This previously ran in our April 2023 print issue.
To truly understand this place of magic you have to take a step back, out onto the street in Kutztown. You won’t hear about Letterman’s diner from some ad on the internet or an obnoxious street sign – it’s only spoken of in whispered tones, as a secret known by a few too many people.
Once you’ve heard about it, you have to make the initial approach, past the thin blue line flag overhead.
Doug Letterman, the owner, is an upfront and honest man. If an employee isn’t doing their job, he’ll let them know right in front of the customers. If he wants to post a meme about gas stoves and drugs, or share news about the health of his family, you can bet the farm he’s already done so on his diner’s Facebook page.
It’s easy to overlook the minutiae of any restaurant, but it’s just as important as the food — they are the restaurant’s identity. The ambiance of a hidden gem is half of what makes it special.
Of course, we can’t gloss over the food. Once you’ve passed under the watchful Shrek figurine and the photoshopped dollar bill featuring Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky and sat down at one of 23 old-fashioned bar stools at the counter, you’re given a chance to see the menu. There’s a robust breakfast repertoire, containing all the diner classics, as well as a rotating list of specials, based on whatever Mr. Letterman can get his hands on.
It takes awhile for the food to reach your plate, but this only serves to build well-deserved anticipation. When it’s set down before you, it looks like a dish you’d see in an all-you-can-eat competition, not something that any restaurant would serve. And yet, every single bite is a delicious, salty, cholesterol-filled wonderland. The ingredients may not be completely balanced, but there’s such a prodigious amount you can take out as much as you’d like of whatever’s disrupting your palette and still have two servings on your plate.
The quantity doesn’t take away from the quality, either. Other than the aforementioned overabundance of sausage, the food hits at every level. The sauces taste homemade and rich, the hash browns are crispy, the eggs cooked to a perfect gel. Pages could be filled with a description of the food, but there’s no way to truly convey the complete Letterman’s experience without an in-person visit. 8.5/10
Dale • Jan 14, 2024 at 11:05 am
So true! Best breakfast and lunch restaurant. Great place to take a friend with an appetite.
Lynn Smith • Jan 7, 2024 at 10:22 pm
Didn’t mention that he is a Racist