Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Hudson Diner Goodbye

As earlier reported, the Hudson Diner has closed.

A reader sends in these shots of one regular's heartfelt goodbye note, taped to the window below the roll-down gate:





We hear that Babu and much of the Hudson staff have moved on to the Moonstruck Eatery on E. 58th Street.


photo: Justin Hicks



6 comments:

Larvik said...

Not sure I understand. Is Hudson Diner relocating?

Unknown said...

The Hudson Diner core staff will be relocating to the Moonstruck Diner on 58th and 2nd - around mid-February.

My friends and I visit New York at least once a year in winter and always, always had breakfast in the Hudson. Didn't matter if there were ten-foot snowdrifts on Grove Street, we would come down from midtown to join the hardy locals. Benj's tribute is spot-on. As tourists we shall have the luxury of time to be able to make the trip to the 'other side', where we look forward to being greeted by Babu and Ramon remembering our drinks preferences without any reminder.

We feel sad for those who loved this place as much as we did and who won't be able to make it a regular or frequent stop en route to work. I once wrote elsewhere that the real heart of Manhattan does not beat in its magnificent skyscrapers but in the little outlets and diners that sit beneath them. Who knew that with relentless lack of foresight, Manhattan would slowly but surely have its heart ripped out?

Michael Penn Photography said...

Well that leaves me with Square Diner, Hector's and Pearl. In Philadelphia we're down to one real diner in all of center city.

zuzuzpetals said...

Had no idea. A classic. Wonder if the Waverly Diner is far behind. These places are often so empty.

zuzuzpetals said...

Larvik—I don't think the diner itself is moving. The staff Is going to Moonstruck. Which actually has better food than the Hudson. But it's strange—because Moonstruck is fully staffed already.



Pat said...

East Side Diner at 23rd Street & 1st Avenue closed. They were there a very long time although had different owners and renovated last year. I was surprised as they are across the street from Peter Cooper Village and the Veteran's Hospital and you would think there would be plenty of foot traffic. The building they were in was a new construction and started off as a rental with the strange name "Post Luminaria." Then it went condo and it is called Coda and there were all these giant banners on it proclaiming they were "bringing the heatbeat back to New York home." Another business in that building went belly up a few years ago was Bolton's, the women's clothing chain. I guess the gentry don't eat diner food or buy off the rack dresses. So it goes.