This hasn't yet been posted on the Route 66 Association of Missouri's Web site, but I received a mailer that announces the association's 19th annual motor tour will be Sept. 5-7. The tour starts with registration at the Comfort Inn in Collinsville, Ill., on Friday. Saturday includes dinner at Zeno's Motel and Steakhouse in Rolla, … Continue reading Missouri motor tour runs in September
Category: Restaurants
The saga of the Eagle Hotel
The Chicago Tribune has just published an exemplary article about Bill Scales' efforts to renovate the historic Eagle Hotel on Route 66 in Wilmington, Ill., and the city's growing impatience over the long-delayed project. Check it out.
The story behind Ugly Crust Pies
The Midland (Texas) Reporter-Telegram explains how the world-famous Ugly Crust Pies at the Midpoint Cafe on Route 66 in Adrian, Texas, got their name. The newspaper went straight to the source -- pie baker Jo Anne Harwell: "My grandmother could make a crust that was absolutely a piece of art. Mine are definitely not of … Continue reading The story behind Ugly Crust Pies
Lou Mitchell’s makes list of nation’s top breakfasts
J.J. Goode, writing for Details magazine, sought to find the best breakfast restaurants in America. His final list, pared down to a dozen or so, includes Lou Mitchell's Restaurant on old Route 66 in Chicago. This is what Goode said about it: It’s not because the hostesses ply those waiting for a booth with warm … Continue reading Lou Mitchell’s makes list of nation’s top breakfasts
Bagdad Cafe greeter dies
Shirley Trueman, who greeted customers with songs and dance at the world-famous Bagdad Cafe on Route 66 in Newberry, Calif., for a decade, died Friday of cancer, reports the Desert Dispatch of nearby Barstow. She died just a few days after the Dispatch reported that the restaurant and townsfolk were trying to raise money to … Continue reading Bagdad Cafe greeter dies
Route 66 town tries to grant a final wish
Shirley Trueman greeted customers for a decade at the Bagdad Cafe on Route 66 in Newberry Springs, Calif., while her husband Bud was a chef there. The restaurant became internationally famous because of a 1988 German film by the same name. Now, the Desert Dispatch in nearby Barstow is reporting that Trueman is dying of … Continue reading Route 66 town tries to grant a final wish
Bono’s restaurant named to National Register
Bono's Restaurant and Deli at 15395 Foothill Blvd., aka Route 66, in Fontana, Calif., was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, effective Jan. 10. The National Park Service made the announcement in an e-mail Friday evening. Bono's also was the longtime home to the Bono's Historic Orange stand, an orange-shaped building that was … Continue reading Bono’s restaurant named to National Register
Steak 1, Challenger 0
Rich Talarico of Chicago's Second City Theater takes the 72-ounce steak challenge at the Big Texan Steak Ranch at Amarillo, Texas. The steak won. It's an amusing video, but Talarico apparently isn't good about reading fine print. The billboard says the meal is free if you eat a 72-ounce steak dinner, not the steak itself. … Continue reading Steak 1, Challenger 0
Closed for the winter
This time of year, a number of Route 66 businesses reduce their hours or even close because revenues become too sluggish to justify staying open. It's also an opportunity for these owners to make repairs or get some R&R. One example is Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis, which closes in January. It's common … Continue reading Closed for the winter
Witmor Farms property to be redeveloped
The closed Witmor Farms Restaurant on Route 66 in Buckhorn, Mo., is set to be reopened and adjacent land redeveloped, reports the Waynesville Daily Guide. This tidbit was contained in a story about proposed annexation of the area by Waynesville. William J. Peach, a car dealer in Rolla, Mo., wants the annexation so the restaurant … Continue reading Witmor Farms property to be redeveloped