Third Street Diner Boasts Rich History and Tasty Fries
- Abigail Adcox, Editor-in-Chief
- Oct 10, 2016
- 2 min read
“A diner since 1926 when coffee cost a nickel and schoolboys wore knickers,” is the go-to saying at 3rd Street Diner in Richmond, Virginia. Our staff went to Richmond this past Monday to attend a VHSL journalism conference, and on our lunch break, we decided to try something new.
The diner is rich with history, dating back to the 1920’s. The building was given to a nurse known as “Aunt” Sally Tompkins, who opened it up as a hospital in 1861. This was ten days before the first Battle of Manassas. The hospital remained one of few private hospitals to remain open during the Civil War. For this, it became known for its food and cleanliness, having only 73 deaths out of 1,333 patients. It was so well known that President Jefferson Davis noticed and “bestowed” Aunt Sally with the rank of Confederate Captain of the Calvary. Considering its history, it is not surprising that the City of Richmond later decided to turn the basement into a morgue.
The diner is open 24 hours a day, which is a convenient find in downtown Richmond. The spot is popular with business men and women, locals, and even tourists looking for local history. Our staff tried an assortment of lunch dishes, including Third Street’s club sandwich with onion rings, a cheeseburger, and eggs and hash browns. The best part of lunch was the exuberant amount of fries. There were plenty to go around the table. Third Street also offers breakfast throughout the day, for all your pancake needs! Whether you are a businessman on lunch break, a hungry tourist on the hunt, or just wandering around at 3am, Third Street Diner is a place to try out.
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