Diners of NYC

The American Diner is an institution. Recognized the world over as a symbol of kitsch Americana. However, globalization, homogenization, hyper gentrification, rising costs, and changing tastes are obliterating diners. Diners are most endangered in New York City where their numbers have plummeted and costs are high. Many New York City diners are landmarks, some forty to a hundred years old. Diners are often immigrant success stories, the majority owned by Greek immigrants. Diners are a part of an American culinary and architectural history. They are a dynamic part of the city’s fabric that is dying. Facing a global pandemic, more diners have closed this year than ever in the City previously. This project is a living archive as well as an historical one. The work captures the architecture, communities, and culture around each diner, and aims to ignite new found interest into patronizing diners.

Excerpts from this project have been published in The New York Times, The Guardian, HuffPost, BuzzFeed, Der Spiegel, L’Oeil de la Photographie, and La Repubblica. Follow on Instagram!