WETHERSFIELD DINER OWNER HAPPY TO REOPEN
Popular breakfast attraction returns after closing in March 2020
WETHERSFIELD — The Wethersfield Diner, best known for its award-winning breakfasts, closed in March 2020 and as the months went by, and troubles for restaurants continued to mount, owner Stacey Pribyson planned to sell. But with no takers, she has finally returned to her kitchen and is happy to be back.
“I love to cook, that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do — is to just cook good food for people. I love this location, I love the diner genre,” she said.
Pribyson, who is also the restaurant’s head chef, has run the business since 2015, when she committed to keeping the Wethersfield landmark alive. Now, in the midst of the pandemic, Pribyson again decided to revive the restaurant.
Patrons will notice their menus will look different than they did prior to the pandemic. According to Pribyson, the menu will be significantly shorter than what most diner-goers are accustomed to.
“Classically a diner has like 75,000 things on a menu and that’s not what we’re doing.
We’re concentrating on a smaller, succinct menu,” she said. On top of the classic diner courses, like all-day breakfast and homestyle pies, Pribyson will offer dishes distinct to the diner, like
golumbki (stuffed cabbage) soup, pierogis and kielbasas — dishes inspired by Pribyson’s Polish background. Guests can also expect the classic, southern Cajun sausage gravy on a bed of breaded pork cutlet and the hearty, house-braised corned beef sandwiches paired with in-house pickles. Pribyson said the restaurant will gradually return to other favorites from the previous menu, such as the vegetarian/vegan options, over time.
In addition to a new menu, The Wethersfield Diner will offer carry-out dining, pre-made grab-and-go meals and even a coffee bar.
Despite the changes, Pribyson said the major challenge to reopening is adjusting to the everchanging demands of the pandemic. “The restaurant industry has changed, the whole industry has changed,” Pribyson said. “The big difference this time is that we’re running a restaurant without the knowledge of if we’ll actually be able to sit people.”
But each day the restaurant gets busier than before, helping Pribyson remain hopeful that the diner will bounce back from its pandemic hardships. With the help of her husband, Wil Rivera, and her waitstaff, Pribyson is determined to keep the Wethersfield Diner as a town landmark.
For more information and updates on the diner, visit its Facebook page and/or Instagram.