A Diner That Outgrew Its Shell: The Vincetown Diner Story
Sometimes a diner becomes too small for its own ambition. That’s exactly what happened when the Milatos brothers bought a classic 1953 stainless steel diner in Southampton Township, New Jersey. By 1973, they’d sold the original and built what Guy Fieri calls “this monster” — the Vincetown Diner.
Now under owner Demetrius Milatos, who took over the family business from his father and uncles, this isn’t your typical Jersey diner. “We have upgraded the menu dramatically,” Demetrius explains. “We’re in the middle of farm country right here. We buy all the local vegetables and fruits.” That farm-to-table approach, combined with executive chef Jason Edgar’s skills, puts Vincetown in a different league.
The Mile-High Meatloaf: A Tower of Power
The star of this segment is what Guy calls a “Tower of Power” — the Mile-High Meatloaf. Why mile-high? As Chef Jason puts it, “It’s about this high off the plate.” And he’s not exaggerating. Guy describes it as “a reverse meatloaf sandwich” with pieces that are “thick and meaty.”
Don't lose this list! Drop your email and we'll send it to you, so you've got it handy next time you're hungry or planning a trip.
The build starts with 75/25 ground beef and ground Italian sausage mixed with green and red peppers, plus white onions that Chef Jason has cooked down for a long time. Guy appreciates this detail: “When people put raw veggies in meatloaf it drives me crazy.” The mixture gets panko breadcrumbs crushed with roasted garlic, milk for the panade, and beaten organic eggs.
The meatloaf sauce is where things get interesting — ketchup, maple syrup, steak sauce, hot sauce, Montreal steak seasoning, salt and pepper. After baking at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half, it gets brushed with more sauce and glazed, then cooled, unmolded, sliced, and seared on the flat top.
But the gravy truly sets this apart. Chef Jason roasts veal bones with vegetables and rosemary, simmers them for six to seven hours “until all that collagen breaks down,” then builds the gravy with butter, roasted mirepoix, flour, stock, demi-glace, homemade tomato sauce, a touch of beef base, and — the kicker — ground prime rib and flat leaf parsley, finished with an immersion blender.
The final plate layers seared meatloaf with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, more meatloaf, more mash, all drowned in that prime rib gravy with a frizzle of vegetables on top. Guy’s verdict? “The thing that impressed me the most has been the prime rib into the gravy… the meatloaf is tender, you definitely get some of that Italian sausage, love the little caramelization you put on it when you finish it on the flat top. This is tender, this is juicy.” He couldn’t stop eating it.
Apple Pie French Toast: Breakfast or Dessert?
The segment also features their Apple Pie French Toast, made with thick-sliced white bread from a local bakery, Fuji apples cooked down in apple juice with brown sugar and cinnamon sticks, and a salted caramel sauce made by caramelizing sugar, then adding butter, heavy cream, and salt. Guy even called his son Ryder to show him the dish — Ryder declared it tasted “like a wedding cake.”
“This plate defines comfort food for me,” one regular says. “It tastes exactly like an apple pie that my grandmother would make.”
A Family Legacy
There’s a poignant moment when Guy asks if Demetrius’s father knew he’d bought the diner. “He passed,” Demetrius replies, pointing to a photo. “He’s the guy in the blue suit.” Guy’s response: “He’s got to be proud that his kid’s taking over.” Like many great 100-Year-Old Italian Spot in NYC stories, family runs deep here.
If you’re craving comfort food with serious technique — similar to that Smoked Prime Rib with Brown Butter Garli episode — the Vincetown Diner delivers. Find it and other Triple D stops in our restaurant directory.