Oakhurst Diner grateful to celebrate a decade in business

MILLERTON — From delivering top-notch service to its diners on a weekly basis to creating a program to keep the community fed during a global health pandemic, the Oakhurst Diner has been going the extra mile to support the community it serves throughout its many years in business. Located at 19 Main St. in Millerton, the diner celebrated 10 years in business on Monday, May 18, prompting employees to reflect on their time spent at the classic diner and in the close-knit community to consider how the business has carved a name for itself in the village over the last decade.

Though the Oakhurst Diner officially opened for business in 2010, the diner and its classic Silk City dining car structure came into the village around the 1960s. Formerly known as the Millerton Diner, the restaurant changed hands several times over the years before Paul Harney and Justin Panzer bought it in May of 2010. Paying homage to the village’s former Oakhurst Inn, the owners changed their restaurant’s namesake to the Oakhurst Diner and kept it stocked it with local products, such as tea from Harney & Sons Fine Tea and meat from Herondale Farm in Ancramdale.

Between the classic diner dishes and the more exotic cuisine, there’s always something delicious to eat at the Oakhurst Diner. Dropping by the diner for breakfast, lunch or dinner, diners are guaranteed to find a diverse crowd of customers seated at its booths and atop the stools in front of its counter. Appealing to locals and visitors from all walks of life, the diner has received acclaim in recent years from The New York Times for its “midcentury nostalgia” and from The Berkshire Edge for its “culinary adventures.”

Having joined the diner during its initial year of business, Sienna Finkle, a waitress at the Oakhurst Diner, was 15 years old when she started working there as a busser. After working on and off at the diner for the past decade, she spoke highly about her experience there.

“I just feel like people love coming here,” Finkle said. “It’s really great that we’ve been able to give back to the community.”

When the coronavirus pandemic first struck in March, the Oakhurst Diner promptly adapted to the changing business economy by reducing its employee count and offering curbside and takeout service to the local community. In April, when many businesses were shut down due to the pandemic, the diner launched a program geared toward supplying area residents in need with free meals. With generous donations from the local community, the program took off and the diner was able to keep operating and ensure its beloved community would have food to look forward to during the pandemic.

Today, the diner’s hours of operation run from Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., takeout only. As of now, the diner hasn’t yet opened its dining room to the public, but is instead continuing to provide curbside and takeout service until further notice. Residents can place an order by calling 518-592-1313. They may also go online to the diner’s new website at www.oakhurst-diner.com.

“Under the current circumstances, I’m just really grateful to the customers for coming back and allowing us just to be here even under different circumstances,” said Oakhurst Diner manager Claire Caramanica. “I’m proud to be a part of it.”