There are countless restaurants in America that tell a story – whether it's because they were beloved by presidents or film stars, because they reflect the state's own fascinating history, or because they were the birthplace of a dish that went on to become iconic. Here's our guide to the most interesting places to eat across the country.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the most fascinating restaurant in every state, counting down to the one with the best story of all.

Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.

Gather55 may not be the oldest restaurant in Connecticut, but it does have a unique philosophy. This ‘pay what you can’ concept is run by nonprofit Hands On Hartford, which partners with guest chefs to provide meals in an inclusive way. For breakfast and lunch, diners can pay full price or a minimum amount of a few dollars, as well as choosing to volunteer in return for their food. ‘On the house’ meal vouchers are also provided for those who aren’t able to either pay or volunteer.

With a history stretching back to 1894, this historic inn has served as a base for visitors exploring Penobscot Bay for over 130 years. Today, the bed and breakfast is loved for its pub, which offers a supper service that makes the most of local Maine ingredients. In the summer, a jazz trio entertains diners on the porch, and owners Matt Powell and George Trinovitch (who took over in 2022) host events ranging from drag brunches to an annual Easter egg hunt.

Part of the building in which Club Paris is housed was built to look like a typical Parisian café, but it looks so far from the real deal that it does make you wonder if the architect had ever been to Paris – though that, admittedly, is part of the restaurant's charm. Proud to consider itself the state's premier steakhouse (and famous for its filet mignon), the restaurant occupies a building that served as both a funeral home and a furniture store in the 1920s, and it relishes in the fact that it was one of the only buildings in town to survive the 1964 earthquake.

A nondescript door leads into this espionage-themed restaurant in Milwaukee, but finding it is only half the battle – you'll only get in if you know the password. Those who do manage to sneak in will find secret passageways, themed memorabilia and a suitably spy-influenced menu, featuring a Mission Impossible burger and License To Kill Mac.

Sure, there are better places to eat in South Dakota, but they're unlikely to greet you with a 79-foot-high dinosaur. Situated on the edge of the Badlands, Wall Drug first found fame by serving free iced water – a clever bit of advertising back in 1936, it turns out. These days, Wall Drug is still a big stop for travelers in the region. It's home to souvenir shops, as well as an art gallery and a restaurant that serves buffalo burgers and house-made donuts alongside its famous five-cent coffee.

Customers flock to Olneyville New York System in Providence to try the signature hot wieners (sometimes called New York System dogs, but never to be referred to as hot dogs). Similarly, don’t even think about smothering ketchup on said wieners – mustard, meat sauce, celery salt, and onions are the only acceptable toppings here. While the rules might be strict, there’s a reason why this place has won a James Beard America's Classics Award.

You'd be forgiven for arriving in Frankenmuth and thinking you'd somehow ended up in Bavaria – this Germanic-style town reflects the area's German roots. The main reason to head here is for the Bavarian Inn, where the traditionally dressed waiting staff serve up family-style dinners of fried chicken, noodle soup, and wiener schnitzel, often to the sound of a toe-tapping polka band.

Set on the rocky shores of Cape Elizabeth, this award-winning restaurant is one of the best places to sample some of Maine's famed seafood – from lobster rolls to clam chowder – while enjoying outstanding views. In operation since the 1920s, this clapperboard building is something of a local landmark and is definitely worth the trip, even if it does inevitably mean braving the tourist crowds. 

In a town – and state – known for its beef, The Drover in Omaha stands out for its whiskey-marinated steaks, which have been served here for over 40 years. The marinade ingredients – aside from the whiskey, of course – are top secret, but the steaks are soaked for just 15 minutes, allowing you to really savor the flavor of the Nebraska beef.

There are few places – for better or worse – where you can eat under the watchful gaze of the same animals that grace the menu, but the Buckhorn Exchange is nothing if not unique. Opened in 1893, this is Denver's oldest and original steakhouse, serving everything from beef steaks to buffalo, elk, and even alligator tail. Several presidents have eaten here, including Theodore Roosevelt, who went out hunting with the restaurant's owner after his meal.

Flesor’s Candy Kitchen is an eatery that's risen from the ashes. Originally opened in 1901 by Gus Flesor, it had many successful years, passing to Gus’s son and daughter-in-law, before unfortunately having to close in the 1970s. After sitting empty for decades, the store and restaurant were resurrected by Gus’s granddaughters, Devon and Ann, in 2004. It boasts a traditional soda fountain, lunch service (the Reuben is a popular pick), and a free library, plus plenty of candy to take home.

The world's largest drive-in restaurant has seen car hops asking customers 'What'll ya have?' since 1928. Even today, The Varsity's impressive Atlanta location – which can fit an astounding 600 cars – remains one of the country's most iconic examples of mid-20th century Americana. The menu is as classic as the building itself, featuring the usual diner delights of burgers, fries, and shakes, plus The Varsity's famous fried apple pies. 

This site in Newark has been home to an inn since 1747, when it was a three-story log cabin called the St Patrick's Inn. While visiting, Edgar Allen Poe famously cursed the building after falling in the mud outside, saying 'All ye who enter shall have to return' – unsurprisingly, not something the management has ever complained about. These days, the inn remains a popular spot with locals and students, who love its comforting bar food.

Hudson's is a historic burger joint with a bit of a difference – it doesn't serve fries. Thankfully, the no-frills burgers at this small place in Coeur d'Alene (which started out in 1907, serving much the same menu out of a food tent) are so good that you won't even notice the absence of their usual carbohydrate companion. Don’t feel like a burger? The sandwiches (choose between ham, egg, or ham and egg) are pretty tasty, too.

Kansas didn't relinquish Prohibition until 1948 – later than any other US state. With that in mind, it's hardly surprising that the state's first legal brewery post-Prohibition, the Free State Brewing Company, didn't get started until 1989. Thankfully, many would agree it was worth the wait; head to the company's brew pub in Lawrence, where the black bean quesadillas are a particular favorite among customers. 

This drive-in on the former Route 66 was built by its owner, Juan Delgadillo, in 1953. Working with barely any budget, he constructed the restaurant from scrap lumber, before creating an eye-catching feature to draw in passersby – a 1936 Chevrolet with the roof removed, jazzed up with horns, paint and an artificial Christmas tree in the back. Run by Juan’s son and daughter today, it’s still open for hungry patrons to order humorously named dishes such as ‘cheeseburger with cheese’ and ‘dead chicken.’

Fong's is housed in what used to be Des Moines' oldest Chinese restaurant – and you can tell. Both the interior and exterior of this place feel very much like a Chinese dive bar, but its menu serves up an idiosyncratic array of East-meets-West dishes like pizza rolls (spring rolls filled with pepperoni, sausage, and mozzarella, with marinara sauce) and Thai chicken pizza. It shouldn't work, but countless happy customers will assure you that it really does.

There's no denying that the main draw to Chick and Ruth's in Annapolis is its giant crab cakes, which have been served here since 1965 (and in surroundings that look little-changed since then). The restaurant is popular with everyone from politicians to sailors and, if you're here on a weekday morning, you'll find that everything momentarily stops at 8.30am for the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag – just as much a matter of pride as the crab cakes. 

This Minneapolis bar, established in 1954, is famous for being the home of the Jucy Lucy – a burger patty stuffed with cheese that was created at a local customer's request. On biting into it, the customer proclaimed, 'that's one juicy Lucy,' and the rest is history (complete with unintentional spelling mistake). There are now many places to get this burger in town, but this retro spot is largely regarded as the original and best.

Arthur Bryant's started out as an alley stand serving food for Garment District workers in Kansas City. Despite being a relatively bare-bones joint – think Formica tables and fluorescent lighting – the barbecue restaurant has seen an incredible number of notable diners over the years, from Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford to John McCain and Barack Obama. There’s a reason for that – while the food may be simple, it’s also sensational, with the beef brisket burnt-ends and burnt-end sandwiches particularly raved about.

Jeff’s Red Hots is one of the few remaining traditional stands slinging Chicago-style hot dogs, just like the ones many locals remember from their childhoods. Open since 1977, it was purchased in 1988 by two brothers, who became known for their good humor (and no small amount of bickering between them behind the counter). Together, they produced award-winning hot dogs and supported the local community along the way. The joint remains in the family, and it still sells only top-grade Vienna beef hot dogs, served Chicago style – with no ketchup!

This joint is pretty much all there is to the tiny, remote town of Polebridge, which lies in the northwest of the stunning Glacier National Park. It only operates on summer evenings, and even the bakery and shop are only open for limited hours from February to October – but when they are, you won't want to miss out on their delectable baked goods, not least the famous huckleberry bear claws.

Mama's Fish House is remarkable both for its history and for its ocean-to-table philosophy. Established in 1973 by a Californian family who had settled on Maui's North Shore after spending months sailing around the South Pacific, Mama's specialty is fresh fish – and we're talking really fresh fish, caught by fishermen who are named on the menu, and served up within an astonishing 24 hours. Best of all, you can enjoy your meal just a skip away from the ocean.

The Red Arrow Diner in Manchester opened in 1922, but what really makes it stand out is its position as an unofficial haunt for presidential candidates visiting New Hampshire. The owners estimate that 95% of presidential candidates pass through this well-loved diner's doors, which means it's seen everyone from Barack Obama and both Clintons to Mitt Romney and Donald Trump.

Some say that Taco Bell wouldn’t exist without Mitla Cafe – although they’ll also tell you that Taco Bell is nowhere near as good. Glen Bell, who would go on to found the chain, once worked across the street from this Mexican eatery; he eventually befriended its owners and patrons, and he took inspiration from the café’s fried tortillas with simple fillings. Mitla Cafe was opened in 1937 by Lucia Rodriguez and her then-husband, and businessmen, politicians, and baseball players have all dined here over the years. It’s now owned by Rodriguez's grandson and his cousin.

In a city bursting at the seams with culinary delights, Commander's Palace remains one of New Orleans' most notable landmarks – and not just for its striking turquoise Victorian façade. Established in the beautiful Garden District in 1893, this elegant restaurant has been the training ground for several notable chefs, including Paul Prudhomme and Tory McPhail, and it remains the place to try turtle soup.

This award-winning East Newark diner is undoubtedly something of a legend in New Jersey – and beyond. That said, this isn't really your average diner – for a start, there's a full bar that boasts an impressive cocktail list, and the food is renowned for being truly excellent. In addition to the usual stalwarts of corned beef hash, burgers, and meatloaf, you can expect delights like an East Coast seafood platter and even paella.

Barbecue is everywhere in North Carolina, so it takes somewhere special to stand out – and the Skylight Inn is definitely that. Opened in 1947 by 17-year-old Pete Jones, Skylight is still known to locals as Pete Jones' BBQ, and it serves, in true NC style, whole hog barbecue – so expect plenty of crispy skin mixed in with your perfectly chopped meat.

The oldest continuously operating restaurant in Oklahoma City, Cattlemen's was, unsurprisingly, set up to serve the ranchers, cowboys, and cattle haulers working in the region. Over the years, this steakhouse has seen its clientele extend to film stars (John Wayne in particular) and politicians, including George Bush Senior. This is the place to go to sample the Midwest's prized beef – President Bush's favorite, as the menu points out, was the T-bone steak. 

Opened by Hungarian migrants in 1961, then purchased by Greek owners in 1976, this bakery has been a mainstay of Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood for decades. Bottomless cups of coffee, delicious European pastries, and a welcoming atmosphere have led to this little shop being a popular spot for writers, who have written over 50 books while sheltering within its walls. You can see some of these works displayed on the wall as you tuck into a Danish, a poppyseed strudel, or a slice of chocolatey Sachertorte.

One of the oldest restaurants in Oregon, this famous Portland spot opened in 1879, with a traditional turkey dinner as its specialty. While the dish is still on the menu, turkey also appears in enchiladas, pot pies, and sandwiches. The historic building retains its charm, with dark wood furnishings, dramatic arches, and stained-glass windows, and it also serves steaks, seafood, and pasta dishes.

In a state known for its barbecue, it takes a lot to stand out. But for many, traveling 30 minutes outside of Austin along country roads to this wide-open ranch is something of a meat pilgrimage. The pit here has been cooking up delectable barbecue dishes since 1967, and it continues to serve thousands of customers each week – come in a group to enjoy the food family style, with all-you-can-eat beef brisket, sausage, and pork ribs accompanied by potato salad and beans. 

To many in the Deep South, Frostop means two things: root beer and drive-ins. Frostop started out as a root beer stand in Ohio and, at its peak in the 1960s, there were over 350 Frostop drive-ins across the country – sadly, there are now only 13 locations left. The appeal of the Frostop in Huntington isn't hard to see – it still boasts its iconic 1950s diner look (both inside and out), complete with a giant mug of root beer on top, which you can sample from the comfort of your own car.

Ruth's Diner has something of a magical location, set up on Emigration Canyon, east of Salt Lake City. The eponymous Ruth first opened her diner in 1930 in downtown Salt Lake City, where she had originally been a cabaret singer; back then, she was known for keeping an eye on (and feeding) the women who worked across the road. She relocated the diner to an old trolley car in the canyon in 1949, where it has since become even more famous – and rightly so.

It's hard to believe that New Mexico's largest Mexican restaurant (it can seat over 1,200 people at one time) started out as just a single room with only a handful of tables. Don't be put off by its size; open since 1962, the Albuquerque restaurant still regularly turns up on lists of the best places for Mexican food in the state, if not the country. It's particularly worth visiting in summer, when you can enjoy a leisurely meal out on one of the leafy patios. 

Husband-and-wife team Loyd and Maxine Engh transformed their family barn into a charming supper club back in 1946, to earn some extra money. It soon grew in popularity – and it's still going strong today, serving a simple menu featuring steaks (strip, filet mignon, and rib-eye included) and seafood, accompanied by a choice of soup or salad, and either rice pilaf or baked, mashed, gratinated or fried potatoes.

Not exactly a restaurant per se, but certainly famous, Starbucks Pike Place in Seattle was the ubiquitous coffee chain's first location. If you come here, expect to wait in line, as much for the experience of being here as for the coffee. Situated in the country's oldest continually operating farmers' market, the store (which dates to 1971) looks much the same as it did when it first opened, with the fixtures, the counters, and even the floors remaining as they were.

Cincinnati's most famous – and celebrated – dish is undoubtedly chili, and of course there are countless places in the city that will claim to serve the best. Camp Washington, however, has been serving its secret recipe since 1940. You can choose to have it plain, with various combinations of beans, spaghetti, onions, and cheese, or even with a hot dog. 

Boston's Beacon Hill bar has only been called Cheers since 2002, when it was renamed from the Bull & Finch in honor of the eponymous television show that used the bar's exterior. Though the interior doesn't match the studio-built TV bar (you'll have to head to the Faneuil Hall branch to experience that), here you can still enjoy the atmosphere of a neighborhood pub while tackling a giant Norm burger – if you dare.

It's quite a feat to be well over 100 years old and still appear on lists of the country's best steakhouses, but Indianapolis's St. Elmo, which opened in 1902, manages it with aplomb. In addition to the extensive steak menu, people still pile in for the famous spicy shrimp cocktail, which can now be enjoyed in the smart upstairs lounge. 

This gorgeous old soda shop, in operation since 1946, is looking pretty good for its age. It was thrust into the limelight when it featured in the 2011 film The Help, though it has long been a neighborhood favorite. One of the highlights on the menu is the French toast sandwich – French toast filled with egg and gooey American cheese. 

Legend has it that John 'Big Daddy' Bishop opened the first Dreamland Cafe in 1958, after praying for guidance. The story goes that, on the same night, God appeared in a dream and told him that he should build a café next to his home. The rest is history. Now Dreamland has more than 10 locations across Alabama, Georgia, and Florida (not to mention numerous concessions), but it remains famous for its good old-fashioned hospitality and lip-smacking ribs.

One of Chicago's oldest restaurants, Twin Anchors is famed for its association with Frank Sinatra, who regularly ate and entertained here in Booth 7. According to the restaurant, his order was 'ribs, and keep 'em coming!' – and he loved them so much that the restaurant often shipped its ribs and coleslaw out to him when he was on the road and unable to visit.

If you know anything about fried chicken, then the name should be a giveaway: this restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky, was the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken. It was here, in 1940, that Harland Sanders came up with the winning combination of spices that made his fried chicken 'finger lickin' good.' Today, the original building is largely a museum devoted to the history of the chain, but you can buy food at the modern KFC next door and eat it in the old Sanders Cafe to soak up the history.  

Renowned for being one of the country's foremost fine dining restaurants, The Inn at Little Washington has three Michelin stars and offers superlative food in a magnificent setting. The inn itself, scenically set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, was built in 1895, but it originally served as a gas station with a dance hall above it. It opened as a restaurant in 1978 and has since been listed as one of the best restaurants in the world, serving up imaginative American cuisine.

Phantom Ranch Canteen isn't just somewhere you can pop by on a whim – getting there involves a not insignificant hike of eight miles. But reaching the canteen is undoubtedly worth the effort, due to its unrivaled location at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Thankfully, you don't need to contemplate the walk there and back in one day, as the ranch has camping, dorms, and cabins available; however, you will need to book in advance for both meals and accommodation. 

Let's face it, it's not hard to find good steak in Wyoming, but it's not everywhere that you can eat that steak skewered on a pitchfork on a working cattle ranch. Pitchfork Fondue in Pinedale is very much an interactive cookout experience – food is cooked to order, you can have as much of it as you like, and the price includes appetizers, sauces, sides, and even dessert. Best of all, you can enjoy it all while looking out at the Wind River Range of the Rocky Mountains.

The man behind Pat's King of Steaks – Pat Olivieri – invented the famous Philly Cheesesteak (a hoagie stuffed with thinly sliced beef, melted cheese, and optional onions) here. While the iconic dish is now found all over Philadelphia (and indeed all over the world), this is undoubtedly the place to head to if you want to try the real-deal version for yourself. 

The worn leather booths of this Hollywood landmark could tell more than a few tales. Established in 1919, Musso's has long been a favorite with the A-list, and it's seen everyone from Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe to William Faulkner and F. Scott Fitzgerald pass through its doors. The menu has barely changed since it first opened; expect classic dishes like chicken pot pie, tender steaks, oyster stew, and Welsh rarebit.

After moving to America, the Tronco family started a fruit stall in Columbia – but during World War II, Sadie 'Mama' Tronco started cooking spaghetti and meatballs for the Italian soldiers stationed in the area. In 1940, the family decided to turn their fruit stall into an Italian restaurant, which is now run by the late Sadie Tronco's daughter and her family, and it remains just as popular in the local area.

This is one of those places so steeped in legend that no one is sure just how old the diner is, but it's certainly been in operation for over a century. Prior to this, the current owner's grandfather would sell meat out of a makeshift washtub barbecue in the ground. The only item on the menu is exceptional barbecued pork on Wonder Bread, and it's so popular it's not unusual for the spot to have sold out by 11am.

This winter-only restaurant in Stowe is the perfect place to warm up by the fire after a morning of skiing – and you will need to warm up, seeing as skiing is the only way to get here. The cabin is part of the Trapp Family Lodge, which is perhaps most famous for being owned by the von Trapp family – yes, the very same family we all know and love from The Sound of Music.

Dating back to 1776, it's unsurprising that this classic New England inn is steeped in history. Founded to house the shipyard workers who worked on the Revolution's first warship (the Oliver Cromwell), the Griswold has continued to play an important role in local and national history over the centuries. It was also the site of protests in the mid-19th century by the women of the Temperance Movement.

The list of famous – and infamous – people who have graced the Golden Steer is impressive: Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio, and Natalie Wood, to name just a few. These days, it remains a slice of Old Vegas in this glitzy, modern city, serving up its famous steaks in a restaurant that has more than a little old-fashioned charm.

In a city full of acclaimed restaurants, it's still worth braving the tourist crowds to enjoy one of Katz's legendary pastrami sandwiches. Founded in 1888, the deli has appeared in countless films and TV shows, most famously in When Harry Met Sally, during Meg Ryan's infamous scene. There's even a sign saying: 'Hope you have what she had.'

The extravagant Miami Beach mansion where fashion designer Gianni Versace lived – and died – is now an equally extravagant restaurant. While some might find it distasteful to dine here (or stay here, as the restaurant is within the Villa Casa Casuarina hotel) given the property's history, there's no doubting that it offers the opportunity to experience a kind of luxury that many of us can't even dream of. The menu of Italian and Mediterranean dishes comes at a price, of course.

Many will tell you that, if you're looking for the best spicy fried chicken in the US, you need to visit Prince's Hot Chicken in Tennessee – and boy, is this stuff hot. The story goes that the dish was invented after Thornton Prince's scorned lover tried to take revenge on him by adding a significant amount of chili and spice to his favorite fried chicken. Far from hating it, he loved it – and he spent his time perfecting the recipe before opening his own restaurant.

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Last updated by Laura Ellis.