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Best G.L.T. You’ll Eat This Decade: Anchor Grill

Photo: Emerson Swoger

The New Yorker’s food correspondent, Helen Rosner, gave a nod to Covington’s very own Anchor Grill in an article titled “The Best Things I’ve Eaten This Decade.” That’s right: Mentioned among bites from New York City, Los Angeles, Austin, Texas and across the globe is the Anchor Grill’s G.L.T. (goetta, lettuce and tomato). She writes that the diner is “alluringly grimy” and has been open “twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, since (as far as I am aware) the beginning of time.” Both of which are apt descriptions. Also fitting? She says that she encountered the Lynchian-esque diner in a hungover stupor. Rosner mentions the restaurant under the subhead “some really excellent sandwiches,” where she writes that, “of the hundred-ish bites and meals that stand out...nearly a quarter belong to the category of Stuff Between Bread.” The hole-in-the-wall diner serves up grub backdropped by a cozy atmosphere, complete with knick-knacks and an animatronic Jazz band. Stick a few quarters in the Anchor’s Jukebox and watch ‘em play well into the witching hour. Wood-paneled walls and vinyl-covered booths give the locale a distinct 1970s vibe. Not only are they known for their goetta (the Glier’s Goetta factory is right across the street), but they also serve up classic eats like burgers, omelets, chili and more. Here’s a toast to the Anchor Grill, the place that — according to its glowing neon sign — “may doze, but never close.” Anchor Grill, 438 W. Pike St., Covington, 859-431-9498, searchable on Facebook.