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1935
Tastee Diner unveils its first location, in Bethesda. Outposts in Laurel and Silver Spring follow.
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1962
Louis Cholakis and George Bilidas open Amphora in Vienna. But the area remains a diner desert: They import booths and walls from a New York diner manufacturer.
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1988
The faux-’50s-retro American City Diner opens in Chevy Chase DC. Owner Jeffrey Gildenhorn’s billboard quotes get more attention than the food.
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1989
The Silver Diner chain opens on Rockville Pike. It now has 14 locations—with plans for more over the next few years.
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1995
The New York–style Metro 29 Diner debuts in Arlington with an on-site bakery.
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1998
Tryst coffee shop owner Constantine Stavropoulos opens the Diner in Adams Morgan. Open until 2 am, it quickly be-comes a post-bar-crawl destination.
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2009
Matt Ashburn transports a 1947 diner to DC’s Trinidad and runs Capital City Diner for nearly two years. In 2012, developer Edens buys it on eBay; it’s parked by Union Market and used for pop-ups.
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2013
Silver Diner revamps its menu to include vegan and gluten-free options.
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2015
Silver, an upscale Silver Diner spinoff, opens in Bethesda. All-day breakfast and apple pie are served alongside small plates and alcoholic milkshakes.
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2016
Doron Petersan opens Fare Well, DC’s first vegan diner.
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2016
The old-timey Slim’s Diner opens in Petworth with a simple, under-$12 menu of patty melts and pancakes.
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2016
Restaurateur Mark Bucher will open Community. Featuring a cocktail consultant and a menu developed by a Michel Richard–trained chef, the new eatery sits across from the Bethesda Tastee Diner.
Graphic by Manyun Zou.