I'll do. But if it's close to breakfast, I'll probably try the pancakes.
I've seen some reviews online of this place (not on Yelp) that said the service was poor. These were old reviews, and I didn't see that at all. All of the servers were attentive and polite. No attitudes here.
Great local diner with ample portions. This is not your typical run-of-mill-diner that looks and tastes like Denny's, IHOP, or Bob Evans. The menu has a really decent variety of choices that you can try for breakfast or lunch. It's always busy here, so I suggest you go early. Try the breakfast potatoes.
GREAT place to find delicious food to fill up your belly! The portions are very generous, the servers are friendly, and service is timely. My boyfriend and I split onion rings, which we did not expect to come in a bucket! I had a tuna melt that was spectacular. I can't wait to go back. The only down side to this diner is that it is always packed! They do have first-come first-serve seating at the counter.
Favorite place to eat in Chester County. We just moved away from Malvern and although only 10 minutes away now-- I was sad to leave Classic!
There is nothing like it!
Just wish they would make it bigger ( like a second floor) b/c it's tough to wait, especially with young kids.
My boyfriend's sister brought us here for a hearty meal. This was a great place to stop during our 2-hour road trip.
We had to wait a while, but once we got our table we were served right away. I admired the dishware and utensils (very William Sonoma). The interior of the restaurant was like walking into a Martha Stewart magazine, like sitting in Martha's kitchen. We sat on comfortable booth style seating. The fluffy pillows and seat cushions made it feel like I was eating at home.
The plates of flavorful food could easily be shared, but we all ordered our own dish. I had the peanut butter/banana waffle with a side of sausage. My boyfriend had the bacon, avocado, tomato burger. And his sister had a chicken salad.
If there was anything to change about this place is perhaps to expand on the seating. The indoor waiting standing area was crowded (probably 6 tables-worth of people waiting) because it was during the winter time and it was a bit chilly outside.
Delicious!
this place is INCREDIBLE. It's awfully pricey, but 100% worth it. i like to tell the story about the time i ordered a$19 omelette. it turned out to be 3 meals. their home fries are outta control. and anything, ANYTHING, is better than the shameful barf-fest down the street called McKenzies. I fucking hate that place.
This is no diner. And certainly not a place where you make an appearance with bed head. This is a trendy, sophisticated spot on the main line with beautiful, friendly staff dressed in head-to-toe NY black, in a clean, urban-contemporary, yet cozy decor, serving up the most scrumptuous breakfast and lunch selections that you will find in suburban Philadelphia. The portions are HUGE (your dish will rival the size of the gargantuan modern clocks that decorate the walls)...so make sure you bring a hearty appetite. Also required is a little bit of patience as you try to maneuver around a tight parking lot that is wall-to-wall Mercedes, followed by a 15-20 minute wait for your table with little room to stand. Trust me, it's worth it. The menu is extensive, with many healthy choices, that is, if you have the will power to resist a full stack of blueberry pancakes or a side of their mouth-watering, signature bacon that is featured on QVC. Your request for an egg white omelet won't be declined here. And the presentation of the food is exquisite. They are even open 7 days a week, starting at the crack of dawn til about 2ish. Be there.
Malvern, PA
Category: Restaurants
Newtown Square, PA
Category: Sandwiches
West Chester, PA
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Malvern, PA
Category: Chinese
Malvern, PA
Category: American (New)
Some of my favorite dining destinations in…
Here are my favorite spots I've found in and…
The new list of places I have to limit my amount…
I live in Chester County, so I'm forced to eat…
