A prolific State College restaurateur is bringing new life to a downtown diner, with a nod to its beloved past.
Hitham Hiyajneh plans to open Baby’s Diner in mid-June at 131 S. Garner St., he told StateCollege.com on Friday. The name, of course, is a nod to 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.)
The location has since been occupied by two diner ventures: Oeuf Boeuf et Bacon, which closed in 2025 after three years in business, and Bubba’s Eggs, Steaks & Shakes, which 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, is confident he can achieve longer-term success through his knowledge of the local customer base, longer hours and a “versatile” menu offering breakfast, lunch and dinner.
He plans to include some of the diner classics the original Baby’s was known for, like the Whimpy Basket of burgers, hot dogs, fries and a wide variety of milkshakes.
“Before I was even in the restaurant business, I used to take my kids there. We went for milkshakes and burgers,” Hiyajneh said. “And State College needs something like this.”
While the menu, which like his other restaurants will be halal, isn’t yet finalized, Hiyajneh plans to offer breakfast dishes including omelets, eggs Benedict, waffles and pancakes. Beyond the burgers and dogs, lunch and dinner will feature sandwiches such as Reubens, Rachels and chicken parmesan, cheesesteaks, wings, soups, chili and more, along with daily specials.
He also plans to draw on both his Lebanese heritage and several of his other restaurants like Yallah Taco, Cluck & Catch and Fatoum Bistro with possibilities such as fish and shrimp tacos, fish and chips, gyro sandwiches and shawarma.
“The nice thing about a diner is there’s no limit on your food. You can do whatever the heck you want to,” Hiyajneh said.
In addition to shakes and the typical beverage offerings, Hiyajneh expects Baby’s to have a variety of coffees, lattes and dirty sodas.
He said he also plans to talk with Meyer Dairy about supplying ice cream.
“We’ll definitely focus on local use,” Hiyajneh said. “We have a lot of local people [in the food industry] and support our local people.”
He added that he expects menu prices to be “reasonable.”
Baby’s Diner will maintain the building’s 1950s theme with some enhancements, including a juke box Hiyajneh has purchased for the restaurant and a few aesthetic improvements that fit with the atmosphere.
Hiyajneh’s team is currently cleaning the diner, making repairs, such as fixing tears in upholstery, and getting staff trained.
He plans for Baby’s Diner to be open 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. when Penn State is in session during the fall and spring and 7 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m. during other times.
“It’s going to be a fun project,” Hiyajneh said.
He’s opened about a dozen restaurants over the years, and Baby’s Diner has elicited the most excitement from those who saw the sign go up recently or heard about his plans, he said.
“For the first time in my life, I’ve seen everybody in town excited for this project,” Hiyajneh said.
Hiyajneh’s two Yallah locations, Underground Burger, Fatoum, Cluck & Catch and Fava Kitchen will all continue to operate as usual with the opening of Baby’s Diner, though another of his restaurants will be closing for an unrelated reason. 700 Degree Pizza (formerly Yallah Chicken and Taco), 1669 N. Atherton St., will close this month because the building owner has sold the property, Hiyajneh said, adding that he is looking for a new location for it.
