A Greek cafe's American twist

For more than a century the Greek cafe has been a fixture in Australian country towns. In a New South Wales town one family owned business has transformed theirs by adding an all-American look.

A Greek café opened and run by the same family over three generations has turned a page.

Bernie’s Diner in Moss Vale first welcomed diners as the Central Cafe by Emmanuel Benardos in 1925.

Ioannis' grandfather first opened The Central Cafe before moving up the street and introducing Bernie's Diner. (Supplied.) Source: Supplied

More than 90 years later his grandson Ioannis has transformed it into a picture-perfect American diner.

“All of the trim, the stools, the booths, I sourced from the States because it had to look authentic and every detail had to be authentic,” Mr Benardos said.

After his grandfather died in 1954, the business was sold four years later.

It then changed hands several times until 2012.

Ioannis in his all-American diner fit-out. (Supplied.) Source: Supplied

Mr Benardos said Moss Vale experienced economic challenges.

That helped him see a good opportunity to build a new business.

Four years on, the business is still getting “phenomenal numbers”.

And he hopes to keep the business in the family, and pass it on to his son for a fourth generation of ownership.

”That sort of lineage doesn't come about often, and to let it die would be a travesty.”