Is the Cooperstown Diner the Smallest Diner in Upstate New York?

The village of Cooperstown has a long list of historic sites one can visit on a road trip to this Otsego County community.  Some are big and grand, such as the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, or the jaw-dropping Otesaga Resort and Hotel on Otsego Lake.  Others are small, such as the oldest covered bridge in the United States, located at Hyde Hall at the north end of Otsego Lake.

And, Cooperstown has several other charming historic sites as well.  And one of them is a diner.

Cooperstown Diner

The Cooperstown Diner, a delicious small brick box located at the end of the 2-block-long Main Street, is a legendary eating destination.  But don't blink or you will miss it.  In fact it is such a small diner that it actually has "1/2" in its official address.  But once you find it, you are really in for a treat.  Thousands have visited this tiny restaurant since it first opened its doors in 1921.

The diner fits two large handfuls of people comfortably.  But there is always more than that in the place (it seems).  Locals gather when the doors open at dawn, enjoying a fresh, hot cup of coffee, a hearty breakfast along with their gabfest of local gossip.  And then, later in the morning, the tourists start arriving.  Especially in the summer when a visit to the Baseball Hall of Fame fulfills its mission acting as a rite of passage journey for young and old alike.  Cars begin to fill every available parking spot on Main Street, many of them with out-of-state license plates.  And the sidewalks fill up.

And so does the diner (it is only open for breakfast and lunch).

By now people have heard the story of "the smallest diner in Upstate New York."  They have heard of the tale about their gigantic hamburgers, every ounce of a half-pound of meat grilled to juicy perfection.  They have heard the funny story of the diner's address being "1/2" and they stand in front of the mini-building to take a selfie or two.

The food at the diner is impeccable, as diners go.  Big plate-filling breakfasts, fat mouthfuls of goodness in their hamburgers, and creative, homestyle specials of the day which are announced on the menu board on the wall.  Just about perfect.

What else would you expect from one of the most beloved villages in the Empire State?

Check out the story of Upstate New York's Smallest Diner below.