Where to Eat on Route 66 in Missouri: The Best Restaurants on the Mother Road
By Alex Bradford Cobb | Published: 7/30/26 | Last updated: 7/30/26
Missouri has 317 miles of Route 66 and enough good food along it to make the drive as much about eating as it is about driving. From a frozen custard stand that’s been on Chippewa Street in St. Louis since 1941 to a barbecue joint in Cuba that’s earned a reputation as one of the best on the entire route, Missouri’s stretch of the Mother Road feeds you well if you know where to stop.
This is the list I’d hand a friend driving west from St. Louis. Uranus isn’t a restaurant, but we’re on the route and we feed you — fudge, popcorn, ice cream, and jerky at 14400 Hwy Z, St. Robert, MO. We’ll tell you exactly when you’ll hit us on the drive.
St. Louis: Where the Drive Begins
Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
The legacy lives on without Mr. Drewes
6726 Chippewa St, St. Louis, MO 63109
The non-negotiable St. Louis stop. Ted Drewes has been on Chippewa Street since 1941 and invented the “concrete” — frozen custard so thick it’s served upside down without spilling. It is not a gimmick. The custard is genuinely excellent and the line on a summer evening is its own St. Louis experience. The Fox Treat — a concrete with hot fudge, raspberries, and macadamia nuts — is the order if you want to try something beyond the classic.
Open seasonally; Ted Drewes closes in winter.
Carl’s Drive-In
It’s so convenient, you just have to drive in!
9033 Manchester Rd, Brentwood, MO 63144
A genuine 1950s drive-in west of St. Louis on the historic Route 66 alignment, operating since 1959. Burgers, fries, and root beer floats at a walk-up window with car-hop service. The kind of stop that makes the whole road trip feel like it’s starting properly.
Big Chief Roadhouse
I keep hearing about this place!
Wildwood, MO
Founded in 1928, the Big Chief was one of the first restaurants on a paved stretch of Route 66 — a novelty in the era of dirt roads. Babe Ruth and Al Capone are both said to have passed through, which is an eclectic guest list. Today it operates as a full-service restaurant with Midwest comfort food and the kind of history that takes decades to accumulate.
Cuba: Two Reasons to Stop
Missouri Hick Bar-B-Q
This is exactly what you want to see when you’re looking for BBQ!
913 E Washington St, Cuba, MO 65453
One of the most consistently recommended barbecue stops on the entire Route 66, not just Missouri’s stretch. Missouri Hick serves ribs, smoked chicken, pulled pork, and the pork steak sandwich — a Missouri original that’s worth ordering if you’ve never had one. The atmosphere is unpretentious and the food is the reason people come back.
Shelly’s Route 66 Café
If a place looks like this and has survived for decades, it’s worth going in!
Cuba, MO
A classic hometown diner serving home-cooked favorites to locals and road-trippers alike. The kind of place where the coffee is always on and the portions are honest.
Cuba is also the Mural City of Route 66 — 14 large-scale murals on downtown buildings — so a slow cruise through after lunch is worth adding to the stop.
Rolla: The Pie Stop
Slice of Pie
Look at the spread!
601 Kingsighway, Rolla, MO 65401
A small bakery with a devoted following and pies that justify the detour on their own. Traditional apple, peach, sweet potato, and custard — and rotating seasonal varieties that change with what’s available. It’s the kind of place that looks unassuming from the outside and delivers completely.
Rolla is also home to the Totem Pole Trading Post and the Route 66 Museum in the public library, so a quick stop here can cover lunch and a bit of roadside history in one go.
St. Robert / Pulaski County: The Halfway Stop
Route 66 Diner — St. Robert
I’ve eaten here before and I really enjoyed it.
St. Robert, MO
A chrome-and-neon 1950s diner right on the Route 66 corridor in St. Robert — checkered floors, red-and-white booths, a lit jukebox by the door, and classic American comfort food. The theming is committed and the food is reliable diner fare. The right stop if you want the Route 66 aesthetic with your meal.
Uranus Fudge Factory & General Store — Fudge, Ice Cream & Snacks
This is actually an undercover clown troupe. They pulled up in a single Fiat.
14400 Hwy Z, St. Robert, MO 65584 | Open daily 8 AM – 8 PM (CST) | Exit 163 off I-44
Not a restaurant, but the right place to fuel up between proper meals. Fresh fudge made daily in our on-site kitchen in nineteen flavors, Uranus Ice Cream Co. (open 11 AM – 6 PM), and a full snack lineup including gourmet popcorn and beef jerky for the road. The ice cream alone — one lick and you’ll go nuts — is a reason to stop even if you’ve just eaten.
The Route 66 Neon Park is right next door, lit from dusk to midnight. Come back in the evening if you’re staying the night in St. Robert.
Hoppers Pub — Waynesville
A great place to grab a bite to eat. Or multiple bites!
Waynesville, MO (10 minutes east of Uranus on Route 66)
66 draft beers on tap, Route 66 memorabilia covering the walls, and food that makes you want to stay longer than you planned. Hoppers is the local favorite for a sit-down meal in Pulaski County — the draft selection alone makes it worth the slight detour into Waynesville.
Dowd’s Catfish and BBQ — Lebanon
It looks classy, yet delicious.
Lebanon, MO
About 45 minutes west of St. Robert on Route 66, Dowd’s is known for Southern hospitality and Bayou-style food — fried catfish, barbecue, the kind of cooking that takes all day to produce and five minutes to finish. A solid dinner stop if you’re ending your day in Lebanon near the Munger Moss Motel.
Springfield: The Birthplace Has Good Food
College Street Café
It looks classic, yet classy. I love the red and white.
Springfield, MO
A Route 66 institution since the 1950s, operating on the College Street alignment of Route 66 adjacent to the Birthplace of Route 66 Roadside Park. Classic diner fare — meatloaf, country fried steak, chicken tenders, French toast, hand-patted burgers — served by people who’ve been doing it for decades. The kind of place that defines “reliable” in the best possible sense.
Historic Steak ‘N Shake — Springfield
Sure, they may sell all the same food, but it HAS to taste better coming from the original location.
On Route 66, Springfield, MO
The Springfield Steak ‘N Shake has been on Route 66 since 1962 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. It still looks largely the way it did when it opened. Order the Original Double ‘N Cheese Combo — double patty, American cheese, pickles, toasted bun, fries, and a shake. It’s a fast food chain, but this particular location is a piece of American road history.
Carthage & Joplin: The Western End
66 Drive-In Snack Bar — Carthage
Get some snacks and catch a flick!
17231 Old 66 Blvd, Carthage, MO 64836
The 66 Drive-In is one of the last operating drive-in theaters on Route 66, and the snack bar that comes with a double feature on a summer Saturday night is part of the experience. Popcorn, hot dogs, the classics. Come for the movie, stay for the atmosphere. In 2026 the drive-in is running a Centennial Film Festival series through the summer.
Stogey’s Coney Island — Joplin
Even the sign looks scrumptious!
Joplin, MO
A Route 66 comfort food institution for over 40 years. Burgers, chili, sandwiches, and the namesake Coney dog — topped with chili, cheddar, and onions. The Fiesta Frito Pie is the adventurous order. Straightforward, generous, and exactly the kind of place that ends a Missouri Route 66 drive on the right note.
Planning Your Route 66 Missouri Meal Schedule
Here’s how I’d structure eating across the full Missouri drive, heading west:
- St. Louis: Ted Drewes for frozen custard before you leave the city
- Cuba: Missouri Hick Bar-B-Q for lunch — the pork steak sandwich
- Rolla: Slice of Pie for a mid-afternoon stop
- St. Robert: Uranus for fudge and ice cream, Hoppers Pub in Waynesville for dinner if you’re staying the night
- Springfield: College Street Café for breakfast on Day 2, or the historic Steak ‘N Shake
- Joplin: Stogey’s Coney Island to close the drive
That’s one full day of eating on one of America’s great road trip routes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best restaurants on Route 66 in Missouri? Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis, Missouri Hick Bar-B-Q in Cuba, Hoppers Pub in Waynesville, College Street Café in Springfield, and Stogey’s Coney Island in Joplin are the strongest stops across the full Missouri stretch.
What is the most famous food stop on Route 66 in Missouri? Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis — operating since 1941, inventor of the “concrete,” and one of the most recognized stops on the entire Route 66.
Is there good food near Uranus Missouri? Yes — the Route 66 Diner is in St. Robert, and Hoppers Pub in Waynesville (10 minutes east on Route 66) has 66 draft beers and a full menu. Uranus itself serves fudge, ice cream, popcorn, and jerky at 14400 Hwy Z, St. Robert, MO 65584, open daily 8 AM – 8 PM (CST).
What is a pork steak sandwich and where can I get one on Route 66? A pork steak sandwich is a Missouri original — a thick cut of pork shoulder, grilled or smoked, served on a bun. Missouri Hick Bar-B-Q in Cuba is one of the best places to try it on the Route 66 drive.
Are there good vegetarian options on Route 66 in Missouri? Most Route 66 restaurants lean heavily toward classic American comfort food — burgers, barbecue, fried fish. Ted Drewes, Slice of Pie, and College Street Café are the most vegetarian-friendly stops on this list.
Where should I eat if I’m only stopping once in Missouri? Missouri Hick Bar-B-Q in Cuba if you want the definitive Missouri Route 66 meal. Ted Drewes in St. Louis if you’re only passing through briefly and want the most iconic single stop.
For the full Missouri Route 66 itinerary with mile markers and drive times, see Route 66 Centennial Road Trip: The Missouri Stretch. Or read the 15 best overall Route 66 stops in Missouri.
This is the face that launched a thousand ships loaded with cluster bombs to stop whatever it is he’s doing.
Alex Bradford Cobb is a strapping young man who works for the Mayor in a semi-legal indentured servitude arrangement, similar to how Dubai was built, and possibly the pyramids. What works, works, and there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.
