- April 11, 2025
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When local couple Evgeny Dzyubin and Danielle Armenta opened Ormond Beach Diner six months ago, they wanted their first restaurant together to be their "happy place."
Both previously worked corporate jobs at the same company, and as they looked to embark in the next chapter of their lives, they were looking to do something different — but still together. As Dzyubin worked in New York restaurants for most of his life, opening a New-York-style diner in Ormond-by-the-Sea was "the obvious answer," he said.
"I met the previous owners here, and as soon as I heard they were ready to close the doors ... I was here before the 'for sale' sign was even up," Dzyubin said.
Ormond Beach Diner is located at 1460 Ocean Shore Blvd., replacing the former Sun and Sand Cafe. The diner serves breakfast and lunch on Wednesday through Monday (closed on Tuesdays) as well as dinner on Fridays and Saturdays.
The menu, which Dzyubin said has "anything and everything" features breakfast staples such as eggs Benedict, french toast, pancakes and omelettes, as well as lunch items including sandwiches, burgers and wraps. For dinner, Ormond Beach diner serves specials like home-style meatloaf, pastas and short rib.
"I think the main highlight of all of our entree dishes is just the freshness," Dzyubin said.
Because they are a small restaurant — with Dzyubin working as the chef and Armenta helping in the front, and staff to help them both — they go shopping for ingredients after the restaurant closes, and prep them to be ready the next day.
Dzyubin moved to Ormond Beach in 2019, looking for a place he could surf and hang out in his daily life. Growing up, Ormond was a place his family would vacation often.
Dzyubin had wanted to open a restaurant for a long time. He started in the culinary industry as a dishwasher and climbed up the ranks to become the general manager of a restaurant while he was in college. But he knew that working in the culinary industry would not help him achieve his dream of opening a restaurant.
So he went into IT and saved up as much as he could.
And once he had the keys to the space at Ocean Shore Plaza, Armenta planned for a big step of her own: Moving from Los Angeles to Ormond Beach to be with her fiancé.
"One coast to the other coast — you can't go wrong," Armenta said.
Ormond Beach diner's decor also includes an inside joke for the couple: Pigs with wings.
"We never believed that we would own a restaurant, so when we finally did open it, pigs are flying," Armenta said.
The community has embraced Ormond Beach Diner, the couple said. Early on, when they were wondering what to do about a blank wall inside the restaurant, one of their regulars showed up with a ladder and a stack of vehicle plates. Other customers took notice, and started donating their old ones too.
It's proof that the Ormond Beach Diner is becoming their "happy place" too, Armenta said.
"We just never expected it to be as happy as it is," Armenta said. "It's better than what we could have ever asked for, honestly."
Visit ormondbeachdiner.com.
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