Tom's Restaurant, Classic diner in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, US
Tom's Restaurant occupies the ground floor of Armstrong Hall at 2880 Broadway, with a glowing neon sign on its facade. The interior features red vinyl booths, a long counter with stools, and white ceramic tiles on the walls.
Tom Glikas founded the restaurant in the 1940s and gave it his name. The Greek-American Zoulis family later took over management and kept the original name.
The exterior served as the filming location for Monk's Café in the television series Seinfeld. Suzanne Vega wrote her song Tom's Diner about this place, capturing the feeling of breakfast at the counter.
The diner opens daily from 7 in the morning until 11 at night, with seating available at the counter or in booths. The location directly across from Columbia University's main entrance makes it easy to reach.
Columbia students often visit for study sessions or late meals after lectures. Barack Obama came here frequently during his student years, as did Senator John McCain when visiting his daughter.
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