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The Baldwin Coach Diner, a family-run Baldwin staple on the corner of Sunrise Highway and Central Avenue, will close its doors for good on Thursday, April 10—just over a month after the passing of longtime owner John Kanaras.
Kanaras, who took over the beloved eatery following the death of his father, Peter Kanaras, in 2019, died in early March after battling pneumonia that progressed rapidly, according to a GoFundMe launched by family friend Marie Healey. He had been hospitalized in the ICU for nearly two months before his death.
John’s wife, Penny, confirmed his death in a heartbreaking Facebook post, writing, "I am absolutely broken. How do I breathe."
His loss marked an emotional close to a diner that’s fed generations of Long Islanders.
“Baldwin Coach was and is a Baldwin institution,” one Facebook user wrote in response to the news.
First opened in 1938, the diner was purchased in 1964 by Peter Kanaras and two fellow Greek partners, Tommy Mathews and George Tsotos. For decades, the team dished out hearty American fare and warm hospitality, with locals returning again and again for everything from classic corned beef sandwiches and chicken quesadillas to omelets, pot roast, and eggs Benedict.
“My wife and I first date was bowling, walking to the diner and walking her home. She was 17. Married 60 years in May. Loved the diner,” said Jim Levey, of Massapequa Park.
The sentiment was echoed by many longtime customers who shared deeply personal memories tied to the Baldwin landmark.
“After my mom got partial Alzheimer’s and couldn’t cook anymore, my dad would walk with her the short distance from the house where I grew up to the Baldwin Coach Diner for dinner every night,” Gregory Baird, of Baldwin, recalled.
“We moved to Baldwin a long time ago and the Baldwin Coach Diner was always our go-to place; the people made it feel like home. It’s irreplaceable,” added Marie Brown on Facebook.
Though the doors will soon close, the Baldwin Coach Diner leaves behind a legacy steeped in comfort food, community, and decades of memories that will linger long after the last table is cleared.
Baldwin Coach Diner remains open daily through Thursday, April 10. Find out more on its website.
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