Photo courtesy Silver Diner
Photo courtesy Silver Diner
Silver Diner takes new twists on old classics, like these “Greek Lamb Sliders,” with tzatziki and feta.
Salads at Silver Diner feature seasonal produce, often from local farms.
farms throughout Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. e foods it receives include free-range turkey, antibiotic-free beef and chicken, all-natural milk, farm-fresh eggs and fresh seasonal produce.
from scratch and is fresh. We do have a lot of organic products as well.”
Mendez said he has witnessed the positive reaction from patrons at the Dale City restaurant as they discover healthful, innovative menu selections at the classic American diner, he said. “We do have wonderful feedback from our guests talking about the excitement for the new items and our healthy options,” he said. “e best steak in a non-steak restaurant. e flat-iron steak on their new fresh organic menu was very terrific!!!” posted a Manassas resident on TripAdvisor among online reviews for Silver Diner in Dale City. “My wife and I love the new menu. Silver Diner is different from other places in variety and quality. … Will be back for the steak!!!!” Among the most popular of the new healthful meals is “Santa Fe Roasted Veggies,” which appeals to people with gluten allergies with its tasty mix of quinoa, eggplant and other ingredients seasoned with chipotle, he said. Also popular is “Pesto Veggie Pasta,” a delectable combination of whole-wheat angel hair, butternut squash and lemony pine nut pesto with garlic roasted eggplant, roasted red pepper, spinach, basil and sunflower seeds. Meat lovers can try new takes on old favorites, such as “Greek Lamb Sliders,” garnished with tzatziki and feta cheese. Even the dessert menu includes healthful choices. To satisfy the sweet tooth of the health-conscious, the diner offers such treats as gluten-free “Brownie Latte” and a lactose-free, vegan chocolateraspberry shake. e restaurant still offers many of the old American diner specialties. “Hickory Smokehouse Cheddar Burger,” “Classic BLT” and all-day breakfast offerings provide guests with classic diner fare. But even these timeless meals take on a more healthful twist at Silver Diner. e bacon is nitrate-free, the meat is free-range and all ingredients are fresh. “We don’t serve any frozen products to our guests,” said Mendez. “Whatever we have is actually something that has been prepared
Focused on Helping Kids Eat Healthy Additionally, the franchise’s new focus on healthful eating includes helping ensure that children in the communities Silver Diner serves eat more nutritious meals. e chain’s “Kids’ Nights,” held on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., incorporate fun activities that not only entertain, but educate and excite children about eating healthier. As part of the franchise’s “Eat Well, Do Well” program, the diners also partner with local schools to raise funds to improve health and fitness programs at the educational systems. e Dale City Silver Diner has partnered with Dale City Elementary School, Mary Porter Traditional School in Woodbridge and Henderson Elementary School in Montclair, Mendez said. Patrons can support Silver Diner’s “Eat Well, Do Well” program by signing up for the chain’s customer rewards card, which is also a prepaid card. Five percent of purchases made with the card is donated to a school of the diner’s choosing. rough the program, the Silver Diner franchise has donated more than $400,000 to schools since 2010, according to information about the program on the chain’s website. Silver Diner’s steps to help children eat healthful foods have not gone unnoticed. e franchise won the 2013 MenuMasters Award for Best Healthful Innovations for its kids’ menu, which it changed so that all entrees come with a fruit or vegetable and milk or juice. French fries and soda are only available on request. e franchise also expanded its kids’ menu to include healthful fare fitting the National Restaurant Association’s “Kids Livewell” criteria, according to Nation’s Restaurant News, which annually presents the MenuMasters Awards, sponsored by Ventura Foods, each May in Chicago.
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