Americans love food and driving and these passions come together in roadside restaurants. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that roadside restaurants have a central place in American culture: They feature in such iconic films as “American Graffiti” and “Thelma and Louise” and road movies are themselves a major film genre.
After a year of restrictions on travel and dining out, many Americans must be hungry for adventure and hungry for the restaurant experience, whether it’s the chrome exterior and vinyl interior of a basic truckstop café or a classic diner. (Here is the best diner in every state)
To whet your appetite 24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of 26 of America’s best roadside eateries.
They span the country, from Maine to California to Hawaii. Many of the places on our list are known for classic American fare, such as pizza and BBQ. Not surprisingly, burgers are a staple. Some are famous for local specialties, such as lobster and chowder fries. Whatever your preference, roadside restaurants often offer generous portions for reasonable prices.
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-in
> Location: Seligman, Arizona
> Don’t miss: Jalapeño burger
24/7 Wall St.
Yaks on the 5
> Location: Dunsmuir, California
> Don’t miss: Bacon Overload burger
[in-text-ad-2]
Goody’s Family Restaurant
> Location: Victorville, California
> Don’t miss: Waffle supreme combo
Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner
> Location: Yermo, California
> Don’t miss: Peggy Sue’s special combination pizza
[in-text-ad]
West Shore Seafood
> Location: Morris, Connecticut
> Don’t miss: Chowder fries
Wooster Hollow Café
> Location: Ridgefield, Connecticut
> Don’t miss: Chicken enchilada omelet
Helen’s Famous Sausage House
> Location: Smyrna, Delaware
> Don’t miss: Fried bologna and egg sandwich
[in-text-ad-2]
Chicken in a Barrel BBQ
> Location: Kapaa, Hawaii
> Don’t miss: Chicken in a Barrel plate
Blue Springs Café
> Location: Highland, Indiana
> Don’t miss: Fried walleye dinner
[in-text-ad]
Palace Diner
> Location: Biddeford, Maine
> Don’t miss: Buttermilk flapjacks
24/7 Wall St.
Red’s Eats
> Location: Wiscasset, Maine
> Don’t miss: Red’s “Lobster Roll of Fame”
B.T.’s Smokehouse
> Location: Sturbridge, Massachusetts
> Don’t miss: Three-meat platter
[in-text-ad-2]
Mason Jar Café
> Location: Benton Harbor, Michigan
> Don’t miss: Mascarpone-stuffed cinnamon-challah French toast
Peg’s Countryside Café
> Location: Hamel, Minnesota
> Don’t miss: Country-style eggs Benedict
[in-text-ad]
Wagner’s Drive-In
> Location: Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
> Don’t miss: Fried chicken dinner
24/7 Wall St.
Crazy K’s Food & Fuel
> Location: Buckatunna, Mississippi
> Don’t miss: Hand-cut ribeye sandwich
Open Range Grill
> Location: Ogallala, Nebraska
> Don’t miss: Range burger
[in-text-ad-2]
Lexie’s Joint
> Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
> Don’t miss: Lexie’s Big Mouth burger
21. Steve’s Burgers
> Location: Garfield, New Jersey
> Don’t miss: “Y-D-K-J” burger
[in-text-ad]
Buckeye Express Diner
> Location: Belleville, Ohio
> Don’t miss: Locomotive Buckeye Pounder burger
24/7 Wall St.
Wellsboro Diner
> Location: Wellsboro, Pennsylvania
> Don’t miss: Hot roast beef sandwich
[in-text-ad-2]
Anthony’s Seafood
> Location: Middletown, Rhode Island
> Don’t miss: Portuguese fish chowder
Murdo Drive-In
> Location: Murdo, South Dakota
> Don’t miss: Local grass-fed burger
[in-text-ad]
Coyote Bluff Café
> Location: Amarillo, Texas
> Don’t miss: Burger from Hell
Cruiser Café
> Location: Eatonville, Washington
> Don’t miss: Big “E” burger
[in-text-ad-2]
Hillbilly Hot Dogs
> Location: Lesage, West Virginia
> Don’t miss: Chuck’s Junk Yard Dog
Take This Retirement Quiz To Get Matched With An Advisor Now (Sponsored)
Are you ready for retirement? Planning for retirement can be overwhelming, that’s why it could be a good idea to speak to a fiduciary financial advisor about your goals today.
Start by taking this retirement quiz right here from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes. Smart Asset is now matching over 50,000 people a month.
Click here now to get started.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
