Although I grew up in Northern Virginia, I went to college in Tennessee where I was first introduced to the concept of a “meat and three”. These small diners were a poor college student’s best friend, offering an entrée, three side items, and usually a glass of sweet tea for one low price. Memories of hamburger steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans and macaroni and cheese inspired me to visit one of Richmond’s oldest diners, 3rd Street.

While not a classic “meat and three”, the family-owned 3rd Street Diner is about as close as you can get, and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner 24 hours a day at prices everyone can afford. With a classic jukebox and a rotating dessert display filled with huge slices of pie, this diner has some surprising elements as well. A full bar lines one wall, making it easy to drop in for last call and stay for breakfast.

And since a good breakfast is the hallmark of any diner worth its salt, I stopped in one morning to sample one of the house specialties, Fried Apple Pancakes. Forget those gooey flapjacks topped with canned filling that you always get at chain restaurants. The 3rd Street Diner’s platter of large pancakes were piping hot off the griddle and topped with large chunks of freshly sautéed apples, generously seasoned with cinnamon and sugar and adorned with a mountain of whipped cream.

Eggs any way you want them come with a choice of Smithfield ham, bacon, sausage patties or links, pork chops or delmonico steak, or you can opt for a Southern favorite like corned beef hash or fish roe and eggs. Breakfast runs from $2.95-$5.95 and your server will check back often to warm up your coffee.

The lunch menu offers over 25 sandwiches, subs, and hotdogs from home-style grilled cheese and bacon or chicken salad sandwiches to a gyro and everything in between. The dinner menu has a decidedly Greek twist with spanakopita and stuffed grape leaves topping the list, but also holds diner favorites like chopped steak, pork chops, and fried shrimp. And what would any diner be without daily Blue Plate specials? Lunches run $4-6 and most of the dinner choices are under $10.

While the exterior of the diner has seen better days, second generation owner Bill Blair has strict rules of conduct for both his staff and his customers. Good service is important to him and he’s even posted his phone number on the hostess booth if customers would like to call and comment. Likewise, there are signs about the dress code both inside and out prohibiting “do rags, backward hats and cut-off shirts or shorts”. On the day I visited, the clientele was a mix of professional downtown workers and locals who were greeted by name by the staff.

I’ll definitely be going back to check out that hamburger steak one of these days, and the fried apple pancakes are now on my list of deliciously sinful foods. From the iconic sign on the front of the 100-year-old building to the down-home food and service, 3rd Street Diner is a great place to sample a slice of pie or a slice of Richmond history.