A total of seven restaurants with strong ties to Route 66 recently made Lovefood.com’s list of the best roadside restaurants in the United States.
A total of 44 restaurants across America were cited. Writer Miriam Carey wrote about the criteria: “Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They’re also regularly checked and updated.”
Here is the list of Route 66 eateries:
- 5. DeCamp Station, Staunton, Illinois
- 10. Delgadillo’s Snow-Cap Drive-In, Seligman, Arizona
- 15. Frontier Restaurant, Albuquerque
- 22. Rock Cafe, Stroud, Oklahoma
- 26. 66 Diner, Albuquerque
- 32. Roadkill Cafe, Seligman, Arizona
- 40. The Big Texan, Amarillo, Texas
Note: The Big Texan technically isn’t on Route 66, but its original site opened there. The restaurant also plays up its Route 66 roots.
DeCamp Station, probably the least-known on the Route 66 list, was delighted to be included.
“What an honor,” the restaurant stated on its Facebook page. “A big thank you to the author of the article and an even bigger thank you to all our dedicated patrons helping us keep this old roadhouse alive! We love this bar and all of you!”
DeCamp Station, which is nearly 100 years old, sits at the mining ghost town of DeCamp Junction south of Staurton. The restaurant sits on the original 1926-1932 alignment of Route 66.
DeCamp Station also has the unique distinction of having a volleyball court and a baseball field on its premises.
(Image of DeCamp Station near Staunton, Illinois, via Facebook)