NYC’s All-Day Carnegie Diner Is Coming to the D.C. Area

A modern American diner named for its proximity to legendary Carnegie Hall makes its first foray outside of the New York tri-state area next month.

Carnegie Diner & Cafe (501 Maple Avenue W., Vienna, Virginia) will debut on June 5 in the 3,200-square-foot space that housed short-lived Yellow Diner. The original Carnegie Diner & Cafe opened off Central Park near Carnegie Hall in 2019, followed by another large Midtown Manhattan location and a third in Secaucus, N.J. The fledgling diner has no affiliation with NYC’s famed pastrami house Carnegie Deli.

Its newest 92-seat edition brings all-day breakfast and its popular 24-layer chocolate cakes down I-95. Its Greek owner and executive chef Stathis Antonakopoulos has ties to D.C., having served as director of operations at Kellari on K Street NW.

Breakfast served from opening to close (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) includes lobster-topped eggs Benedict, avocado toast, a BLT quinoa bowl, steak and eggs, a dozen types of pancakes, decadent waffles, and French toast. Lunch and dinner brings rib-eye steak, burgers, salads, Atlantic salmon, fish n’ chips, shrimp spaghetti, and spaghetti carbonara to the table. The menu also swings from sugary sweets (pies, cupcakes, and over-the-top milkshakes) to a full page of healthy entrees like a souvlaki platter and Impossible vegan burger.

Nearby neighbor Vienna Roastery will fuel the diner’s bottomless coffee component and espresso bar. Anytime-brunch drinks like mimosas, bellinis, and bloody marys join wine, beer and cocktails at the bar.

To honor its NYC roots, the space will showcase supersized photos of Carnegie Hall’s iconic concert stage and portraits of past musicians performing at the centuries-old landmark venue.

Yellow Diner at the Village Green shopping center opened only two months ago in a former Suntrust Bank branch, and its owners from Nostos Restaurant opted to close and hand the diner off to Carnegie.

Antonakopoulos’ Carnegie Hospitality also owns and operates Italian Piazza and Carnegie Catering, as well as delivery ghost kitchens like Organic Burger House, NYC Pancake House and NYC Pastrami House.

Carnegie Diner is the latest Manhattan eatery to make moves into the D.C. area. Cafe Fiorello, the Italian fixture across from Lincoln Center since 1974, will open later this year in the old Tadich Grill space along Pennsylvania Avenue NW.