Darrell’s Diner, the Florida-born restaurant that serves down-home comfort food with a side of smiles, is expanding.
The restaurant just opened a location in Wildwood at 4110 FL-44 on December 29, with plans to open one more diner in the next month.
According to owner Darrell Warden-Levine, the 25th Darrell’s Diner will debut at 1124 Teague Trail in Lady Lake.
Both of these new locations have something special to offer. According to Warden-Levine, unlike the previous Darrell’s diner locations, which typically open for breakfast and lunch only, these two will be open for dinner, serving up classic southern favorites like meatloaf, mac and cheese, and cabbage. The two new locations will also serve alcohol.
When it opens, the Lady Lake location will have an additional feature: Bingo!. “The diner on Teague Trail is going to be extremely unique because it’s adjacent to a bingo hall,” says Warden-Levine, who adds that the diner actually opens up into the bingo hall. “We’ll serve the bingo hall as well,” he adds. “We’ll have dinner and bingo and lots of fun.”
The first Darrell’s Diner opened in Ocala in 2009 and quickly became a beloved neighborhood fixture for its comfort food, hospitality, and dog-friendly stance. Warden-Levine says there’s a reason why the diner is so popular. “For me personally, I think it’s the simplicity of it. We serve normal homestyle-cooking. There’s nothing fancy or over the top.”
Warden-Levine says there’s also a feeling of hospitality and camaraderie that makes the place feel special. “Customers sit around and talk to each other, especially in the mornings. People come in to read their paper and talk. It’s like being at home except you don’t have to clean the dishes.”
That atmosphere turns customers into regulars…and then family. “We’ve built a community within the diners. The employees and staff ask about each other. I think that’s what sets Darrell’s Diner apart.”
When the Lady Lake location opens, Warden-Levine isn’t stopping there. “We’ll definitely be opening more locations, though we don’t have any on our radar.”
