New Diner With a Nod to the Past Opens in Downtown State College

A new restaurant reviving a downtown State College diner with a nod to its beloved past is now open.

Baby’s Diner, 131 S. Garner St., began a soft opening on Thursday. Owner Hitham Hiyajneh told StateCollege.com he expects the restaurant to be open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily for now, with a possible earlier closing time on Sundays. In the future, he hopes for it to stay open until 3 a.m.

The name of the new restaurant and some of its menu is inspired by Baby’s Burgers and Shakes, which called the classic 1947 Silk City diner home for more than 30 years before closing in 2020. The new Baby’s Diner is not connected to the owners of the former Baby’s Burgers and Shakes.

Like the old Baby’s, the new restaurant is serving up burgers — including Whimpy baskets — fries, hot dogs and hand-spun milkshakes.

“Before I was even in the restaurant business, I used to take my kids there. We went for milkshakes and burgers,” Hiyajneh said in May after leasing the space. “And State College needs something like this.”

But it’s also offering what Hiyajneh called a “versatile” menu, with breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as a “Mediterranean twist.”

Breakfast includes options like steak and eggs, omelettes, eggs Benedict, bagels, pancakes, waffles, French toast, avocado toast, shakshuka, a Mediterranean breakfast with eggs, hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives and feta, and more.

The lunch and dinner menu features platters including mac and cheese, pasta, chicken parmesan, roasted chicken, chicken steak and fish or shrimp and chips. Sandwich offerings are cheesesteaks, Reuben, Rachel, Korean braised beef, tuna melt, a few varieties of chicken sandwiches and makenek, a Lebanese sausage with pepper jack cheese, grilled onions, tomatoes and arugula.

In addition to the classic, Whimpy and several smash burgers, the menu has black bean and falafel burgers, as well. Hot dog choices include plain, chili, cheese and Hawaiian, with grilled pineapple, bacon, caramelized onions and teriyaki glaze.

There’s also salads, tacos, quesadillas and wings. As with all of Hiyajneh’s restaurants, the menu is halal.

Hiyajneh noted that during the soft opening, most but not all of the menu will be available.

“We’re telling people be patient with us because we are really working and trying to get all set. But so far it’s been really good,” he said.

While developing the menu and business, Hiyajneh has also spent the past four months on repairs and renovations to restore the 1950s atmosphere Baby’s was known for.

“We got everything to the original situation,” he said. “We fixed all the seats that used to have duct tape all over them, and we finished everything.”

Baby’s Diner is the third restaurant to occupy the building since the original Baby’s closed. Oeuf Boeuf et Bacon closed in 2025 after three years in business, and Bubba’s Eggs, Steaks & Shakes, shuttered in early May after operating for six months.

Hiyajneh, a nearly 20-year veteran of the State College restaurant scene who owns and operates multiple establishments and a meal prep service, said earlier this year that he is confident he can achieve longer-term success through his knowledge of the local customer base, longer hours and a menu he expects will have wide appeal.

He’s also working with some local suppliers, including Meyer Dairy for ice cream.

After opening the doors on Thursday, the response has been positive, Hiyajneh said, with some excitement for the revival of Baby’s past.

“The first order today we got is Whimpies,” he said. “We have been busy. We get a lot of response, a lot of people coming in.”

For updates on Baby’s Diner, visit its website.