8 Delicious and Historic Pit Stops Along Route 66
Plan your pit stops at these historic diners along the Mother Road
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Haley Somolinos
When coasting down the most iconic highway in America, Route 66, you’ll want to plan your pit stops carefully. Here are a few historic diners along the route that should be on your list. They were all recent grantees of Backing Historic Small Restaurants, a grant program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in partnership with American Express.
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1. Hi-Way Cafe (Vinita, Oklahoma)
A beloved stop along the well-traveled Mother Road, the Hi-Way Cafe has been serving pies and diner fare since 1963.
It’s known for its neon sign (which underwent a restoration project recently); 24-foot Muffler Man, “Big Bill”; and a 1963 AMC American Rambler that holds the Guinness World Record for “Most Stickers on a Car.”
U Drop Inn Full View (2023-03-16) by R Boed via Flickr CC BY 2.0 DEEDNational Trust for Historic Preservation
2. U Drop Inn Cafe (Shamrock, Texas)
The U-Drop Inn got its name from a local student’s winning entry in a naming contest. It shares the Art Deco-style building with the Tower Station, a gas station. Built in 1936, this distinctive building’s shape reflects the image of a nail stuck in the soil.
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The building fell into disrepair, but a group of local citizens saved it from demolition. It has been restored to its former glory, and it served as inspiration for Ramone’s automotive body and paint shop in the movie Cars.
U Drop Inn Counter (2024-04-05) by Rafter R PhotographyNational Trust for Historic Preservation
Visitors today can indulge in nostalgia at the retro soda fountain and see the booth where Elvis Presley once sat.
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3. Delgadillo's Snow Cap (Seligman, Arizona)
Built in 1953 from scrap lumber by Juan Delgadillo, the Snow Cap Drive-In has brought laughs and delicious food to delighted travelers along Route 66.
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Delgadillo’s penchant for humor is found throughout the eatery: signs for “cheeseburger with cheese,” “dead chicken,” and “Sorry, We’re Open” grace the exterior. Today, Delgadillo’s children continue their father’s legacy of serving pranks and burgers.
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4. Mitla Cafe (San Bernardino, California)
Founded by Lucia Montaño Rodriguez in 1937, the Mitla Cafe is run today by her grandson and great-grandson. The café serves Mexican comfort food like chile rellenos as well as tacos dorados, the original inspiration for the tacos at Taco Bell.
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5. Docs Just Off 66 (Girard, Illinois)
Lewis and Josephine Deck founded a drugstore in this building way back in 1884. Their sons eventually took over the business and added a soda fountain a few decades later. The Deck family no longer owns Docs, but the establishment is still serving classic diner grub and hand-drawn sodas.
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6. La Paloma Mexican Restaurant (La Verne, California)
Family recipes for enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, sopas, and other Mexican dishes have been the draw at the family-owned La Paloma since 1966. The building, constructed in 1928, often plays host to National Hot Rod Association drivers looking for a hearty meal after their races.
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7. La Cita (Tucumcari, New Mexico)
Considered one of the oldest Mexican restaurants on Route 66, La Cita stands out not only for its food, but also for its rotating neon sign that has welcomed hungry travelers since in the 1940s. The current owners recently restored the original signage and neon lighting.
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8. The Oinkster (Los Angeles, California)
For the past 18 years, the Oinkster has delivered burgers, pulled pork, pastrami, and loaded fries to the residents and students of Northeast Los Angeles' Eagle Rock neighborhood. In a nod to the owner's Filipino heritage, the menu also features an ube milkshake.
The restaurants listed here offer more than just delicious grub. Their historic vernacular architecture, striking signage, and legendary local business owners have all played, and will continue to play, a major role in the past, present, and future, of Route 66.
Learn more about the National Trust for Historic Preservation's campaign to preserve Route 66, sign our petition to advocate for the Mother Road, and then share your Route 66 story with us.
Explore other stories on the Mother Road
The Pop Culturist's Guide to Route 66
8 Roadside Attractions Along Route 66
Adapted by Tim O'Donnell from 5 Delicious and Historic Pit Stops Along Route 66 by Haley Somolinos.
Haley Somolinos is the manager of email marketing at the National Trust. She has a passion for places and the stories that they hold.
Tim O'Donnell is a former editor at Preservation magazine and freelance journalist who covers architecture and urban design.
This story is made possible by the generosity of David and Julia Uihlein.
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