Route 66 is synonymous with adventure, leisure, and the open road. Movies such as Easy Rider, Thelma and Louise, and Bagdad Cafe gave us a tantalizing glimpse into road trips on the famous highway. There is just something about the name that makes you want to hire a Chevy and blast Highway to Heaven on the Stereo, or is that just me?
Joking aside, if you’re planning to do a road trip on this iconic highway, you’re going to need some stops along the way, and Route 66 has plenty to choose from. Many of these restaurants and diners have been there since the road’s earliest days. From the Midpoint Cafe, where Elvis once ate, to quirky drive-ins that inspired movie scenes, they still retain their charm and look just as you imagine them to.
So if, like me, you’re hitting the road, Thelma and Louise style, without the last scene, then this list covers everything from hearty breakfasts and homemade pies to sizzling steaks and classic burgers, all served in restaurants with histories tied to the legendary Route 66.
12 Historic Restaurants On Route 66 You Can Still Eat At
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In – Seligman, AZ
Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In in Seligman, Arizona, was opened in 1953 by Juan Delgadillo, a local barber. This part of the road is called the “Birthplace of Route 66” due to the town’s effort to preserve the highway after its decommissioning in 1985. Its quirky design used scrap lumber from the nearby Santa Fe Railroad.
Paul McCartney famously visited, and the restaurant inspired parts of Pixar’s Cars. The restaurant remains family-owned and continues to attract visitors from around the world.
On the Menu at Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In
The menu includes items like “cheeseburgers with cheese” and “dead chicken,” Juan Delgadillo was famous for pulling pranks on customers; he was a natural showman.
Midpoint Café – Adrian, TX
The MidPoint Café in Adrian, Texas, is one of the oldest on the highway. It is located at the geographical midpoint of Route 66 and is precisely 1,139 miles from both Chicago and Los Angeles. The café opened in the 1920s and was a filling station before transforming into a full-fledged restaurant called “Zella’s” in the 1940s.
It was renamed Jesse’s Café in the late 1950s, later becoming the Adrian Café and finally the MidPoint Café and Gift Shop. Fran Houser, who owned the café from 1990 to 2012, inspired the character Flo from Pixar’s Cars.
On the Menu at Midpoint Café
The café serves a full breakfast and lunch menu, with options like pancakes, burgers, and its famous “ugly crust pies.”
The Big Texan – Amarillo, TX
Opened in 1960 by Bob Lee, The Big Texan in Amarillo is located along the Texas Panhandle stretch of Route 66. It’s famed for its Texas-sized meals, larger-than-life atmosphere, and unique 72-ounce steak challenge. The challenge, which offers a free meal to anyone who can finish the steak and accompanying sides in under an hour, has drawn thousands of visitors.
The towering neon sign featuring a massive smiling cowboy welcomes Route 66 travelers into the Lone Star State, embodying the Texas Panhandle’s “cowtown spirit.”
On the Menu at The Big Texan
In addition to the famous 72-ounce steak, the menu includes ribeye, filet mignon, prime rib, BBQ ribs, fried catfish, chicken-fried steak, and burgers. Desserts like pecan pie and brownies round out the classic American dining experience.
Rock Cafe – Stroud, OK
Roy Rives built the Rock Cafe in Stroud in 1939 using local sandstone from the construction of Route 66. Over the years, it has had several owners. Dawn Welch took over the Rock Cafe in 1993, revitalizing the historic Route 66 landmark.
A passionate preservationist, she restored the cafe to its former glory after a devastating fire in 2008. Her efforts to rebuild and maintain the Rock Café earned her recognition as the inspiration for the character Sally Carrera in Pixar’s Cars.
On the Menu at Rock Cafe
The homemade menu features a variety of classic American dishes, including the famous “Alligator Burger,” which has become a signature dish.
U-Drop Inn – Shamrock, TX
The Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Café in Shamrock, Texas, opened in 1936. The Conoco station provided fuel, while the adjacent café offered food and drink. Initially planned as a retail space, a third area became overflow seating for the café.
Restored in 2004, the Art Deco building, with its green glazed tile and brick exterior, now serves as a visitor center and houses the local Chamber of Commerce. It reopened for café service in 2021, welcoming over 25,000 visitors annually.
On the Menu at U-Drop Inn
The menu offers a variety of paninis, hot pies, ice cream, and a nostalgic soda fountain. You can even sit in the same booth where Elvis Presley sat and ate in the 1960s.
66 Diner – Albuquerque, NM
66 Diner sits on one of the longest urban stretches of Route 66, on Central Avenue, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Constructed in the 1940s as a Phillips 66 gas station, it became a restaurant in 1987, two years after officials decommissioned Route 66.
Although a fire damaged part of the building in the 1990s, it was restored and still features some of its original architecture, including a back room that once served as a mechanic’s bay. Its 1950s décor and jukebox add to the authentic Route 66 experience.
On the Menu at 66 Diner
The menu features favorites like burgers, patty melts, and blue-plate specials. The diner is also famous for its hand-dipped milkshakes, which come in creative flavors like the “Pink Cadillac.”
Mitla Cafe – San Bernardino, CA
The Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino, California, opened in 1937 on Mount Vernon Avenue. This stretch of Route 66 was a hub for Mexican immigrants. Founded by Lucia Rodriguez and her first husband, Vicente Montaño, it started as a lunch counter before expanding into a full-service restaurant.
Mitla Café’s hard-shell tacos, filled with ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes, became the restaurant’s signature dish. The family shared their taco recipe with Glenn Bell, founder of Taco Bell, who used it as the basis for his original taco recipe. Four generations later, the cafe is still family-owned in the same location.
On the Menu at Cafe
Diners can enjoy favorites such as tacos, enchiladas, tamales, and tostadas, all made with authentic recipes passed down through the family.
Lucille’s Roadhouse – Weatherford, OK
Lucille’s Roadhouse in Weatherford, Oklahoma, pays tribute to one of Route 66’s most famous icons, Lucille Hamons. For nearly 60 years, she owned and operated the original Lucille’s gas station in nearby Hydro. Lucille was a legendary figure named “Mother of the Mother Road.”
The current roadhouse opened in 2006. It is designed as a 1950s-style diner with colorful decor, chrome finishes, and vintage touches that echo the golden era of Route 66.
On the Menu at Lucille’s Roadhouse
The new Lucille’s Roadhouse isn’t in the original station but continues offering classic American diner food. The menu features hand-cut Angus steaks, hamburgers, chicken-fried steak, and other Route 66 favorites like mashed potatoes and pork chops.
Clanton’s Cafe – Vinita, OK
In 1927, Grant Clanton, known as “Sweet Tator,” opened the Busy Bee Café, where the Oklahoma State Bank’s parking lot now stands. He was famous for banging a pot with a spoon to signal locals that lunch was ready. In 1930, Clanton opened the first Clanton’s Cafe at the corner of Canadian and Vann in Vinita, Oklahoma.
The café moved to its current location on Illinois Street in 1947 as part of Route 66. It’s the oldest continuously family-owned restaurant on Route 66 in Oklahoma.
On the Menu at Clanton’s Cafe
The menu features a range of Southern comfort food, with specialties like chicken-fried steak, calf fries, and hand-breaded onion rings. Breakfast items, such as their famous cinnamon French toast, are popular among regulars.
Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store – Riverton, KS
The Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store in Riverton, Kansas, was built in 1925 by Leo Williams and his wife, Lora. Known as Williams’ Store, it served as a gas station, diner, and general store. During the 1930s and 40s, they offered everything from cold watermelon and barbecue sandwiches to groceries and clothing.
The store still functions as a market, deli, and Route 66 souvenir shop, retaining much of its original interior. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 and is one of the few remaining original Route 66 businesses in Kansas.
On the Menu at Eisler Brothers Old Riverton Store
Visitors can enjoy deli sandwiches made from a variety of meats and cheeses, along with other groceries and snacks.
Galaxy Diner – Flagstaff, AZ
The Galaxy Diner in Flagstaff, Arizona, opened in 1958 and is a classic 1950s-style diner. The bright neon signs can be seen while driving along the highway. It recently came under new ownership, with father-daughter duo Will and Autumn Pillen.
The interior is a throwback to the 1950s, with walls covered in photos of movie stars. You’ll find a classic counter, red vinyl booths, and a jukebox playing hits from the era. Neon blue stars hang from the ceiling, adding to the nostalgic vibe.
On the Menu at Galaxy Diner
The diner serves all-day breakfasts, burgers, and the ever-popular malts and root beer floats. Its “Route 66 Cheeseburger” and specialty milkshakes are local favorites.
Ariston Cafe
The Ariston Cafe in Litchfield, Illinois, is one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants along Route 66. Founded in 1924 by Greek immigrant Pete Adam in Carlinville, the cafe moved to its current location in 1935. Three generations of the Adam family have run it before passing it to its new owners in 2018.
The Ariston Cafe was designated on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 and is also in the Route 66 Hall of Fame.
On the Menu at Ariston Cafe
The cafe offers home-cooked meals, including hand-cut steaks, seafood, pasta, Tex-Mex favorites, and homemade desserts like baklava and Reese’s pie.
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Kylie Lang is a nationally syndicated travel journalist with bylines on the Associated Press Wire & more, a lifestyle writer, and the founder and editor of Your Lifestyle Library (yourlifestylelibrary.com). She holds a BA (Honours) in History from the University of Kent and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers.