Part of the fun of traveling includes spontaneously stopping at cafes and diners along the way. Sometimes we try recommendations by Roadtrippers, Yelp, or Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, but mostly we pull over along our route when we are hungry. La Posada in Winslow, AZ was one such example of a happy find.
Of note and a big change from previous pandemic years, we now feel comfortable eating in open venues. Nothing feels better after a long drive than a good meal, and I decided to devote this blog to a few remarkable eateries we found by chance along our path.
Ancient Way Cafe in Ramah, New Mexico
We had just finished a late morning tour of the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, and as we were driving East on Highway 53 heading to Grants, NM, we came across the Ancient Way Cafe in Ramah, NM. We pulled over and weren’t sure at first but decided to give it a try, especially since it was such a lovely day and they had tables available outside.
We shared the Anna’s Sandwich (roasted turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce and guacamole on lightly toasted sourdough bread) with a side salad and potato salad. They split everything for us without being asked, which makes it so much easier. The sandwich was phenomenal, so fresh and satisfying, and it was served by very friendly and pleasant wait staff. I took a piece of blueberry coffee cake with me to have for breakfast the next day. It was all so good that recalling it now makes my mouth water. The Ancient Way Cafe is a true find that we will be sure to visit whenever we are in the area. The rental cabins looked great, too, with so many activities and El Morro National Monument nearby.
El Paisa Taqueria in Albuquerque, NM
We stopped here for lunch on the recommendation of our server in Fredericksburg, TX many weeks prior. He was so adamant about the authenticity of the place and his love for the food, that we noted it on our calendar. As luck had it, we were passing by at lunchtime and enjoyed the best street tacos ever. (It would have helped if our Spanish was a little better as the order numbers were called out in Spanish.) We ordered chicken and barbacoa tacos with green chili sauce. The latter came in individual servings in a small plastic bag knotted at the end. We’d never seen anything quite like it.
This colorful place was hopping at lunchtime and the tacos were the best we’ve had in a long, long time. They don’t have a web presence so hence, no link.
Jambo Cafe in Santa Fe, NM
We had two, independent recommendations for this restaurant and are very glad we stopped by for lunch. Award-winning Chef Ahmed Obo is well-recognized for his cooking and the use of spices in his Caribbean-African cuisine. We dined on the Moroccan Lamb and Moroccan Spiced Marinated Chicken Kabobs. Quite unexpected and delicious! We agreed the meal would be super warming and scrumptious, especially on colder days. Another happy find!
Watson’s BBQ in Tucumcari, NM
Those of you who are non-red meat eaters may want to skip this one, which was a Roadtrippers suggestion. Super nice people with great brisket and shredded pork. The sides were great, too, and we were so glad we turned off the main drag while passing through town.
While paying our bill, we also purchased a jar of Paulita’s Hatch Green Chili Seasoning, which we’ve since discovered is available online. It spices up on just about everything!
Strayhouse Kitchen and Coffee in Clinton, OK
We happened upon this place by chance. The food and coffee were terrific: The Cobb Salad (feature image above) and the “Little Bit of Everything” with salad and half a “Harvester Salad” (Chicken salad sandwich with cinnamon mayo on wheat berry bread). Excellent!
Neumeier’s Rib Room and Beer Garden in Fort Smith, Arkansas
This restaurant was within easy walking distance of Fort Smith National Park. The BBQ was good and hit the spot but of real note was the Letha’s Old-Fashioned Fried Pies. We shared the peach pie with, at the suggestion of the server, vanilla ice cream. It was “to die for” and so worth the calories! I have since discovered that the pies can be ordered frozen online. Not sure that’s a good thing, or not!
Frosty Treat roadside stand in Hot Springs, Arkansas
We had intended to tour Hot Springs but had no idea that parking, especially for even small RVs like ours, would be near-impossible. After searching the web and circling through town looking for a parking spot, we gave up. By that point, we were starving and despite the many fine eateries in Hot Springs, we headed out of town. By chance, Joe spotted the Frosty Treat roadside stand. Despite their tiny lot, we were able to pull in and park. What a surprise to discover how delicious the cheeseburgers and tater tots were! My only regret was not ordering a milkshake (Frosty Treat, remember) but I was feeling rather gluttonous at this point in our trip and noticing my pants were seeming to shrink in the campground dryers. 😉
During one of our infrequent hotel stays, we discovered Zaxby’s quite by chance. We rarely eat at fast food venues but we were hungry after a long day’s drive and this was within easy walking distance of the hotel. This chain was new to us and we decided to give it a try. By that point, we were both craving a salad so we ordered “The Garden Zalad” with fried chicken to share. The first real positive was that they let us order two different types of salad dressing (blue cheese for Joe and ranch for Sue)—not such a small thing for us. Second, the salad was a good size (plenty for us to share), the lettuce fresh and fried chicken decadent but quite tasty. The side of chicken wings was also good but the salad was the real standout. We have ordered The Cobb Zalad with grilled chicken twice since then and both times the salad and fixings were consistently fresh and good.
Lunch in Our Rig
Planning quick and easy meals is oft-times challenging. We try to find tasty and satisfying options that will suffice in a pinch. Joe is always scouring the frozen food aisle for interesting dishes. Sometimes they work out, and sometimes they don’t. We won’t talk about the Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) dehydrated Biscuits and Gravy!
One happy find was Sandwich Bros frozen sandwiches: One-minute microwave serving that provides a hot and filling meal (under 200 calories) for either breakfast or lunch. Just add some crudités. We both love them but availability can difficult on the road, until recently. The Food Lion in Myrtle Beach, SC had a huge, impressive selection! So impressive that Joe felt compelled to take a photo. ACME and Giant sell them at home.
Finally, below are links to previous posts where we’ve highlighted additional notable restaurants and eateries:
The Rocking V Cafe in Kanab, UT
Sparky’s Burgers and BBQ in Hatch, NM
The Auslander Restaurant and Biergarten in Fredericksburg, TX
Thanks for following along!
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