The Miss Cranston Diner is a cultural and culinary landmark. Originally a Worcester lunch car, the restaurant has a more-than 60-year history which includes being the inspiration for the failed 1992 sitcom, "Better Days," by former Cranston resident Dan Reo.
Located on Route 5, the Miss Cranston Diner is hard to miss. The name harkens to an earlier time when roadside diners were associated with rough-and-tumble men. Decorated with flowers at each table and a femininely-appointed decor, the name was meant to draw a kinder, gentler clientele.
Current owner Lavon Toumasian bought the diner a few years ago and gave the building a major facelift. Today the diner can hold large groups. In his younger days, Toumasian was a professional soccer player in Armenia, which was a part of the former U.S.S.R. at the time. Before taking over the Miss Cranston, Toumasian was a chef at Wes' Rib House in Providence and ran the Pawtuxet Village Inn in the 1990s.
The menu includes diner breakfast and lunch favorites like steak and eggs, omelets, waffles, club sandwiches and burgers. It also includes pasta, soup, salads, gyros and complete dinners served from 11am to close.
Along with the Cranston location, the Toumasian family operates the Miss Cranston II in West Warwick.