Few things encapsulate US culture so neatly as the classic roadside diner, and the best of these joints are so much more than just places to refuel. From roadside restaurants with unique and colourful décor to diners in buildings that are attractions in themselves, we’ve rounded up the most charming roadside diner in each US state. Due to COVID-19, be sure to check local travel restrictions, including state travel advisories, and individual restaurant websites for dine-in, takeout and/or delivery options before you visit.

A roadside diner that looks like a train yard? A counter that looks like a school bus? The Derailed Diner is a little off the main freeway but those who have visited reckon it’s worth the short detour. Located at Oasis Travel Center, the themed diner is a full-size train car with tailgates for tables and it’s chock-full of transport paraphernalia and wall art from skis to bobsleds. Customers rave about generous sandwiches like the Train Wreck, with buffalo chicken and bacon, and excellent Southern classics like chicken fried steak.

Family-run spot Sami’s City Diner has all the fixtures and fittings of a 1950s diner with a relaxed atmosphere and super-friendly staff. People love the generous portions of comfort food like breakfast sliders, short-rib hash and chocolate chip pancakes. Alaskan specialities like reindeer sausages add charm and a sense of place too.

Built from scrap lumber in 1953, this historic and flamboyant roadside stop on the former Route 66 in Seligman is a must-visit. It’s a charming jumble of kitsch and Americana, from the roofless 1936 Chevrolet hardtop parked outside to the colourful signage plastered over the walls. The diner’s unusual style extends to interior décor while the food gets rave reviews, from the awesome malts and milkshakes to a surprisingly good veggie burger.

We love a theme and this diner’s is simple: the colour purple. The flagship Purple Cow is fashioned on the classic 1950s model, with a retro soda fountain and plenty of neon. There are now five locations, including two others in Little Rock, one in Hot Springs and another in Conway, all following the model of purple décor and above-par diner food including burgers, hot dogs and toasted sandwiches. People are charmed by the signature purple shakes and desserts too.

Patrick’s Roadhouse is a surprising sight on California’s Pacific Coast Highway, bringing a burst of shamrock green to a stretch more associated with blue skies and golden sand. The brilliantly bonkers building, opened in 1973, is decorated with leprechauns and has a dinosaur on its roof. It’s loved for its 1940s atmosphere, delicious dishes like the fish tacos and impeccable service. Past customers include the state’s former governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has a custom-made iron chair with a plaque that says “For The Man of Iron: The Terminator”.

Occupying an old garage that’s been transformed into a beautiful space with outdoor terraces, Steuben’s is a hybrid of a retro diner and hip, modern gastro-bar. The menu offers classics from regions around the US, with the Nashville fried chicken and the poutine (chips with gravy and cheese curds) among the dishes that keep customers coming back for more. The bacon-infused bloody Mary also comes highly recommended – yet another reason the diner is considered a must-visit.

Located a few miles south of Hartford, this roadside diner started life in Massachusetts before moving to its Connecticut home in 1954. Touted as the longest stainless-steel diner in the US, Olympia Diner has table jukeboxes and simple, old-school charm that customers adore. The food is solid, no-frills cooking with all-day breakfast dishes sharing the menu with American-Italian specialities. But it’s the homely, retro vibe and nostalgic feel that people really love.

Lucky’s is a small but perfectly formed diner with a vintage feel and warm, family-friendly atmosphere. People love coming here for breakfast or brunch, with dishes like salmon and eggs Benedict, burritos, fluffy omelettes and house-made biscuits served all day – along with everything else on the menu. The cute menu descriptions add to the charm, as does the fun and friendly service.

Love this? Follow our Facebook page for more travel inspiration

Miami’s South Beach is retro heaven and this colourful diner fits in perfectly. It’s as pink and pert as the name suggests and serves up everything that’s expected from a true diner: belly-busting portions, late-night service and low prices. All with a bubblegum exterior, pink VW Beetles parked out front and pink booths inside. Customers love classics like French toast and milkshakes, while the Big Pink TV dinner – a selection of daily specials served on a stainless steel tray – is always a winner.

Just northwest of Atlanta is Marietta Diner, a neon palace viewers may have spotted on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Not only does it look fabulous inside and out, it’s open 24 hours. The menu is broad and varied, with timeless breakfast favourites, sandwiches, burgers and, reflecting the owner’s heritage, a variety of Greek meals. Sweet-toothed customers can’t resist the eye-catching cake display – the baklava cheesecake is particularly divine.

Rock Island Cafe pays homage to the 1950s with joyful abandon. Walls are adorned with memorabilia (there’s also a shop stuffed with collectibles) and dishes are named after iconic characters, movies, TV shows, songs and celebrities, from King Kong to the King, Elvis Presley. All-beef hot dogs, burgers and milkshakes fill the menu – which, because this is Honolulu, is displayed on a surfboard. People love the quirkiness and the retro music.

Take a look at the best truck stop eats in every state

Not your typical diner, The Rusty Lantern is a wooden structure with a farmhouse feel and eclectic interior that teems with old farming tools. Owned by husband and wife Barb and Kelly Hart, there are old tractors out the back and a collection of bird houses too. It’s this quirkiness and the warm, likeable staff that make customers fall for the diner’s charms. Popular menu items include the unusual soups, including taco, pizza, and ham and bean. The enormous cinnamon rolls are a hit too.

Little Goat Diner is more than a little different. It’s run by a James Beard Award-winning chef Stephanie Izard, so the food is a cut above standard roadside fare, for a start. It stays true to diner traditions, though, with booths, spinning chrome bar stools and blue-rimmed plates adding oodles of retro charm. The all-day menu is full of crowd-pleasers like pancakes and corned beef hash, alongside less typical fare like okonomiyaki, a Japanese savoury pancake, with pork belly and poached egg.

Oasis Diner is all about lunch – and not just eating it. The diner, which was shipped from New Jersey in 1954, is home to a unique collection of vintage lunchboxes that adds to the sense of stepping back in time. From old-school Mickey Mouse to GI Joe and ET, spotting the classics is all part of the fun. There’s also a display of vintage licence plates that will please lovers of all things retro. The menu is a joy, full of comforting, carb-loaded dishes, with pizza fries one of the favourites.

The chic Pullman Bar & Diner is, for many, the best place for brunch in Iowa City. That’s partly due to the excellent food, of course, with classics like steak and eggs paired with delicious breakfast cocktails. But it’s also the look and general vibe of the place, which is decked out like an upscale train carriage and plays excellent music. Touches like gold lettering, exposed brick walls and the polished, white marble bar top add further elegance.

In the heart of Hays’ thriving entertainment and arts district, this charming diner comes complete with its own microbrewery. The once-neglected building in downtown is now one of the best places to grab a bite – perhaps with one of the award-winning craft ales – in the city. Hearts are won by the great service, warm atmosphere and tasty food including a perfect burger.

The attitude in this small Cajun-style diner is “if it goes on the wall, it never comes down” and that definitely shows in the mixture of licence plates and Mardi Gras beads adorning pretty much every inch of the walls. The exterior of the 1943 building is unusual too, with white porcelain tiles used due to the wartime rationing of steel. Rick's famous crawfish pie is a breakfast favourite, while the owner and friendly servers are a huge part of the diner’s charm.

As the name suggests, Dodson Roadside Cafe and Creamery specialises in ice cream as well as serving up diner fare. Customers describe it as a hidden gem for delicious seafood dishes and amazing hand-cut fries. The food is prepared and served by students with Louisiana Adult & Teen Challenge, which helps to rehabilitate addicts. Its unusual all-wooden exterior adds a touch of Wild West charm too.

Teeny-tiny Palace Diner has an equally small menu. The 15-seat spot, inside a trolley car, serves just a handful of dishes for breakfast and offers only four sandwiches at lunch. Not that anyone minds, because creations such as the tuna melt are life-changing – and in fact everything is sublime. The fire-engine-red trolley was built by the Pollard Company in 1927 and is one of two surviving Pollard diners in the country.

Take a look at the most historic restaurant in every state

Festive might be the best word to describe the look and atmosphere of Bayside Skillet, which has been a top all-day dining destination here for more than 30 years. With breathtaking views out to the bay from its colourful umbrella-clad deck, the sunsets are spectacular and only make the already delicious food taste even better. All the crab dishes are highly recommended, as is the signature sangria cocktail.

This legendary Worcester diner, which has been going since 1948, has an entire menu dedicated to French toast, with the crunchy option among customer favourites. There’s also one with egg dishes and another focused on burgers. In fact there are many more items on the menu than there are seats, with around a dozen perches at the counter and five booths. Everything is delicious, and the fun, homely décor is a winner too.

With locations in Ann Arbor and Lansing, Fleetwood Diner has become an institution. People come for filling breakfasts like the signature dish, the hippie hash: hash browns tossed with veggies and feta. It’s the retro vibes and quirky décor that really wins over customers, though. The tiny, trailer-style diner’s internal walls are plastered floor-to-ceiling in stickers.

Even the location of Al’s Breakfast, in Minneapolis’ Dinkytown neighbourhood, is adorable. The diner itself claims to be the narrowest in Minneapolis with a width of just 10 feet (3m) – so skinny it’s a wonder there’s enough space for the huge breakfasts that have been served up here since 1950. It’s a legend in the city thanks to its fun, old-school atmosphere and warm, friendly service.

The pink petticoats of Mammy’s Cupboard are a beloved mainstay along Highway 61 in Natchez. The 28-feet (8.5m) tall, painted brick sculpture houses a charmingly old-school diner serving Southern classics like chicken pot pie and blueberry lemonade. The figure was depicted as an African American woman when the diner opened in 1940 but was repainted during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s due to racist connotations.

A Missouri legend, Broadway Diner serves homemade classics like biscuits smothered with lashings of creamy gravy in an atmosphere that’s both fun and comforting. Customers love the signature breakfasts like the 'The Stretch', piled high with scrambled eggs, chilli, onions, cheese and hash browns. The interior is cute and colourful, with red booths, candy-floss pink and sky-blue Formica tabletops, and a long counter with leather-cushioned stools.

Few roadside diners also offer views of a beautiful lake. But vibrantly pink Betty’s Diner, just off US Highway 93, is in a setting that rivals the building for attention. The no-frills spot backs onto Flathead Lake and takes advantage of the waterside views with outdoor tables. The lake views are a hit with customers, who also rave about the beautifully-cooked burgers, quaint feel and gluten-free options.

Discover America's most charming small lakeside towns and cities

Mel’s Diner might look like something that’s been unchanged since the 1950s but it actually opened in 2011, and does a great job of recreating classic Americana. It was made from an old diner, the Hollywood, transported from nearby and brought back to life with lots of neon signage, 1950s memorabilia and vintage cars, which are parked out front. Customers love the warm, welcoming atmosphere, mini jukeboxes and delicious pies.

Colourful doesn’t quite cut it. Southwest Diner is so sunny and vibrant it gives customers a warm, fuzzy feeling even before they’ve ordered. With a huge, illuminated sign and red awnings fronted by palm trees, it’s hard to miss the exterior along Boulder City’s main drag. The interior, with vintage and antique décor that changes with the seasons, is also charming. But the dishes, with homely favourites like meatloaf and pot roasts served in generous portions, are equally worthy of attention.

With locations at both the north and south Common Man Roadside service centres, Hi-Way Diner is quirky inside and out. That is, if customers can work out which is which, because the interior has been designed to feel like it’s outside with a sky painted on the ceiling, a wooden bridge and a display of rocks with fake animals. Customers love the retro atmosphere that’s also reflected in the old-school menu. Classic items include the Roadie, a bagel with bacon or sausage, fried egg and cheese.

Customers flock to this steel-fronted diner like magpies to shiny objects. The striking exterior is part of its charm, though Tops Diner also stands out for its customer experience and top-notch food. The mammoth menu offers customary diner food, including meatloaf and tasty chicken and waffles – and it’s all delicious, according to fans. There’s also a large selection of excellent fresh seafood dishes, such as lobster mac ‘n’ cheese and a platter of East Coast specialities.

Tacos, enchiladas and burritos are the order of the day at Frontier Restaurant, which has been serving up locally-renowned Tex-Mex food since 1971. Customers also have plenty to look at as they tuck into delicious tostadas and house-made tortillas – the interior is jam-packed with unique paintings by local and national artists, while weavings and colourful lampshades decorate the ceiling. John Wayne features heavily, as the owners are big fans of the movie star.

More reminiscent of a film set rather than an actual eatery, Phoenicia Diner was originally opened in 1962 and has been on its current site in the Catskills since the early 1980s. The muted-colour interior, perfectly old-school crockery and vintage-inspired menus are all winners with customers. The huge portions of dishes made with regionally-sourced ingredients are also praised by diners.

As sleek and shiny as a beautifully-restored vintage Airstream and resembling a giant jukebox, The Highway Diner was actually opened at the end of the 20th century – though you’d never know it. It’s 1950s-style inside and out, from that chrome-finished exterior to the red and white leather booths. The cute décor, with lots of vintage details, wins praise, as does the comforting old-school menu. The fried green tomatoes are a must-order.

With the vintage vibes of a classic American diner and a menu of traditional, comforting German dishes, Kroll’s Diner is one of a kind – and that’s why people adore it. Since 1972, menu items like the Reuben sandwich and German burger – loaded with toppings including sauerkraut – have delighted customers. The standout favourite, though, is the knoephla soup, thick with chicken, potato and little dumplings. There are also locations in Bismarck, Mandan and Minot.

The Buckeye Express (no ticket required) is a firm favourite for home-cooked classics and hearty burgers. The family-owned diner is housed in a vintage steam engine diner car, towed from Virginia in 2008, and people love the structure’s novelty. The interior is equally interesting, with Ohio State Buckeyes football memorabilia covering the walls. There’s also a cute outdoor space with a handful of tables and kids’ play area.

Here's where to find the best burger and fries in every state

Those with a sweet tooth will be easily won over by Sherri’s Diner, which specialises in pancakes made to a secret recipe. They are, customers agree, pretty special: pillowy, puffed-up and served with mountains of toppings like blueberries and chocolate chips. The cinnamon rolls and pies are pretty good too, though the diner’s charms go beyond the menu. The fun interior is decked out with neon lights, vintage signage and a vintage jukebox that plays 1950s tunes.

Charming. Cute. Chic. Colourful. These are all words that often come up when people describe The Daily Feast, a friendly neighbourhood joint in Portland’s West End. The décor is pretty, with lots of flowers, vintage touches, and bold murals and art on the walls. The menu takes American classics and serves them with delicious creative twists, such as the chipotle burger, and has some top-notch vegetarian options.

If it’s good enough for Barack and Michelle Obama… The former President and First Lady are among those who have visited Pamela’s Diner and no doubt fallen for its considerable charms. There are several locations across Pittsburgh and, while most are around the centre, the roadside Mt Lebanon spot is a popular stop for people travelling down the US19. The hotcakes are a customer favourite.

Haven Brothers Diner can often be found on the road as well as roadside. Usually based near City Hall but often popping up in other locations, it’s the oldest diner on wheels in the US. The company was founded in the late 19th century and began in a horse-drawn lunch cart run by widowed Anne Philomena Haven. Customers describe it as a local treasure with a nice ambience and delicious burgers.

It says something about a diner when it becomes a destination in its own right. This is the case with the Beacon Drive-In, opened in 1946, which attracts customers with its local vibe, history and fab service. It's also famed for its iced tea and consistently delicious burgers, best served with lots of fries and onion rings.

This spot doesn’t look particularly fancy. In fact, it more closely resembles a gas station than an eatery. But low-key and no-frills looks are often part of the charm when it comes to roadside diners, and locals and visitors alike reckon Sugar Shack serves some of the best burgers in the Black Hills. A popular stop with bikers, this hole-in-the-wall joint is also known for its rustic atmosphere and friendly service.

Memphis’ oldest café was opened in 1919 by Speros Zepatos, who had moved to the city from Greece. It was updated in 1954 by his son Harry and has barely been touched since – and that’s what people love about it. It’s a genuine old-school diner and a local landmark that’s also featured in films including Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. Oh, and Elvis ate here. Customers describe classics like country fried steak and sweet potato pancakes as divine.

These are the best restaurants serving American classics in every state

It’s impossible to miss this loud and proud diner on the 1-70 in Amarillo. The Big Texan is painted in bright yellow and light blue and there are massive billboards and statues alerting passersby to its existence. The huge cowboy sign has become as synonymous with the fun diner as its large 72-ounce steak, which is free to anyone who can eat the entire meal with an hour. Customers describe the place as one-of-a-kind, and it’s hard to argue.

The Park Café is the kind of place that people dream about – and usually make special journeys for. It’s been a favourite since it opened in 1952 and has maintained a warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes everyone feel instantly at home. Its menu and interior décor, with red walls and framed sports shirts, are classic diner style, though the cooking is considered a cut above. The French toast comes highly recommended.

This 1940s railcar is charming on the outside and even cuter on the inside, where a row of booths runs parallel to counter seating, with the signature sky-blue and white colour scheme throughout. The Blue Benn is classic diner territory and wins over customers with its retro feel. It’s been serving pancakes, Philly cheesesteaks and omelettes to hungry drivers and passersby since 1948 – and its table jukeboxes keep customers just as happy as the food does.

This perfectly pink diner is pure nostalgia, from the bubblegum shades on the wooden exterior and the vintage (pink) Cadillac parked out front to the classic menu of burgers, fries and ice cream sundaes. The inside also bursts with retro joy, with baby-blue booths, 1950s memorabilia and a jukebox. People love fun touches like the statues, including a giant King Kong clutching an airplane and a life-sized Elvis by the door.

Twede’s Café may look unassuming from the outside. But fans of David Lynch’s surreal 1990s crime drama, Twin Peaks, might recognise it as one of the most memorable locations from the show, the Double R Diner. It’s one of the big draws for the café, which certainly plays up to the role. People come for a slice of the “Twin Peaks” cherry pie, famously loved by Agent Cooper in the show, and a “damn fine cup of coffee.”

This is the best sandwich shop in every state

Food has been served from this cute and colourful building on Fairmont Ave since before the 1950s, but it's in more recent decades that The Poky Dot was turned into the whimsical diner it is today. The décor is decidedly retro, with a jukebox and booths in shades of bubblegum pink, sunny yellow and bold blue. The menu's indulgent desserts, from banana splits to piled-high sundaes, also burst with colour and sweet nostalgia.

Blue is most certainly the colour at Monty’s Blue Plate Diner, which regularly wins local awards for its fantastic breakfasts. The wonderful selection of delicious vegetarian dishes is also worth taking a detour for, with choices like the tofu scramble and vegan banana and walnut pancakes marking a refreshing – and delicious – departure from standard diner fodder. Although the décor still has a classic 1950s feel. People also love that pies, cakes, cupcakes and cookies are made daily from scratch.

Discover the best vegetarian restaurant in every state

Walking through the doors of Johnny J’s Diner is like stepping back into the 1950s. The colourful walls are dotted with old photos and memorabilia, the furniture is mid-century and there’s even a soda fountain counter. The menu doesn’t stray from the theme, either: Johnny J’s serves all-American classics including waffles, cherry-topped milkshakes and their signature cheeseburger, all with a generous side of good old-fashioned hospitality.

Now read the best sports bar in every state