Delicious Memories: Back to Binghamton's Red Oak Restaurant

More than a year after it closed, people still stop by the Red Oak Restaurant in Binghamton hoping to get a cup of coffee or a good meal.

In recent weeks, customers of the iconic eatery noticed the "For Sale" sign outside the Front Street building was gone. That started speculation that the Red Oak might be about to reopen.

Julianne Ludka, who operated the diner with her partner Michael Kapogiannatos for more than three decades, said she's often thought about getting the place going again.

But Ludka said as much as she'd like to do that, she can't without Michael, who died last July.

Jullianne Ludka inside the now-closed Red Oak Restaurant on January 28, 2022. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

A tour of the restaurant on Friday revealed that not much has changed inside since the Red Oak closed in October 2020.

The partners made a tough decision to close the doors after dealing with business challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ludka said the property remains for sale, although the listing now is being handled by another real estate agent.

Ludka said a new restaurant at the site would have plenty of potential, given its location just south of a Route 17 exit and the thousands of vehicles that pass by each day.

Every time she visits the building, Ludka said she's filled with wonderful memories of the familiar faces of loyal Red Oak customers.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

Remember the Red Oak Restaurant in Binghamton

LOOK: Food history from the year you were born

From product innovations to major recalls, Stacker researched what happened in food history every year since 1921, according to news and government sources.

LOOK: Here are copycat recipes from 20 of the most popular fast food restaurants in America

How Many in America: From Guns to Ghost Towns

Can you take a guess as to how many public schools are in the U.S.? Do you have any clue as to how many billionaires might be residing there? Read on to find out—and learn a thing or two about each of these selection’s cultural significance and legacy along the way.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.