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Our favorite food stops along the way
Not all the culinary highlights of a trip will be found in trendy restaurants or gastronomic guides.
Sometimes it’s the places along a deserted road or in a small town that stick around the longest.
Here are our top picks:
A monster burger at Middlegate Café, Nevada
Attention: before you know it, you’ll have passed Middlegate. Because Middlegate Café is Middlegate.
In the middle of the emptiness of Highway 50 (loneliest highway in the world) lies this legendary stop where locals, travelers, motorcyclists and truckers intersect. (There is also a cute nostalgic motel next to it)
The atmosphere is authentic, the service friendly, the portions impressive and the prices democratic. Here you can taste the rural America that seems to be becoming increasingly rare.
The walls are full of dollars and memories of travelers who passed through here and the location still exudes the atmosphere of the old West. While we are there, tourists and locals are pouring in.
Be sure to order the famous Middlegate Monster Burger, a giant burger that is known throughout Nevada. Or a chicken fingers with fries. They are also big and tasty.
Bonus is that a beer only costs four dollars. A bargain by American standards.
For us, the café evoked memories of the Burr Trail Café in southern Capitol Reef that we visited in 1989.
The Burr Trail Café of the past no longer exists. But the same location, at the intersection of Highway 12 and the Burr Trail in Boulder, is now home to The Burr Trail Grill, which opened in 2012. It is still an ideal stop for those exploring Highway 12 or the Burr Trail.
It’s places like that that you discover along the way and where you end up staying longer than planned.
We really enjoyed the food and the activity around us in Middlegate Café.
The pies of Gifford Homestead in Fruita (Capitol Reef)
Those who visit Capitol Reef should stop at least once at Gifford’s Homestead in Fruita for a piece of homemade pie.
For about eight dollars you get a pie that is more than enough for two people. Apple, cherry, peach, mixed berries… The choice varies constantly.
A well-intentioned tip: don’t wait too long. By noon, the most popular flavors are often sold out. Arrive early is the message.
This small historic settlement with its orchards seems to come straight from the time of the first settlers. The famous fruit pies are not a tourist gimmick: they are truly delicious.
While the pie can easily be eaten with 2, I ate it in one session.
We ate it at the Gifford Homestead and got into a conversation with a family of Koreans, who would drive on to Salt Lake City that day, and then to Yellowstone.
1200 km in two days.
Distances are huge. That’s how the Americans travel: long-distance > visit > again on to the next stop. You see a lot, but experience less.
Giant pizza at Mr. G’s (Ely, Nevada)
A pleasant classic in Ely (with a bit of Vegas vibe) where both locals and travelers like to sit down. Unpretentious, but decent American dishes, generous portions and an atmosphere that fits perfectly with this old mining and railway town.
The pizzas and salads were big and tasty. I saw everyone delightedly complimenting the waitress about the food.
Delicious cheesecake at Gobb’s Grill & Café (Colusa, California)
One of those places that you might not make a special detour for, but that lingers afterwards.
Honest food, friendly service and a relaxed atmosphere make Gobb’s a wonderful stop.
Beautiful dishes and delicious cheesecake. It was packed with locals, by the way.
Healthy meal at Side Track (Caliente, Nevada)
One of the most pleasant surprises of the trip.
No lavish portions or greasy fast food, but healthy, fresh meals that show that you can also eat excellently in small American towns.
After a day on the road, such a meal with soup and fish almost feels like a luxury.
We even got a cap from the manager when we asked for a business card. Really sympathetic!.
Democratic meal at Bumbleberry’s in Pioneer Town Casino (Laughlin, Nevada)
Sometimes a nice dining experience is in a place where you don’t immediately expect or find them… We had to search for a while. The restaurant is damn well hidden in the Pioneer casino.
Bumbleberry’s in Pioneer Town Casino combines a casual atmosphere with surprisingly tasty dishes, at a reasonable price. Another goal.
As we left the Pioneer Casino, Gordon Lightfoot’s If You Could Read My Mind sounded across the parking lot.
The melancholic melody seemed to fit perfectly with the atmosphere of the evening.
Between the receding sunlight, the silent slot machines and the warm desert air, it was as if a small piece of old America still lives on in this place.
A drink at the Clear Sky Resort
Not cheap, but a (glam) experience.
You easily pay fifteen dollars for a pint, but you are in a location that you don’t come across every day.
Here you pay not only for the drink, but also for the view of the otherworldly-looking domes in the valley, the atmosphere and the story that you take home afterwards.
P.S. : we didn’t stay here, but found the valley with the domes too intriguing to just drive past.
Breakfast at the Bonanza Café in Bullhead
Another real breakfast café. Was packed with locals. And they just kept queuing. One pick-up after another drove up.
The eating out culture is clearly still deeply rooted here.
Toast, 2 eggs, and coffee times 2 (persons), tax and tip included: 42 dollars.
A milkshake at Snow Cap in Seligman
Terribly touristy, we also had to queue to order an ice cream and milkshake, but oh so nice.
The manager treats every customer to a joke. We didn’t escape it either…
Duke’s Slickrock Café
At Duke’s Slickrock Café we enjoyed a cozy meal in an authentic western atmosphere.
Judging by the many photos and memorabilia, John Wayne also seems to have visited here at some point.
Originally we had reserved a tent site at the adjacent RV park, but after a short exploration we were glad we had converted it into a motel overnight stay.
The terrain is clearly mainly aimed at campers and it was also very hot.
You can see from the pins on their bulletin board that mainly Dutch tourists come here.
What all these places have in common is that they fit perfectly with their surroundings.
They are not the most expensive or well-known restaurants that you remember. But the places that tell a story about the region you are traveling through.
That is exactly why they have stuck.
Emma
These food stops also taught us something about the current American restaurant culture. Discover our next story