As the years have passed and Seton Hall students have come and gone, one thing has remained steady through it all – the diner down South Orange Ave. What was once known as the Blue Moon 18 years ago has since turned into into Village Diner.
Owner Allie Lignos said she and her husband, Nick, knew the importance and weight that came with running a diner in a college town.
The owners explained that they wanted their restaurant to be charming and affordable, while giving parents a peace of mind, knowing that their children would always be safe in their home away from home. “Most importantly, we knew we always needed to be prepared to feed some hungry kids,” Allie Lignos said.
That’s when their classic “Hungry Man Special” meal option came into play, Lignos said. The meal consists of pancakes, waffles or french toast, with the choice of meat and two eggs, topped off with home fries. Lignos said her personal favorite is the chicken parmesan sandwich, with extra fries.
The restaurant offers a 10 percent discount to Seton Hall students, but Lignos said that their relationship with Seton Hall doesn’t stop there. She said they have been working with the athletic department for years, as Nick would deliver an early morning breakfast for the basketball team on game days.
“He’ll be up at 5 in the morning getting orders ready to go for the team,” Lignos said. “They know him, they know the food, and they know everything is going to get there on time.”
The restaurant also has teamed up with establishments throughout the town and offers specials to places like Columbia High School and the JESPY House, an organization that works to provide support for those with learning and developmental disabilities.
“Occasionally we’ll host birthday parties or events for the JESPY House, and it’s great because it really encourages them to get out and be independent,” Lignos said.
Erin Neupauer, a junior film major, said it’s fair to say a trip to the Village Diner usually lasts a little longer than the average food stop.
“I can sit in that diner for hours,” Neupauer said. “It feels just like my one at home, plus their fries are really just incredible.”
When asked about her favorite menu option at the diner, Samantha Innamorato, a junior film major, said, “I like to consider myself a pancake aficionado, so I would have to go with the chocolate chip pancakes as my final answer.”
Eilish Montgomery can be reached at eilish.montgomery@student.shu.edu.
