As redevelopment inexorably demolishes much of downtown Bowling Green, replacing what’s there with something else, the character of the area between Main Street and the river is also being replaced with something else.

Older establishments make way for new, as the small barbecue shacks, rib joints and diners get replaced by baseball stadiums, skateparks and parking garages. Long-time residents might lament the disappearance of favorite downtown hangouts, while newcomers might search for an enclave in the midst of development that gives them a feel for what the area used to be like.

Luckily there’s a place at Fourth Avenue and Center Street that should make everyone happy. Mary’s Home Cooking is only about a dozen years old, but has the feel of an older, more settled diner. The interior isn’t big, although there is a separate dining section in the back. Scattered pictures on the wall remind patrons of a time when the cars downtown carried names like Packard, Nash Metropolitan and Studebaker. The staff greets most patrons by first name and nicknames, while newcomers get a big smile and a friendly greeting. To top it off, the food is excellent.

The breakfast menu contains the standards one might find in any diner – eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, chops and steaks. I ordered two eggs – over easy – on top of hash browns, with a side of sausage and a biscuit with sausage gravy. Despite a fairly crowded establishment when I was there, everything was cooked perfectly.

The trick to over-easy eggs in a busy restaurant is to make sure they are more on the “easy” side of “over,” and to time the plating so that everything else is ready before the eggs. The eggs go on the plate as the order goes out because they continue to cook a bit, and can arrive at the table with hard yolks. The timing can be complicated when the place is full.

Mary’s cooked them perfectly. The yolks ran and the flavor of the salty, peppery hash browns served as an excellent complement to the eggs.

I did not ask where the sausage came from, but the patties were excellent and tasted like they had come from the country – tender, full of flavor and just a bit spicy. The biscuits were light and fluffy, while the sausage gravy had nice chunks of sausage that helped round out the pepper base. In all, this was easily one of the best diner breakfasts I’ve had in a while, and the entire meal cost me about $6.

Mary’s also serves a “three veg” lunch, with soups, catfish, sandwiches, country ham, pork tenderloins, burgers and fries. Combination platters include catfish and ribeye steaks. The three veg is $6.50, and there is an all-you-can-eat option for $8.95. The menu isn’t complex, but this is a country-style diner, not the Four Seasons in New York. I’ll be back in the near future to try the lunch, for sure.

Aside from the excellent food, it’s good to have an old-style dining establishment between downtown and the river. Mary’s serves as a reminder of the many great places that used to be down there before Bowling Green began its headlong rush into modernity.

At the same time, it reminds us that the diner scene in Bowling Green remains healthy and vibrant.

— Our anonymous food reviewer gives new restaurants a six-week grace period before reviewing. To comment, contact Managing Editor Mike Alexieff at 783-3235 or via e-mail to malexieff@bgdailynews.com.

MARY’S HOME COOKING

428 Center St.

• 796-6946

Hours: 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, 6 a.m. to noon Sunday

Cuisine: Diner food

Price range: $3 to $9

Specialties: Breakfast, ‘Three veg’ lunch

Libation situation: None

Smoking: Yes