Eyesore No More: Diner and Bakery Replace Charlie Brown's

After two years of vacancy, the question of what would replace the shuttered and weed-ridden lot that used to house Charlie Brown’s has finally been answered.

The Lamp Post Diner and Bakery, bringing a family-style diner and atmosphere, will open soon on Little Gloucester Road in Gloucester Township.

Paul Tsiknakis, co-owner of the Metro Diner in Brooklawn, is preparing to unveil the Lamp Post. Tsiknakis, along with his father Sotiris Tsiknakis and father-in-law Andy Linardos, are currently remodeling the vacant building and creating their own family-oriented environment for the Lamp Post.

While still fresh into its face-lift, Tsiknakis says that the Lamp Post Diner will be open by the end of September and will have a completely different feel and appearance to the former steakhouse, which closed 2010.

Tsiknakis describes his vision of the new restaurant as a “classic diner with a modern twist” that will feature an onsite bakery providing fresh pies, cheesecakes and pastries every day, and a breakfast, lunch and dinner menu available all day.

Tsiknakis aims for a more welcoming and affordable dining experience.

“There’s going to be more windows so there will be a lot more brightness in here,” he said. “The biggest renovation I wanted to do was add windows because Charlie Brown’s was so dark and I want to brighten it up to make sure that it’s a pleasant environment for everybody.”

Tsiknakis emphasized that his restaurant will be more family-oriented. 

“It was known as a bar and grill in the past when Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse was here and kids may not have been welcome,” he said. “I want people to know that this is a family place. Everybody is welcome.”

Along with encompassing a welcoming environment for “all demographics,” Tsiknakis promises that diners won’t have to sacrifice quality food for an affordable menu.

“You can eat cheaper here with Angus beef than you would shopping at ShopRite to cook at home,” said Tsiknakis.

He touted some his favorite recipes, such as his crab cakes and slow-cooked Angus beef that will “melt in your mouth.”

“My recipe for crab cakes are probably some of the best out there,” he said. “Our prime rib is going to be Angus slow-cooked for eight hours so it’ll melt in your mouth.”

The location was the most attractive feature for Paul’s new venue. Overlooking Little Gloucester Road and surrounded by virtually nothing, the Lamp Post Diner is easily seen, bearing some symbolism to its name. However, the surrounding community is just as attractive with nearly 65,000 residents and Camden County College just a short distance away, Paul is determined to shape his menu to cater to the needs of the surrounding demographics.

“I know the college kids enjoy eating breakfast all day and they’re right across the street so we’re going to have an extensive pancake menu for breakfast as well,” he said. “That’s another drawing point for us. We’re so close to the college campus and it enrolls close to 20,000 kids so we wanted to take advantage of that.”

The Lamp Post Diner and Bakery is set to open sometime during the end of September with a weeklong grand opening celebration to get the ball rolling.

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