Dining on the Main Street of America has always been an integral part of the adventure. Anyone that has traveled this storied highway or experienced the thrill of the great American road trip has a smile inducing memory or two.
Often those memories are stirred with the intoxicating smell of frying bacon, fresh baked pies, burgers on the grill, and the aroma of coffee. In an instant these smells transport us back to a stop at a cafe, diner, restaurant, or greasy spoon truck stop.
Today’s post is a culinary journey of sorts. We are paying homage to the shuttered icons like Valenzuela’s in Needles, the Court Café in Albuquerque and Clifton’s Cafeteria in Los Angeles. And we are also celebrating the survivors as well as sharing some our favorites, and spotlighting some of the new “destination” eateries.
And I also have a couple of books to recommend. There is one by Rhys Martin, Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, and another from Lindsey Baker, Eating Up Route 66. And to further inspire that road trip, there is an episode of Coffee With Jim when our guest was Beth Hilburn of the Hi-Way Café in Vinita, Oklahoma that I want to plug.
So loosen your belt, and let’s get the search for good pie underway.
Remembering Lost Icons: Cafés That Once Fired Up the Road
Court Café, Albuquerque, New Mexico
The Court Café once stood proudly along Central Avenue (Route 66) in Albuquerque. It had an expansive menu that ran the gamut from steaks and seafood to enchiladas and Chinese dishes. Aside from the menu and interior murals, promotion boasted that the restaurant had “the softest water in Albuquerque.”
The superb food and Blue Room cocktail lounge ensured that the Coral Court was a local landmark, a social hub, and a destination for travelers on Route 66. Though the café is closed now, its memory lives on in postcards, souvenirs, and the memories of travelers and residents.
Clifton’s Cafeteria, Los Angeles, California
Clifton’s Cafeteria originally opened in 1931 within spittin’ distance of the original western terminus of Route 66 at 7th and Broadway, in the heart of the Los Angeles theater district. It was a literal showpiece that was billed as the largest cafeteria in the world.
For a more private dining experience, patrons could enjoy hidden tropical grottoes. And there were waterfalls, multi-story faux redwoods, taxidermy hidden in an array of plants, and exotic décor that presented the illusion of dining in a forested wilderness. There is a local legend that the cafeteria served as an inspiration for Walt Disney as he worked on plans for Disneyland.
On Google, Clifton’s is listed as temporarily closed. The future for this gem is uncertain. Let’s hope that it is given a new lease on life in time for the Route 66 centennial.
Valenzuela’s
We lost this little gem during the apocalypse of 2020. This restaurant in Needles was a true time capsule that had opened in 1952 just off Route 66.
The decor, the furnishings, and the pie cases were all original. On my last visit I was ushered into the kitchen by the grandson of the founder. In spite of stifling heat (the restaurant had no air conditioning) his mother, well into her 80s, was cooking. She proudly showed me the grille and stove that was original to the restaurant, and still in use.
Surprisingly a number of classic restaurants from the pre interstate highway era still survive all along Route 66. And as this iconic highway has always been in a state of evolution, there are a few restaurants that are destinations for a new generation of Route 66 traveler.
Stalwart Survivors: Restaurants Opened Before 1960 — Still Serving the Road
Ariston Café, Litchfield, Illinois
The Ariston Café in Litchfield, Illinois is more than a revered treasure. It is a shining example of the diversity that is at the foundation of the American story.
Pete Adam, a Greek immigrant, established the restaurant in 1924 along state highway 4, predecessor to Route 66, in Carlinville. Realignment of the highway led Adam to relocate the restaurant to Litchfield.
It is largely unchanged from the 1940s and the the last remodel. The brick façade, original booths, seating with tags showing the chairs were manufactured in “Occupied Austria”, and lighting are links to post WWII America.
His son Nick Adam, and his wife, managed the restaurant until 2018. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006, the Ariston is destination. And it illustrates the role of immigrants in the Route 66 story.
Lou Mitchell’s, Chicago, Illinois
Opened in 1923 (three years before the designation of US 66), and located near Chicago’s eastern terminus, Lou Mitchell’s has been serving travelers and locals for more than 100 years. Its glass storefront, neon signage, flooring, counters, booths, and interior detailing present the illusion of time travel.
It has become a tradition for west bound Route 66 travelers to start their adventure with breakfast at Lou Mitchell’s. And east bound travelers often make this the traditional end of the odyssey. Over time it became known for whimsical traditions, donut holes to waiting customers and Milk Duds to women and children. Lou Mitchell’s remains a beloved stop for the Route 66 traveler, a piece of living Americana in Chicago.
Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe, Victorville, California
Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Cafe has been in continuous operation since 1947. That makes it an authentic survivor on the California stretch of Route 66. Its 1950s ambiance, simple classic menu (burgers, fries, shakes), and no-frills feel is a throwback to the era of I Like Ike buttons. The “Holland Burger” remains a must-stop for Route 66 travelers between the Mojave Desert and Los Angeles area megalopolis.
Clanton’s Café, Vinita, Oklahoma
Clanton’s Café in Vinita (319 E. Illinois Ave – Route 66) is one of the oldest continuously family-owned Route 66 restaurants. With origins in the 1920s, it’s been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives and in many travel guides. For travelers and locals, hospitality, chicken fried steak, fried chicken, burgers, steaks, and delicious homemade pies and fruit cobbler have been offered for nearly a century.
Del’s Restaurant, Tucumcari, New Mexico
Del’s Restaurant in Tucumcari has been a staple since about 1956, with its glowing neon sign a beacon on the New Mexico stretch of Route 66. It continues serving local New Mexican cuisine alongside standard diner fare — perfect for a late-evening plate or a sunrise stop.
New & Revived Destination Restaurants (Past ~20 Years)
Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner (formerly Kimo Café), Kingman, Arizona
It opened in January 1940 as the Kingman Cafe and a Shell station. A few years later it was renamed the Kimo Cafe (Ki for Kingman and Mo for Mohave County). Since the early 1990s it’s been known to legions of Route 66 travelers, and locals, as Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner. Famous for the romanticized 1950s decor and homemade root beer served in frosted mugs, classic burgers with a twist, shakes, onion rings, and road trip worthy breakfasts.
Lucille’s Roadhouse, Weatherford, Oklahoma
Lucille’s Roadhouse honors the legacy of Lucille Hamons (the “Mother of the Mother Road”), who ran a cafe and service station in nearby Hydro for decades along Route 66. Today’s Lucille’s in Weatherford operates as a full roadhouse restaurant. Traditional hearty breakfasts, steaks, sandwiches, local specialties carries on the tradition of Hamons.
Mother Road Market, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Mother Road Market is a modern culinary collective/food hall just off Route 66 in Tulsa. In a repurposed historic building, it brings together local vendors, a culturally diverse array of foods, craft drinks, and music. It has become a gathering place for Route 66 travelers and locals alike. While not a mid-century diner, its vibrant, community-driven ambiance makes it a must-stop for folks following Route 66 through Tulsa.
Sweetie Pie’s Amish Bakery & Café, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Sweetie Pie’s Amish Bakery & Café opened in spring 2025. We discovered it while attending the AAA Route 66 Road Fest. The offices of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and the historic Campbell Hotel are across the street. Regional authenticity, a variety of fresh baked goods and preserves, and hearty breakfasts are the hallmark. Located in a strip mall at 2627 E 11th St., Ste. A, (Route 66) it offers pies a cozy café feel reminiscent of the diners I remember from travels in the 1960s and 1970s.
Books & Resources: Rhys Martin, Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, Route 66: 100, Eating Up Route 66
Lost Restaurants of Tulsa by Rhys Martin
Lost Restaurants of Tulsa collects stories, photographs, and memories of nearly 50 iconic eateries in Tulsa’s past — once beloved, now gone. It spans from the early 20th century through mid-century drive-ins and upscale places into more recent decades. I highly recommend this book for the home library.
Publisher & Ordering Info
- Publisher: Arcadia Publishing / American Palate series (The History Press)
- Available via Barnes & Noble, Amazon, independent bookstores, and via Rhys’s website (signed copies) Rhys’ Pieces
Rhys Martin & Route 66: 100
Rhys Martin is a Tulsa-based author, photographer, and Route 66 advocate. He is also the president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and manager of the Preserve Route 66 Initiative at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In Route 66: 100 Years, a Route centennial anthology from Quarto Publishing) he wrote the Oklahoma chapter. You can order Route 66: 100 Years via Quarto’s publisher site, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or specialty Route 66 gift shops. And there is a link on the Jim Hinckley’s America website.
Eating Up Route 66 by T. Lindsey Baker
Eating Up Route 66: Foodways on America’s Moter Road is a delight that blends menus, proprietor stories, archival photos, and travel tips. This remains one of my go-to companion books when planning a Route 66 trip, or writing about this iiconic highway. It is available via major booksellers and in museum gift shops and at some local cafés along the road.
Podcast Spotlight: Coffee With Jim
One manifestation of the Jim Hinckley’s America vision and mission – sharing America’s story and inspiring road trips – is Coffee With Jim. The weekly podcast on Podbean is a virtual diner where folks gather for a few laughs, to tell stories, to share ideas, and to listen to fascinating people.
On the March 12, 2023 episode we talked with Beth Hilburn, owner of Hi-Way Café in Vinita, Oklahoma. This is a modern diner in classic form on Route 66.
On this episode Beth shared:
- the café’s history, how she preserves and reinterprets classic diner hospitality
- stories from road travelers, car clubs, and cyclists, food memories
- evolving tastes and the weight of nostalgia
Share the adventure. Subscribe to Coffee With Jim (via Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.). Never miss a conversation with neon restorers, motel keepers, museum curators, CVB directors, authors, film producers, and stewards of the road.
Call to Action: Join the Jim Hinckley’s America Community
Well, did we inspire a road trip or two today? Great! Welcome to the Jim HInckley’s America community. Now, here’s how to stay plugged in for more road trip inspiring stories:
- Subscribe to this blog — get updates, route tips, diner spotlights, historic stories sent directly to your inbox.
- Subscribe to the Coffee With Jim podcast — hear voices of Americana: restaurant owners, neon experts, motel keepers, and more.
- Follow Jim Hinckley’s America on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube — for photos, short videos, behind-the-scenes, route updates, and community stories.
- Share your memories: leave comments here with cafés you’ve visited or remember, suggest hidden gems, and help fellow travelers find them.
Together, we keep alive not just the culture of the open road, but also the spirit of the great American road trip. Let’s share that legacy with the next traveler who wonders: “Where should I eat today on the Mother Road?”
Thank you. Shared adventures are the best adventures.