Every night of the year, the iconic Haven Bros. Diner takes its place next to Providence City Hall at 5 p.m. It was back in 1893 that the mobile diner began serving food from a horse-drawn wagon, staking its claim as the oldest, continually operating food truck in America.
In the 1950s, a 1946 silver Worcester lunch wagon was converted into the diner trailer still in use today. It was outfitted with all of the latest amenities, including a grill, fryer and soda fountain. It sits in a driveway on Federal Hill until it is moved downtown for service that runs as late as 3:30 a.m.
The food and drink menu continues to evolve to satisfy hungry customers. But the mission has never changed. That is to feed the working people of Providence.
How it became Haven Bros.
Widowed immigrant Anne Philomena Haven started Haven’s with the proceeds from her husband, Patrick’s, life insurance policy. Her horse-drawn lunch wagon served the factory workers in Providence…