Visit Tucci's Family Diner in Waterloo NY, located in the Finger Lakes Region!
When people plan their trips to the Finger Lakes and Seneca County, the three biggest things they look for is where to sleep, what to do, and where to eat. One amazing place visitors can go to for a hot meal is Tucci's Family Diner in Waterloo, NY.
Tucci's began as a seasonal drive-in named Cal's, and would later become a diner where patrons could go inside to eat in the 1970's. Patsy Dickens purchased the diner back then and spent over forty years serving loyal customers breakfast and lunch. Originally, Patsy had planned to close the diner, but two loyal customers named Barry and Walt took over in 2018.
While they had taken over and were running the diner, their goal was not to own it forever but to find suitable new owners who could take over. That finally happened in 2022 when Nic Robertucci and Carrie Bradford took over.
Carrie and Nic are local to the Seneca County area, with Carrie graduating from Mynderse Academy in 2001 and Nic moving his renovation business to the area after he found support for his business.
Pictured above: Outside Tucci's Family Diner, Tucci's owners and staff
When to go to Tucci's Family Diner
Tucci's primarily serves breakfast and lunch to customers, much like any diner would. This means daily hours are between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.
On Friday, the diner reopens after its 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. shift for dinner that takes place from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
On Friday nights during dinner, Tucci's Family Diner will serve fish fry plates and specific dishes only available during the dinner shift.
Dinner menu items include:
- Sloppy Joes with green beans and tater tots or fries
- Chicken or eggplant parmesan with Rigatoni pasta and a side salad
- Chicken & Biscuits
- Rigatoni pasta with a side salad (add sausage or grilled chicken for an additional cost)
- Tucci's legendary haddock with a choice of side and coleslaw
- Pirate Plate: Fried or broiled haddock with three butterfly shrimp, coleslaw and a choice of a side
- Seneca Shipwreck: Fried or broiled haddock with fried butterfly shrimp, clam strips, coleslaw, and a choice of a side
- Fried fish sandwich with choice of side
Pictured above: Sloppy Joe with onion rings
Pictured above: Pirate Plate
Pictured above: Chicken & Biscuits
Vacationing in Seneca County and planning your trip
Tucci's Family Diner is a great place to add to your itinerary because of its location. It's right on 5&20 and close to 96A. Just down the road on 5&20 is the Seneca Lake State Park where you can walk along the lake, barbecue with family and friends, and in the summer visit the beach and splashpad with your kids.
Along 96A are numerous wineries you can visit for tastings and to go on wine trails with groups of people or just by yourself. Many weddings are held at some of these wineries as well.
Next door to Tucci's Family Diner is Penny Lane Antique Mall, a large flea market with multiple floors of booths that have everything from antiques to "as seen on tv" items that are brand new!