10 Places To Eat Along Route 66

Point your car east on this historic byway as you head from California to Arizona. You’ll be richly rewarded by beautiful scenery and plenty of U.S. comfort food along the way.

The Albright, Santa Monica

Seafood lovers should start at The Albright on the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. In this renovated seafood shack, you’ll savor fresh oysters and can take your pick of live crab and lobster from the saltwater tank. Make new friends at the communal tables while sipping craft beers.

Calico House Restaurant, Yermo

Head about two hours northeast to Yermo, California, home of the Calico House Restaurant. The restaurant, which looks like it could be the backdrop of an old Western movie, serves hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes and fresh-baked pie for dessert. After dinner, relax in a rocking chair and view the Calico Ghost Town scenery from the restaurant’s veranda.

Ludlow Cafe, Ludlow

Continue east into the Mojave Desert to Ludlow, California, where Ludlow Cafe has been serving travelers since 1971. Settle in for all-day breakfast classics, hearty lunch plates, and a slice of homemade pie before getting back on the road. Mining equipment on display outside pays tribute to the area’s history as a railroad and mining town.

Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner, Kingman

Continue on to Kingman, Arizona, to step back in time at Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner. Start your meal with a rich root beer float before enjoying the all-day breakfast menu or a plate of chicken-fried steak. Be sure to drop some coins in the jukebox and be on the look-out for the classic car shows that often take place here. It doesn’t get more authentic than this.

Delgadillo’s Snow Cap, Seligman

Drive an hour east to Seligman, Arizona, to experience the roadside attraction that is Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In. Snap some pictures by the classic cars and be ready to fill up with American favorites like milkshakes, burgers and fries. The quirky, neon-lit restaurant first opened in 1953 and is still home to the attention-grabbing, festooned 1936 Chevy the owners parked there to drum up business.

Pine Country Restaurant, Williams

Continue your Route 66 road-trip adventure at Pine Country Restaurant in Williams, Arizona. This Route 66 staple, known for its friendly hospitality, generous portions and world-famous homemade pies, is just 97 kilometers south of the Grand Canyon. Find the perfect souvenir from the range of collectibles in their Route 66 gift shop.

66 Diner, Albuquerque

Roll into Albuquerque to 66 Diner, a black-and-white checkerboard homage to the 1950s built inside a converted 1945 Phillips 66 gas station. Grab a stool at the soda fountain for a malt served the old-fashioned way, or dig into New Mexican-spiced diner classics like the Pileup — fried potatoes, bacon, eggs and green or red chile piled high.

Midpoint Cafe, Adrian

Right at Mile 1,139 — the exact halfway point between Chicago and Santa Monica — sits the Midpoint Cafe, a family-run diner that’s occupied this building since 1928. Order a burger or a plate of biscuits and gravy, then save room for a slice of the cafe’s famous “Ugly Crust” pie.

Sid’s Diner, El Reno

Detour into El Reno, Oklahoma — the self-declared birthplace of the fried onion burger — for a plate at Sid’s Diner, a family business now in its second generation. Opened in 1967, the diner still hand-forms the patties and presses them into a bed of freshly shredded onions on a seasoned flat-top grill. Round it out with a hand-dipped malt or a side of golden onion rings.

Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket, Willowbrook

Just outside of Chicago, you’ll find Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket, serving up its secret-recipe fried chicken since 1946. The roadhouse survived the interstate bypass that closed many Route 66 businesses and has been a fixture in the same building ever since. Order the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and biscuits for the full experience, or grab a booth in the dining room for a taste of mid-century roadside Americana.