Tommy's Diner

In 1989, Tom Pappas, along with wife Kathy, invested every last penny they had to open Tommy’s Diner. While sons Louie and Michael were still young, Tom and Kathy took a gamble on an old restaurant in a rebuilding Franklinton neighborhood with great potential. It took a few years for Tommy’s to catch on, but we were able to win over customers with a warm atmosphere and a meal that satisfied every taste bud.

Tommy’s Diner

We’ve had to overcome quite a bit to get where we are today. The biggest would be the 1998 fire that shut us down. Tommy and Kathy contemplated whether or not they should even try to reopen. After many sleepless nights, and the pleading of loyal customers, they decided to remodel the building and reopen once again. It took 9 months, but that remodeling project turned out to be the best thing for Tommy’s Diner. Out went the old orange booths and crooked floors, and in came the shiny red booths.

What are we known for? Some say our breakfast is what keeps them coming while others are always curious to see what our lunch specials will be that day. We’ve won “Best Breakfast” multiple times from AOL City Search and in 2007 the Columbus Dispatch voted us for “Best Business Lunch” in Downtown. Whatever you may be in the mood for, just know that you’re going to get a meal that isn’t processed or frozen and reheated. We pride ourselves on using fresh ingredients to make home cooked meals from scratch.

Every now and again, we’ll ask our customers what keeps them coming back. Besides the food, one of the more popular answers was the uncertainty of which news camera would be filming in the diner that day. Another popular answer is the diversity of our customers; whether or not they will see local politicians sitting at their usual spots in the dining room.

Contact Us:
914 West Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43222
Visit our website > https://www.tommysdiner.com/