Down-home dining is on the menu at these country restaurants.
Pull up a chair and bring your appetite. Home-style cooking coming right up! These small-town restaurants are the local gathering places where neighbors come together for food and fellowship. Our readers told us about the tasty eats and friendly service t
DELEKTA’S CORNER STORE Warren, Rhode Island delektas.com
The charming spot has a traditional soda fountain and original pharmacy furnishings. Stop in for the state’s best version of the local specialty, a coffee cabinet, which is what Rhode Islanders call a milkshake. The secret ingredient is a special family recipe for coffee syrup. When my husband, Mark, and I lived here, we made regular trips to Delekta’s. MARY-LIZ SHAW Fox Point, Wisconsin
DAS DUTCH HAUS Columbiana, Ohio dasdutchvillage.com
The home-cooked Pennsylvania Dutch-style meals are equal to or better than anything your taste buds have ever met. One of my favorite dinners is the haddock, which you can also get as a sandwich. And the apple dumplings are the greatest in the area. You will also experience the best of our friendly local culture. It is not unusual to see owner Ray Horst help with hosting. GERALD MULLEN Leetonia, Ohio
CAMP 18 Elsie, Oregon camp18restaurant.com
My husband, Ben, and I love to eat here on our way to the coast. It’s a beautiful log cabin filled with old logging photos and equipment. My favorite meals are the French toast, fresh pan-fried clams and cinnamon rolls as large as a loaf of bread—no joke! Outside you can check out antique tractors, a memorial to loggers, log-carved animals (including Sasquatch) and a cute gift shop. All the timber used to build the cabin was logged by owner Gordon Smith. TAWNY NELSON North Plains, Oregon
CHEYENNE CROSSING Lead, South Dakota cheyennecrossing.org
This Black Hills landmark was a stagecoach stop in the late 1800s along the route between Deadwood, South Dakota, and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Today it includes a lodge, a general store and the Stage Stop Cafe, which serves the heartiest breakfast around. The restaurant’s specialty dish is the Indian taco, a South Dakota staple that is served with fry bread instead of a tortilla. KATHLEEN UNGERER Rapid City, South Dakota
DUBLIN GENERAL STORE Dublin, New Hampshire (603) 563-8401
This place has wonderful cookies and sandwiches— there’s nothing better after hiking through the mountains and swimming in local ponds. The store is the center of activity for this remote town of 2,000; it’s the place to catch up with friends and neighbors. My family used to live in the area and we miss it! JUDITH MARCHESSAULT Greendale, Wisconsin
NICK’S OLD FASHION HAMBURGER HOUSE Welcome, North Carolina nicksoldfashionhamburgers.com
Nick’s is a tiny joint with the most amazing burgers that are cooked fresh to order. The chili and ranch salad dressing are made from scratch, too. Ralph Brauser named Nick’s after his son. Ralph is always friendly and recognizes his customers. He’s helped me carry orders to the car and he has brought my order to me if I’m sitting outside. You will not leave hungry, that is for sure! JULIE OMAN High Point, North Carolina