It was sweet while it lasted. The Yellow Diner, which opened in Vienna less than two months ago on April 1, has announced that it has sold. The new diner will close during a transition period and then quickly relaunch as Carnegie Diner & Cafe.
“We spoke to a lot of customers and they said, ‘We want a more traditional diner, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and that’s something we couldn’t offer as a family,” says owner Emanuel Pagonis. “We couldn’t put that much time into the restaurant with having another restaurant as well. … It just didn’t work out the way we wanted it to.”
Yellow Diner was a highly anticipated newcomer to Vienna’s restaurant scene. The Pagonis family also own the acclaimed Mediterranean restaurant Nostos in Tysons. When the diner opened, foodies flocked for its brunch and dinner offerings that included a mix of classic comfort food and special dishes like shakshuka.
“We reached out to some family friends from New York who do diners, and offered them an opportunity to open up one of their traditional diners here in Vienna,” Pagonis says.
Carnegie Diner & Cafe has three existing locations — in Times Square and Central Park in New York City and one in Secaucus, New Jersey. Its menu boasts diner classics like egg dishes, pancakes, burgers, and deli sandwiches. Owner Stathis Antonakopoulos says he’s planning a soft opening on May 24 and a grand opening June 1.
“We have a team of 10 people coming from New York to train the crew here,” Antonakopoulos says. “We rehired all staff from Yellow Diner plus 15 people extra, since we will open more hours and more days.”
The new concept will be open seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Carnegie Diner offers organic omelets and burgers, signature steaks, and “our Pastrami and corn beef sandwich is out of this world,” Antonakopoulos says.
“We want to thank you dearly for your support and patience as we’ve incubated this new project,” said in a letter from the Yellow Diner posted to the Vienna Foodies Facebook group. “Your enthusiasm has been very appreciated and a blessing!”
“I think it’s best for everyone,” Pagonis says of the sale. The new owners “They “know a what they’re doing with the traditional diners. They have more hours, a larger menu. I think they are more what people are looking for. It’s going to be better for everyone, including us, so I think we’ll stick to Greek restaurants— fine dining — and we’ll give the diner to people who know what they are doing.”
Feature image of Yellow Diner by Amy Ayres, Maggie Roth contributed to this story
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