21 Places to Eat Along Historic Route 66

One of the most important things when planning your Mother Road trip is figuring out where to eat! There are so many restaurants with hands-on owners who love where they live and a story to tell – they really make the highway special. Below are some fantastic places to eat along Route 66 for when you want good food, friendly service, and maybe a story or two to take with you!

Watch My Whole Route 66 Journey Here

Illinois

1. Polk-A-Dot Drive In ✷

Polk-A-Dot-Drive In was founded seventy years ago and has been owned by Judy Chinsky and her sister-in-law Cathy Dixon for a good chunk of those decades. It’s a fantastic retro-themed diner known for their chili cheese fries and lifesize statues. Put in your order and then take pictures with all of them. Say hi to Jake and Elwood for me!

2. Cozy Dog Drive-In ✷

Another iconic drive-in restaurant in Illinois? The Cozy Dog Drive-In! It’s known all over the world for one thing — the famous cozy dogs. And no, despite appearances, they are not the same as a corn dog. The drive-in was founded by Buzz Waldmire after his father created the original cozy dog, and to this day they still use freshly made batter.

3. Old Herald Brewery & Distillery ✷

Before you leave Illinois, grab a bite (and a responsible drink!) at Old Herald Brewery & Distillery. Located in the former headquarters for the Collinsville Herald and founded by distiller Derik Resier, they’re known for their horseradish spirits. I mean, Collinsville is known as the horseradish capital of the world, so it only makes sense! Don’t worry, they also have a great food menu as well in partnership with Press House.

Missouri

4. Missouri Hick BBQ

While we were checking out the murals of Cuba, artist Shelly Steiger recommended we grab lunch at Missouri Hick BBQ. Its late founder, Dennis Meiser, was not only a master at BBQ, he was a woodworker and designed everything from the tables and chairs to the stairs leading up to the balcony. And the smoked meat? It’s as good as the service is quick!

Oklahoma

5. Mother Road Food Hall ✷

Food halls are music to my ears, and there’s a reason Mother Road Food Hall was name #1 Food Hall in the country by USA Today. It’s a non-profit food hall that works with the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation and Kitchen 66 to make it easier for food entrepreneurs in Tulsa to start their own businesses. And there is so much selection with cuisine from all over the world! It’s perfect if you’re roadtripping with a group where everyone is craving something different.

6. Sid’s Diner ✷

Top of the must-eat list on Route 66? A Depression Burger. Also known as an Onion Burger. During the Great Depression in Oklahoma when meat was expensive, burger joints came up with a way of adding thinly sliced sweet onions to make a burger feel fuller. Soon a culinary delight was born. When you’re leaving Oklahoma City, stop into Sid’s Diner at El Reno to try one for yourself. The diner gets its name from founder Marty Hall, who named it after his father, and today you can find Marty’s son Adam, flipping as many as 800 burgers in one day!

Texas

7. The Big Texan ✷

You know what they say. Everything’s bigger in Texas! According to The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery’s owner, Bob Lee, they can see 452 people at one time. It was Lee’s father who first founded the steakhouse back in the sixties, and it’s just grown and grown since then. You just gotta love a place that hosts a livestreamed 72-ounce steak challenge and has accommodation for visitors who need to sleep their meal off.

8. Midpoint Cafe ✷

What’s sweeter than a Texas cafe with homemade pies? One that sits at the official halfway mark of Route 66! Yes, despite some towns fighting over the right to such a geographic honor, it’s Midpoint Cafe in Adrian that won the ultimate right in the 1990s. Current owner Brenda Hammit started here as the cook around fourteen years ago and still cooks to this day. And to give you an idea of just how close the community is on Route 66 — when Brenda found out my next stop was Motel Safari in Tucumcari, NM, she had me bring some leftover Elvis pie to her friend Larry, the owner!

New Mexico

9. Chico’s Mexican Food

Mmm, Mexican in New Mexico. Chico’s started off as a food stand on Park Lake, founded by couple Carlos and Juany Chicos, who hail from Guerrero in Mexico. Juany creates the menu, having learned from years of simply watching her mother cook. Their success was huge, and they soon opened up a sit-down location on Route 66. Whatever you order for food, get one of their aguas frescas to wash it down.

10. Tia Sophia’s ✷

Now if you look at a map, you may be confused as to why Santa Fe is included on a Route 66 food guide. That’s because it is part of Route 66! It’s part of the original S-curve alignment from Santa Rosa while the new, post-1927 alignment goes straight to Albuquerque. For posterity (and because Santa Fe is one of my favorite places on earth), we obviously followed the old alignment. And when you follow the old Route 66,  breakfast at Tia Sophia’s is a must. It’s right off Santa Fe Plaza and has been beloved by locals and visitors for decades. When you order, ask about the Christmas option, aka served with both red and green chilis!

11. Mary and Tito’s Cafe

On my last trip to Albuquerque for Route 66 filming, I knew we were going to land right around lunch time, so I did a little research ahead of time. I love New Mexican cuisine, and you really can’t find it replicated anywhere else (I’ve tried). I wanted to check in, drop my stuff off, and head out as soon as possible. In my research, I discovered Mary and Tito’s Cafe and wound up having a meal I’ll remember for the rest of my life! They’re family owned with no real internet presence, and the menu makes it hard to pin down just what to order when dining solo (I should have brought the crew with me!). Just like any good New Mexican restaurant, they turn their raw chilis into absolute red and green chili gold! I also just loved the vinyl booths and community feel. I got the chicken enchiladas Christmas style and, mmm, I’m still thinking about that meal.

12. 505 Central Food Hall

505 Central Food Hall is another great Route 66 food hall; this time in Albuquerque right near where the old and new alignments cross. They currently have nine local vendors. Grab a bite here and then catch a show at KiMo Theatre. Or if you’re here on a Friday afternoon, catch the local car show that happens every week.

13. Earl’s Family Restaurant ✷

Right before you leave New Mexico’s stretch of Route 66, stop into the town of Gallup right near the Arizona border. Here is where you’ll find Earl’s Family Restaurant. They’ve been here for over 75 years and have a mix of American, Native, and Mexican cuisine. Its current owner, Sherol Richards, became the owner thanks to her mother who was a waitress for the original Earl. She became the manager and later bought the business after none of Earl’s kids seemed interested in managing. If you get one of their most famous dishes, the Navajo Taco, be prepared to come hungry or share it with someone.

Arizona

14. Romo’s Restaurant ✷

You can’t miss Romo’s Restaurant’s pastel pink exterior and Route 66 mural in Holbrook. It’s been around since 1969 and current owner, Phyllis Romo, remembers helping out in the kitchen as a kid. Come for the classic eats and don’t forget your red, green, or Christmas chile.

15. Fat Olives

Looking for Italian on Route 66? Check out Fat Olives in Flagstaff. Chef and owner, John Conley, has been working in restaurants since he was thirteen and studied at the nearby NAU’s School of Hotel and Restaurant Management. Fat Olives is his second restaurant in town and is notable for its official Neapolitan style pizzas. (Seriously, there’s a certification with the strictest of standards he must meet!) The atmosphere is friendly, the food delicious, and who doesn’t love a change of cuisine while on Route 66?

16. Miz Zip’s

Miz Zip’s is a classic roadside diner that’s been open for over 70 years! It serves up lots of nostalgia and has counter seating which is one of my favorites. My director, Sylvia,and I had our production meeting here one morning after we saw a sign that said “Famous Breakfast.” It did not disappoint, and we mapped out our plans over pancakes, eggs, and hot refills of coffee!

17. The Turquoise Room ✷

Even if you don’t stay over in the historic La Posada Hotel, you should at least dine at The Turquoise Room. The whole hotel was once a famed Harvey House hotel designed by renowned architect Mary Colter. Later turned into Santa Fe Railroad offices, there wasn’t much left of its former grandeur when artists and independent hoteliers Allan Afeldt and Tina Mion purchased the property in 1997. Part of the work they’ve done to revive La Posada was creating a fine dining experience onsite. Their friend, John Sharpe, notable for his work all over Southern California, spent three years renovating the old dining spaces and soon The Turquoise Room was born. The name was inspired by a private dining room onboard The Super Chief, a deluxe train that ran between Chicago and Los Angeles and was notable for its A-list clientele. It’s a train that did, indeed, stop not only Winslow but right in La Posada’s own backyard.

18. The Snow Cap Cafe ✷

There’s a lot to love about the town of Seligman (inspiration for Radiator Springs in Cars), and one of them is the charmingly eclectic Snow Cap Cafe. Owned by Juan Delgadillo, the cafe has been in the family for over 72 years now and his only goal is to make sure everyone leaves in a good mood. His mode of operation? Pranks that’ll give Amelia Bedelia a run for her money!

California

19. The Formosa Cafe ✷

If walls could talk… I’m pretty sure I’d still be listening to the stories the ones in The Formosa Cafe could tell. Since 1939, this place has not only been a mainstay in West Hollywood and Route 66, it was once the hangout of Old Hollywood movie stars. Think of a famous name, and I can almost guarantee they dined here back in the day. Formosa comes from Taiwan’s Portuguese name, and it’s always had an American Chinese menu. Recently, the 1933 Group took over operations and completely undid 2015 modern renovations longtime clientele hated. The Formosa Cafe you can dine at today pays tribute to its history with its iconic red booths, Chinese-inspired decor, a historic Red Train car, and, of course, many black and white photos of stars that partied through the night here. Seriously, just imagine the stories this place could tell while you’re diving into some spicy wok fried rice!

20. Oh La La Bakery

While I was impressed by the healthy salad options all along Route 66, by the time I hit California I knew I would be done with a diet that consisted largely of hamburgers and French fries. Oh La La Bakery was right across from our hotel and looked perfect. It’s casual with a tad bit of an upscale, luxury feeling that felt deserved. When the waiter delivered my salad, I nearly cried. Imagine almost a foot tall mound of the most beautiful greens you’ve ever seen! My crew grabbed breakfast here the next morning when it was mobbed, so it’s definitely the neighborhood breakfast spot as well as excellent for dinner.

21. Mel’s Drive-In ✷

Santa Monica may be the spiritual end point of Route 66, but Mel’s Drive-In is one of four official end points and they have a bell to celebrate! Originally opened in the 1940s in San Francisco, they were the very first drive-in restaurant and pioneered the concept. Since then they’ve expanded to multiple locations and their Santa Monica one opened up in 2018. As with any great drive-in diner joint their menu is generous and mouthwatering.

And there you have it — some iconic places to eat along Route 66 from Illinois all the way down to California. Any you’d add to the list? Let me know!