[TriciaR]

Sweet Tomatoes in Florida

Thanks for sharing that @Dee1524 ! Sweet Tomatoes sounds like such a popular spot. Did you have a favorite item you always went for, or did you like to mix it up each time you visited?

 

[TriciaR]

Little Black Sambo. Great family restaurant good food but later closed as the name caused a controversary

Thanks for sharing that memory @Arkie . It’s interesting how times change and how some places we grew up loving have such stories behind them. Do you remember what dishes you and your family enjoyed most when you went there?

 

[TriciaR]

The "Flash" restaurant which was located in the downtown area and it offered the: "Big Betsy" hamburger !

Thanks for sharing that @RoyzToyz ! The Flash sounds like a classic local gem — and that “Big Betsy” burger must’ve been something special! Do you remember what made it stand out — was it the size, the flavor, or maybe all the fixings that came with it?

 

[TriciaR]

I cant' even remember the name of the place, just how to get there. Mom and I would go to pick up our food from this family owned business that only did take out. They used to make these bread rolls stuffed with sausage, cheese onions, mushrooms and peppers enough to feed a family of six. They only made so many of them a day and when they ran out, they ran out. We got lucky most of the time but it was such a dissapointment when we weren't. They were around for about 20 years and then they closed. Sad day.

It was in Phoenix, AZ and I had just graduated from college at Weber State University.

Thanks for sharing such a vivid memory @NIBOR0 — that sounds like such a special little spot! Those stuffed bread rolls sound absolutely amazing, and it’s lovely how you and your mom made a ritual out of picking them up together. Do you ever try to recreate them at home, or have you found anything similar since then?

 

[TriciaR]

We had 2 steakhouses that everyone loved. Bonanza and Ponderosa. They both had a salad bar that no one could beat and everyone loved. Then the bigger steakhouses came to town and basically killed them. We had 2 of each on different sides of town. There was one in a town about 30 minutes from us that we could still go to and another about and hour from us. The closest one closed last year. Hate the long drive but we do make it to get the food offered at it.

Thanks for sharing that @angib55 ! Bonanza and Ponderosa were such classics — those salad bars really were something special back in the day. It’s great that you still make the trip to enjoy one that’s left! Do you have a favorite item you always look forward to when you go, or is it more about the nostalgia and atmosphere for you?

 

[TriciaR]

The B&K RootBeer drive up!! It was THE place to go. Only open in the spring and summer. The hottest high school girls worked there and not only did we eat there, but at night and on the weekends, it was THE place to cruise...in front, then in a circle around the back. They had absolutely the most delicious and cheap "spanish" hotdogs. My favorite was the spanish, cheese, onion. I miss that place. I have not been able to find a spanish sauce like that again. The owner, Kate, kept the recipe a well guarded secret. After she passed, her son tried to keep it going, but it wasn't the same sauce. Apparently, she took the recipe with her to Heaven!?

Thanks for sharing that wonderful story @GaryBlake — you painted such a vivid picture of the B&K RootBeer drive-up! It sounds like it was more than just a place to eat — it was part of the community and those fun high school memories. That “Spanish” hotdog sounds incredible! Have you ever tried to recreate the sauce yourself or found anything that comes close?

 

[TriciaR]

Bob's Big Boy. The combo and the chili spaghetti, awesome.

Thanks for sharing that @senior71 ! Bob’s Big Boy sounds like such an iconic spot — those classic diner meals hit the spot every time. The chili spaghetti sounds especially good! Did you have a favorite time to go — maybe late-night dinners or weekend lunches?

 

[TriciaR]

Arthur Treacher's love their roast beef sandwhiches.

Thanks for sharing that @meckpkj1976 ! I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Arthur Treacher’s before — it sounds like it must’ve been a great spot if you still remember those roast beef sandwiches! Was it more of a diner-style place, or like a fast-food restaurant?

 

[TriciaR]

I miss Triple Crown Diner which was in operation from 2000 to 2021, succumbed to pandemic-related business decline and is being converted into a hardware store. Prior to the diner being the Triple Crown it was the Bellerose diner which was where I went to sometimes after working late (movie theater) after hanging out with friends at the local bar we would go there or family and friends went for Holidays on occasion, or dinners.

Thanks for sharing that @Hazeleyes — it sounds like the Triple Crown Diner (and the old Bellerose Diner before it) was a real community staple with so many good memories tied to it. It’s sad when places like that disappear, especially ones that saw so many different chapters of your life. Do you still keep in touch with any of the friends you used to go there with?

 

[TriciaR]

I do miss my first diner experience. That was Woolworth’s! Got to eat at the counter! Big thrill!
What I miss the most is A &W Root Beerdrive up restaurant. My husband and I went there as often as we could. Loved their chili dogs! It was mandatory to get root beer floats! We even bought 2 of their glass mugs! They came in handy for root beer floats made at home. Still have the mugs!

Thanks for sharing those lovely memories @Gayle B. ! Woolworth’s counters were such a classic — there’s something so nostalgic about sitting there and watching your meal being made. And A&W drive-ins were pure fun — nothing beats a chili dog and a frosty root beer float! How wonderful that you’ve still got the mugs — do you ever still use them for homemade floats?

 

[TriciaR]

The 2 restaurants I have missed the most were both local in Northern Kentucky. One was Buckskin Bev's Steakhouse which grilled their steaks over a mesquite fire. The other was called Steak and Pasta, located close to our house. Both served excellent food and our family enjoyed many fun meals with them over the years.We still miss them!

Thanks for sharing that @ramm3410ctl ! Those sound like two real local gems — nothing beats the flavor of a steak cooked over mesquite, and it’s lovely that both places hold such good family memories. Do you still have a favorite spot nearby that reminds you a bit of either of them, or have they been impossible to replace?

 

[TriciaR]

Boy, this got me to thinking! Way, way back, when I was about 5, we went to a place called Dog n Suds. It was very similar to the old A&W Drive Inns. We didn’t get to go too often, but when we did, nothing in this world tasted as good as one of their Hot Dogs and a fat glass with a handle, filled with their Root Beer.
Thanks for giving me a chance to reminisce!

Thanks for sharing that wonderful memory @BarbF ! Dog n Suds sounds like such a fun place — those classic drive-ins really had a magic of their own. I love how you can still picture that frosty root beer glass after all these years. Do you ever treat yourself to a root beer float now and then for old times’ sake?

 

[TriciaR]

There was a small restaurant in our area called George's. Everyone was family there. The same breakfast crowd on most days, all willing to help out when someone was in need. Then the owner died unexpectedly. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone. I really miss that.

Thanks for sharing that heartfelt memory @Gibb . George’s sounds like such a special place — more than just a restaurant, really, but a little community of its own. It’s touching how everyone looked out for one another. Do you still keep in touch with any of the regulars from those breakfast gatherings?

 

[Oldman75]

I miss Pondorosa Steak House & (Denny’s which closed four it five years ago in our neighborhood) Ithers are still open.