There are few things I like to admit. Walking into The Floridian Diner for the first time in the 16 years I’ve been in Florida is one of them.

Don’t judge me. I don’t get out much. But since I was in the downtown Fort Lauderdale area, it was pointless for me to walk into a Denny’s or IHOP on a Sunday afternoon when I could walk into a legend.

Upon entrance, the Floridian reminded me Barry Manilow – extremely cheesy but somewhat enticing. Photos of random celebrities – including a candid Gov. Charlie Crist – cluttered the walls that are random reds, yellows, and other bright colors Martha Stewart decorators wouldn’t approve of. I’m not quite sure about the rest of the patrons, but I was in love.

It’s hard not to love something as real as the Floridian. It’s got nearly 63 years of character built up inside of it. It’s open every single day of the year, which is quite fitting for downtown Fort Lauderdale, where even bums need a place to people watch when the drunk GTL’ers have dispersed.

I think I’m so impressed by the place because South Florida isn’t known for bad-ass diners. Pretty beaches, palm trees, fist pumpers? Yes. But diner food? Not quite. I wasn’t trying to sober up from a night on the town. I wasn’t an out-of-towner who heard about the place from a Food Network show. I was just some girl who walked in as a stranger and walked out a fan.

I ordered the bacon eggs benedict and left not only full and happy, but content knowing that I wouldn’t waste another 16 years missing out.

Photo by Rachael Joyner

The first time I went into a Primanti Bros., I squeezed into a small chair at their very snug Fort Lauderdale location. I took a friend – a Pittsburgh native who said a taste of Primanti’s was like a taste of home. So I took him for his birthday.

“I’ll have the pastrami sandwich,” I started. “But hold the slaw.”

My friend looked at me in disbelief.

“What are you DOING?!” he barked. “Get the slaw.”

“But I don’t like cole slaw,” I said.

“Trust me.”

Following the dirty look I gave him and my server, I ordered my first Primanti’s pastrami sandwich: with cole slaw, french fries, tomatoes and provolone cheese. To this day, I ponder why I even considered making such a horrible decision against it.

It’s like the sandwich you make as a kid in the cafeteria at school: you pile everything on your tray in between two pieces of bread and there you have it: a pure genius creation that regardless of what you put on it, it tastes delicious.

Primanti Bros. – the Pittsburgh sandwich shop that migrated to South Florida nearly 15 years ago – has capitalized on putting everything on their sandwiches. Really, who needs it on the side? Find out how they got to doing it that way… Wilton Manors Manager Matt Zalewski says this pastrami concoction is one of his favorites, and one of the most ordered sandwiches, falling behind only to the infamous Pitts-burger: a burger holding the place of the pastrami with the works as well. Nothing against the burger, but I’m prone to the pastrami.

Trust me – and the Pittsburgh native who told me to trust him – and don’t hold anything. Get it, as is, and enjoy it. There’s no going back… nor would you ever want to.

If you get time, take a stroll over to their new Sunrise location, set with a full bar. Visit Matt at the Wilton Manors store or stroll to their Fort Lauderdale beach location, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.