In the town of Milton, Vermont, just short of 30 miles west of Johnson, a staple in the community that has thrived for over 40 years rests on the side of Route 7. When entering Milton from Interstate 89, you are almost guaranteed to pass by the Milton Diner, a small establishment that packs its parking lot for every breakfast service.

The outside of the establishment has had the same paint job for decades, along with a vibrant, yellow sign that reads “Milton Diner” hanging on the side. But don’t let somewhat shopworn exterior fool you.
Inside, customers find themselves in a comfortable setting, warmly greeted by the staff. It’s not a big space, consisting of about 12 tables, in a meticulously maintained dining room.

As my girlfriend and I sat down to enjoy breakfast, we were immediately greeted by our server, who directed our attention to the sign near the door showing the specials. We both got coffee, which was quickly brought to our table.

The diner offers a wide variety of options from breakfast meals, sandwiches, burgers and other assorted meals for any time of the day. But, the meal of the day that makes this diner a staple in the community is their breakfast, and that’s what we were here for.

I ordered the sausage gravy with biscuits and corned beef hash, while my girlfriend ordered a small stack of pancakes with a side of scrambled eggs.

It took about 20 minutes for our food to be brought out to us. From the moment it was set in front of us by our very friendly waitress, who was sure to be left a handsome tip for her excellent service, my girlfriend and I were immediately impressed by the appearance of our food, which we admired before digging in.

As my girlfriend and I took our first bites, we knew we had chosen well. Every bite was like a blast of flavor exploding. The sausage gravy complemented the biscuits perfectly, which made it irresistible for anyone with a weakness for gravy. As for the corned beef hash, the consistency and flavor were both perfect. My girlfriend described her pancakes as “cooked perfectly” and something that she would “definitely order again.”

At the end of our meal, I discussed with my girlfriend, while still at the table, what she would have liked to have seen more of from the diner, or what could have been improved on. She and I both agreed that we would have liked to have seen our waitress come to the table to check on us to see if we needed anything.

I was finished with my coffee and wanted water, but this was not a major problem for me, as the entire meal itself made up for it.

When we were brought our check, we were very satisfied with not just the service, but the low cost to dine there. We were given a check of no more than $25, which seemed more than reasonable for what we were served.

Aside from the few small suggestions I would give to the staff, Milton Diner is an important part of the Milton community and has been a town favorite since its opening. My grandparents remember eating there in the early 70s when they first moved to Milton, and they said it was just as good then as it still is today.