Shoreline Diner in Guilford, Connecticut

Legend says that gold treasure lies buried in the Thimble Islands off the coast of Connecticut. Tradition insists that William “Captain” Kidd himself hid the gilded trove more than three hundred years ago among the pink-granite crannies of the archipelago. Treasure hunters have since searched for the rumored loot, launching boats into Long Island Sound on never-ending quests to uncover the pirate’s prize.

Onshore, and a mile or so inland at Guilford, the Anthis and Ayvacis families continue their quest, too—although theirs is a goal that needs neither oar nor shovel to succeed. They find their fortune in another type of treasure—the happy customer. More often than not, they claim that valued prize, thanks to the sincere efforts they put into their gem of a roadside business, the Shoreline Diner…