Elm Street Diner opens, offers ‘whole new taste’

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Elm Street has a new restaurant ready to serve up handcrafted macaroni and cheese dishes for less than $14.

Elm Street Diner, 832 Elm St., opened Thursday afternoon equipped with a menu of 10 macaroni and cheese dishes, soups, salads, sandwiches and more.

Proprietor Ron Heinbaugh said he’s happy to be part of the revitalization effort to bring back Elm Street businesses.

“We are trying to bring back life to the neighborhood,” he said.

Heinbaugh, from Youngstown, is returning from a life in Cleveland in which he won the Taste of Cleveland’s best dessert two years in a row.

He also ran a number of Cleveland restaurants during his time in the city.

Now, Heinbaugh wants to attract students to his business with cuisine that cost between $8 and $13. The eatery is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

“I want this to be the cool hipster spot for students and neighborhood people to hang out,” he said. “I’m hoping to bring economic development north of the freeway.”

Heinbaugh’s favorite menu item is the Alpine macaroni and cheese dish made of swiss sauce, Gruyere cheese, smoked bacon and scallions.

And Jim Converse, Common Wealth sustainability coordinator, said the food is simply delicious.

“It’s a really nice addition to Elm Street,” he said. “This is a whole new taste.”