Come. Sit. Stay.
It’s the perfect slogan for one of downtown Lynchburg’s most recent culinary additions.
My Dog Duke’s Diner at 1007 Commerce Street opened in November, and customers have been heeding the commands.
“It’s a welcome addition to downtown’s growing list of eating options,” said lunch customer Judy Walker. “The menu is varied enough to appeal to most tastes. I try to eat mostly plant-based foods, prepared in a healthy manner, so I was happy to see several sandwiches and salads that appealed to me. I had the Harvest Salad, which was fresh and tasty and exactly the right size for lunch.”
The gleaming counter and stools are reminiscent of an old-fashioned diner, but it’s an updated, shiny version. Plate-glass windows front the street and exposed wooden beams also appealed to Walker.
“The decor puts a slightly modern spin on the classic diner, making it seem like a place that would appeal to all ages,” she said.
“The noise level was much less than expected for a full lunch crowd, and I was able to carry on a conversation easily. Service was excellent—no waiting but also no hovering. I’ve been recommending it to everyone.”
The diner started out serving breakfast and lunch, but soon added an impressive dinner menu.
Open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., the eatery also offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
As you might expect, breakfast is served all day long. You can order “The Barking Dog,” a buttermilk biscuit with bacon, egg and white cheddar cheese for $5, or try “The Benny Nova,” egg, salmon, Hollandaise sauce on an English muffin for $9.
As a vegetarian, I sampled “The Italian Job,” a tasty croissant with egg, provolone, arugula, red onion and tomato with Dijonaise.
The Espresso Bar features coffee and its kin: espresso, cappuccino, latte and mocha, as well as chai and tea.
The lunch menu offers a variety of sandwiches for $9 including the diner musts— meatloaf, Reuben and Italian. There’s also the more whimsical “Green Goat,” which features zucchini and goat cheese with avocado, green apples and Green Goddess Dressing. The diner also offers gluten-free buns for sandwiches.
Salads range from $9 to $11 and can be topped with grilled chicken or grilled shrimp for an additional $4.
“The menu offers a nice variety of sandwiches and salads, and the bread is especially good,” said Anne Nash, another lunchtime customer.
“I’ll definitely go again.”
The dinner menu suggests pan-roasted “striploin” or shrimp and grits for $18, as well as Joan’s lasagna or a hot roast turkey platter for $13. And yes, meatloaf is on the dinner menu, along with fried chicken and “Barking Dog Burgers.”
A full-service bar includes a nice variety of wines, craft beers and ciders, and signature mixed drinks, including martinis and margaritas.
Brunch features free-range fried chicken and waffle, as well as a vegetarian skillet.
If you can’t find something you like to eat and drink at this diner, you don’t like to eat and drink.
The diner is owned by the Parry Restaurant Group, which also owns Shoemakers, Waterstone, El Jefe, Fire & Hops and Bootleggers in Lynchburg, and other restaurants throughout the state.
