Union Diner purchased by former kitchen manager

LACONIA — Daniel McCarthy has lived in the Lakes Region for nearly 40 years, and has long been a big part of the local food industry. His newest endeavor is the purchase of the Union Diner, a spot where he not only worked at before buying, but has also been a highly satisfied customer.

“This was our favorite diner in the Lakes Region before I started working here,” said McCarthy, who was sitting alongside his wife Lynda who will be working as an office assistant.

McCarthy became the owner of Union Diner starting on Jan. 1, after purchasing it from Rose Pucci and Delores Hildreth, who he said have been incredible through the transition. Fortunately, McCarthy knows his way around the kitchen, literally, as he was previously kitchen manager for the past two years.

“Everything is pretty much staying the same for the time being except for a couple minor changes and tweaks here and there,” McCarthy said. “We have a good thing going and a very loyal customer base.”

It has only been about a month since he took over, but McCarthy said it has been a great start. He admits that he took over during the slow time of year, as the holidays have just ended and people are watching their budgets.

The good thing about a diner is that there are regular customers who will come in weekly, and sometimes even daily.

“All the customers I’ve talked to have been absolutely thrilled and delighted with how things are going to keep going,” he said. “We have a huge crew of regulars here, lots of people who love coming here and I’m just trying to keep that going. One of the best parts of these past few weeks is that I get to meet these people, and they’re not just an order on a ticket.”

The dining car has a feeling of nostalgia when you walk in. There are little booths along the side of the wall with windows looking out at Union Ave, and then there is a bar area where people can sit and enjoy their meal in stools. White boards above the bar advertise items like the all-you-can-eat fried haddock, or a Bloody Mary- a staple of a good diner.

The connected dining room walls are lined with old concert posters of bands like The Doors and The Grateful Dead, and framed records of other classic rock heroes. Some of these will stay, but others will go back to the previous owners as they retain sentimental value. The McCarthys will also be adding their own flair to personalize it to their style a bit.

They both said the vibe of a diner is something that they love, and have been drawn to.

“I love diners,” Lynda said. “I’ve always loved them. Whenever I see them, I’m like, oh let’s go eat there.”

Diners are known known for their homey feel, complete with a menu full of breakfast items and comfort food. The Union Diner has all that, and McCarthy said their customers are always raving about the food.

“People like their eggs a certain way, their meats and potatoes a certain way,” McCarthy said. “They know what they like, and really there’s not a whole lot I need to do to change anything. We have good staff, good customers, and good food. Can’t ask for much more.”

McCarthy has had a love of food and the restaurant business since he was a teenager, starting at the Huot Career and Technical Center before continuing his education at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He then worked his way up through a couple of local restaurants, Abondante in Meredith and Nadia’s in Gilford, where he was anything from a dishwasher to a sous chef.

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“Technically I wasn’t born here, but I’ve been a resident of New Hampshire since ’87,” McCarthy said. “So, granite is in my blood, even if I had to grind it in there myself.”

After college he moved to Burlington, Vt., where he learned the ways of the farm-to-table industry. He moved back to Manchester in 2009 for a brief time, before moving back home to Laconia where he helped open The Local Eatery, and was there until its closure in 2023 when he was one of the restaurant’s two head chefs.

This type of experience bodes well for McCarthy, who said he will be involved in all aspects of the business.

“I am going to be wherever I need to be on any given day,” McCarthy said. “Someday I might hop on the line, some days I’ll be working on specials, other days I’ll be helping the waitstaff out front, and some days I will have to take tables. I’ll be everywhere that I need to be and doing everything that I need to do.”

Lynda explained that this is a big change of speed coming from his past jobs where he was working crazy hours, and at times 16 hours a day. This gives him a chance to be able to be with his eight-year-old daughter Rachel more.

Family is something that clearly means a lot to the McCarthys, and he said they try to treat their guests just like they are one of their own.

“People come here and they become our friends, and become like family,” McCarthy said. “We listen to them talk about the joys of their life and we get to help share in that a little bit. I like to think that the food is pretty darn good, too.”

McCarthy said the omelets are “absolutely fantastic,” and Lynda raved about the fresh spinach and Boursin omelet. The Bacon jam omelet was McCarthy’s favorite.

“At its heart it is just a cheddar cheese omelet, but then you fill it with a homemade bacon and caramelized onion jam,” he said. “It’s a little smokey, little sweet, has a little tang. It hits a lot of flavor profiles.”

When they look at the lunch and dinner menu, McCarthy hears from customers that the fried seafood is “second to none.”

“Every single week I hear someone say this is better than what they get anywhere else,” McCarthy said. “Those are definitely our key draws for people.”

The Union Diner, located at 1331 Union Ave, is open Wednesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. serving breakfast and lunch, and breakfast only on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. The diner is also offering dinner on Friday night from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Check out their specials, and photos of some of their meals, at https://www.facebook.com/UnionDinerNH/.