Nostalgic Eateries I love, Part 3
I'm definitely an old soul. I joined my local historical society at age 25, the youngest member by a good 35 years or more. I love bygone eras. I love history. I have a sense of nostalgia for things related to my youth and even before I existed. And, of course that extends to food. I love old recipes. Old cookbooks. Old food traditions. And I adore nostalgic eateries.
You may have read my previous posts on the subject, Nostalgic Eateries I love, Part 1 and Nostalgic Eateries I love, Part 2.
Today I'm adding more of my favorites - and there are many more that I have yet to post about. But, for now, here's a few more.
Mug-N-Bun
I stopped here on a trip out of town when I was in Indianapolis last year. I was watching TV in the hotel and a show came on that featured the restaurant. It's one of those old-school places where ether carhops come out to get your order, but there's also a dining room in a separate building next door. I intended to pull up and have my food in the car, but a downpour of rain changed those plans. The poor carhops were soaked and I didn't want to torture them further. Besides, my car would have filled with water in the process of getting my food. Anyway, the spot is adorable and such a throwback. They even make their own root beer, so be sure to enjoy a mug of it.
You may have read my previous posts on the subject, Nostalgic Eateries I love, Part 1 and Nostalgic Eateries I love, Part 2.
Today I'm adding more of my favorites - and there are many more that I have yet to post about. But, for now, here's a few more.
Mug-N-Bun
I stopped here on a trip out of town when I was in Indianapolis last year. I was watching TV in the hotel and a show came on that featured the restaurant. It's one of those old-school places where ether carhops come out to get your order, but there's also a dining room in a separate building next door. I intended to pull up and have my food in the car, but a downpour of rain changed those plans. The poor carhops were soaked and I didn't want to torture them further. Besides, my car would have filled with water in the process of getting my food. Anyway, the spot is adorable and such a throwback. They even make their own root beer, so be sure to enjoy a mug of it.
This cute little diner was on the itinerary on a trip last year to Fort Wayne. It's one of those breakfast and lunch only joints with lots of greasy diner options on the menu that taste so good when you take a bite even thought they may not be so good for you. There are only 15 seats and they're all at the counter. The perfect place to sip on a cup of coffee and get in on the chit chat with the regulars.
This place is just super duper fun. Fun atmosphere. Fun building. Fun Menu. You just can't be unhappy while sitting in this place eating one of their Horseshoe sandwiches or a pancake that is so big it's served on a pizza pan. The place isn't super old - it opened in 1992 - but you definitely feel like you've been transported back to the 1950s. It's also housed in a quonset hut manufactured during World War II.
This isn't actually a sit-down spot where you can eat a meal, but it's still worthy of a mention in this post because it goes waaaaayyyyy back. All the way back to 1875 when it went from being a wagon repair shop to a butcher shop. And it's been a butcher shop ever since. I adore this little SW Michigan town and we always stop here when in the area for a few things to bring home. Sometimes I'll bring some bread along and then buy their ham and cheese and mustard and take it to a nearby park or over to the beach in New Buffalo to make sandwiches for lunch. It's also been designated as a National Historic Site.
This is another spot that doesn't quite qualify as an eatery - but hey, there's chocolate involved and that's good enough for me. I love a good throwback candy shop and this one is sweet perfection. They use the same equipment that they've been using since the late 1800s. Their candy is absolutely dreamy.
On a trip to Ludington, Michigan we had lunch at House of Flavors, where you're surrounded with decor and details that take you back to the 1950s. House of Flavors dates back to 1948 and is still a big Michigan manufacturer of ice cream. So, be sure to enjoy a shake or an ice cream treat while you're there.
On my first trip to Ohio a few years ago I was on a college visit with my son and we decided to spend a couple days in Cincinnati. Along the way, I was seeing Skyline chili locations all over the place. I knew it was a local chain, but that's it. I was totally clueless to how serious of a thing chili is in that area and around the state. I'd had Cincinatti-style chili before but I knew nothing of the Two-way to Five-way chili prep system they have there. After driving by many of them I made it a point to stop and get a chili dog. It was quite tasty and it has a cool history that dates back to 1949.
When my parents moved to Central Illinois about three years ago, we started looking for places half way between where we could meet for lunch. Our first half-way lunch was at Edinger's Filling Station in Pontiac. It's a cute diner that is more retro chic than some other spots on the list. It's got diner fare - the stuff that's been staples on diner menus since diners began - and has some retro decor (with a touch of modern) thrown in to evoke those nostalgic vibes.
This location was one of the first Maid-Rite franchises in the country. It also was had the first drive-thru restaurant window in the country. This cute diner offers a small menu and just one sandwich - their signature loose meat sandwich.
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