Hidden Gems Of Connecticut: Lakeside Diner In Stamford

STAMFORD, CT — While there are hundreds of diners in Connecticut, there aren't many that offer customers space to enjoy fresh homemade donuts and hot coffee while watching ducks swim by on a lake. This specific experience can be enjoyed at Lakeside Diner, a small piece of local history located on Long Ridge Road, right off exit 34 of the Merritt Parkway, in Stamford.

To enter the diner is to step into a piece of preserved Stamford history, as much of it looks the same as it did when it opened in the late 1950's. According to owner Jane Agostino, even the counters and stools are the same ones that were in place six decades ago.

"We've had to change the chairs a number of times over the years, but other than that it's the same," Agostino said to Patch. "The way it is today is the way it was built back then, so what you see is original."

The diner's origins predate Agostino's time in charge. According to her, Lakeside Diner was first run out of a trailer in 1951. A few years later, operations were moved to the current building.

In 1987, Agostino and her husband, Dominick, decided to buy the diner from the previous owner. Though she ran a business in Greenwich prior to the purchase, running Lakeside Diner was Agostino's first time working in food service.

"I had never worked with food," Agostino said. "It was a huge transition, but I had faith in myself and knew I could do anything. Now, all these years later, [the diner] is still going strong."

Though she did not change much inside the diner after taking over, she did make a few important updates, including setting hours of operation and getting a telephone. Those necessities aside, much of what customers love about Lakeside Diner remains the same as it always has.

The biggest draw is in the name, as the diner sits alongside a peaceful lake, and large windows enable customers to get a great view of the water and its natural inhabitants while enjoying their breakfast.

"[Customers] come and look at the wildlife," Agostino said. "Through the years, kids will come here and count the ducks in the water. It's wonderful."

Another big draw that gets customers lining up out the door every weekend are the diner's homemade, old-fashioned cinnamon sugar donuts, which Agostino said have become a phenomenon.

"The donuts are a huge seller," Agostino said. "It's just evolved over the years. The donuts were always made here, but over the years they just got to be more and more popular. It's really amazing."

These tasty treats are made fresh every morning around 5 a.m. and are so popular that they must have 10 dozen ready by 7 a.m., just to try and meet demand. Though the diner is across the street from a Dunkin' Donuts, it has not affected the amount of people that come in for these popular homemade pastries.

Should you fancy something other than a donut, the diner also offers omelettes and a variety of pancakes, including "red, white and blue cakes" topped with strawberries, blueberries and bananas.

The consistency in both the menu and atmosphere at Lakeside Diner are part of its appeal, and its something Agostino hopes to continue providing for her customers, some of whom she refers to as her "diner family," as she sees many of them on a weekly or even daily basis.

"I live here everyday," Agostino said. "It really is my home due to all the hours I spend here...I love coming to work; it's my passion."

Along with loyal customers, the diner attracts many travelers due to its location right off the parkway. It has even attracted a few celebrities.

A scene from the 2008 family comedy "College Road Trip" was filmed at the diner with stars Martin Lawrence, Raven-Symoné and Donny Osmond. According to Agostino, Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband, Matthew Broderick, also recently paid a visit to the diner.

While it may be hard to point to one reason why the diner has remained so popular over the years and continues to attract new customers, perhaps it's best summed up by Agostino herself:

"You just don't find a place like this anymore."

The Connecticut Hidden Gem series features out-of-the-way mom and pop restaurants, small specialty stores you may have never heard of, little-known historical markers or beautiful nature spots that may be a bit off the beaten path.