It's official. New Jersey's best diner is the Broad Street Diner in Keyport.

The small, classic neighborhood eatery bested nine other finalists in our N.J.'s best diner showdown.

There were bigger and showier and newer diners among the 40 semi-finalists in the competition.

But none combined great food, friendly service and convivial atmosphere in one package like the Broad Street Diner, which began as Palace Lunch in the 20s and was later called the Seaport Diner and Stanley's Seaport Diner.

The diner is a time capsule of cheery 50s kitsch, with its gleaming chrome exterior, swivel stools, red and white padded booths, tile floor, likenesses of Elvis and Marilyn Monroe on the restroom doors, and an unobtrusive mix of Beach Boys, Stones, Jackson Five, Creedence, Stevie Wonder and other classic rock/pop on the sound system.

It's a place where those wearing raggedy jeans, business suits and everyone in between feels at ease, where waitresses greet regulars by first name and know what they'll order.

There's no computerized system; orders are written on paper and carried into the kitchen.

"Everybody here is super super nice,'' says regular Sasha Russo.

Her favorite item on the menu: the veggie pita. And the blueberry pie is "out of this world.''

Owners Maria and Nick Kallas are the new kids on the diner block; they bought the diner this February. But they are no strangers to diners. Maria's brother runs the Seaport Diner in Elizabeth. Nick's and Maria's fathers once ran the Parsonage Diner in Edison, and Nick and Maria knew each other growing up.

Who made the first move? "She did,'' Nick says, laughing.

If you think all diner food is the same, that a club sandwich or burger or shrimp scampi in one diner is going to taste the same as in another, head on over to the Broad Street Diner.

"Diner classics with a little twist'' is how Nick describes the food.

On our first visit, I tried Mom's meatloaf, slathered with a thick, hearty gravy; slow-cooked beef-brisket; Honest Al's Chicken Sandwich, with roasted red peppers, mozzarella and a basil pesto mayo, and the Keyport Bowl, a belt-loosening bowl jammed with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries and cheddar jack cheese. Abandon the diet for one day, or bring a friend to help you finish it; it's that big.

On our second visit, in the finals round, the crew aboard the Munchmobile strained for superlatives trying to describe the food.

Meridith Zois called the chocolate babka French toast "maybe the most inventive thing ever, soft and moist in the middle, with the berries giving a weird cooling touch to it.''

Victor Retana described the La Bamba Bowl (scrambled eggs, chorizo, peppers, onions, cheddar, topped with pico de gallo) as "fantastic,'' and the broiled stuffed filet as "outstanding.''

Eric Mckenna said the lobster bisque may have been the best he's ever had, while Karen Hughes called the Sticky Fun French fries, with marshmallows, maple syrup, walnuts, cinnamon and powdered sugar, "heaven on a plate.''

Zois probably had the best line about the diner. Of co-owner Nick Kallas, she said: "I think he used to be the chef in heaven.''

Our epic search for New Jersey's best diner began in October, when we asked readers to nominate their favorite diners. More than 300 diners were nominated; every single one was put on our ballots, broken down by North Jersey, Central Jersey, South Jersey and The Shore.

The top five vote-getters in each region became 20 of our semi-finalists; I picked the other 20. We visited all 40, then I picked the ten finalists.

And the Broad Street Diner came out on top.

Props to the nine other finalists. They were all great diners, and I had memorable meals at each. Here they are: Angelo's Glassboro Diner, Glassboro; Chit Chat Diner, Hackensack; Mustache Bill's Diner, Barnegat Light; Park Wood Diner, Maplewood; Pompton Queen Diner, Pequannock; Ponzio's Diner, Cherry Hill; Tops Diner, East Newark; Tropicana Diner, Elizabeth; Victoria Diner, Branchville.

Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PeteGenovese or via The Munchmobile @NJ_Munchmobile. Find the Munchmobile on Facebook and Instagram.