A Food Network article recently touted Lindy’s Diner in downtown Albuquerque as the best diner in New Mexico — and apparently all of Route 66.
The network cited the best diners in all 50 states. This is what it stated about Lindy’s at 500 Central Ave. (aka Route 66):
The history behind its name is murky, but Lindy’s Diner is well-documented as being one of the oldest restaurants on Route 66 in New Mexico. Since 1929, the Albuquerque diner has welcomed folks of all stripes, including businesspeople, the mayor, TV and movie stars (over 32 movies have been filmed here!), the homeless and even President Clinton (and his Secret Service entourage), who gave a speech at its front door. Even four-legged, furry friends are welcome on the dog-friendly patio. Look for signature dishes like the Cowboy Breakfast (often ordered outside of morning hours), a chicken-fried steak smothered in green chili (made with local Hatch chiles) and cheese and paired with pinto beans, hash browns and eggs, plus a tortilla and a grilled jalapeno. The burgers are as creative as they are huge, like the Green Chile Cheeseburger, a half-pound patty topped with Hatch green chiles and American cheese on a toasted brioche bun. In a nod to the Greek roots of the Vatoseow family, who have owned the diner since 1971, the Spartacus Burger is topped with sliced gyro and feta and served with a cooling side of tzatziki sauce.
The Albuquerque Journal followed up on the honor with the restaurant’s owners, the husband-and-wife team of Steve and Dawn Vatoseow.
“It was just an honor that they would pick us for the state of New Mexico,” Dawn Vatoseow said. […]
Dawn and Steve Vatoseow took over the diner in 1994 after working in the business for several years under the ownership of Narke Vatoseow, Steve Vatoseow’s father. Narke Vatoseow died in 1994 and had owned the diner since the early 1960s. […]
Dawn Vatoseow credited the diner’s loyal customers and the resurgence of people traveling the Mother Road for helping bring the diner this far.
She said the owners have also struck a balance between keeping up with the times and preserving the familiarity and nostalgia that diner goers love by never “(trying) to be anything that we’re not.”
Crown Candy Kitchen in St. Louis was also honored as Missouri’s best, though the restaurant sits about four blocks from the closest alignment of Route 66.
This is what the Food Network said about it:
Ask any local about Crown Candy Kitchen and they’re bound to have a story. It’s no wonder — the old-school St. Louis soda fountain has been a local institution since 1913, when Harry Karandzieff and his best friend Pete Jugaloff opened it as a family-friendly eatery to showcase their Greek confectionary skills. Crown Candy remains a family affair — Harry’s son George took it over in the 1950s, George’s sons Andy, Mike and Tommy took over in the 90s and Andy is still running things today. Little has changed over the decades, from the soda fountain to the old wooden booths built by Harry himself. Fittingly, the first thing you’ll notice when you walk in is the candy case, which is lined with old-fashioned candies and chocolates like the signature Heavenly Hash, gooey marshmallows covered in chocolate and pecans. To satisfy the demand for seasonal treats like chocolate Easter rabbits, Andy starts hand-pouring them in January — turning out 10,000 chocolate bunnies a season. Crown Candy makes its own ice cream, too, including flavors like black walnut, a regional specialty crafted with Ozark black walnuts, which are lauded for their rich, nutty-sweet flavor. There’s plenty here to sate your sweet tooth, but the place has also earned a reputation for its sandwiches, especially the BLT. It’s a monstrous, meaty masterpiece that boasts 15 slices of bacon piled high with lettuce and tomato on Texas toast slicked with Miracle Whip.
Crown Candy Kitchen sits at 1401 St. Louis Ave., about four blocks east of the Florissant Avenue alignment of Route 66. The restaurant’s history and cuisine is so substantial, however, that a significant number of Route 66ers make a side trip there.
(Image of Lindy’s Diner in Albuquerque by Tony Hisgett via Flickr)