The smell of coffee and bacon sizzling fills the air at Village Cafe on Washington Street as servers weave between tables, greeting regulars by name. Advertising itself as “your neighborhood food and drink spot,” the cafe has served the Newton community for decades.

Tucked into a quiet stretch of Watertown Street in Newton, Eddie’s Breakfast and Lunch seems like your typical diner: chairs lining the counter, paper menus laminated from years of use, and the background hum of the grill.