First established in 1926, Route 66 connected Chicago to Los Angeles. It was during this same time that the diner, “an icon of American culture,” took shape. Route 66’s heyday was in the 1940s and 50s. The National Park Service writes that, “when wartime rationing and travel restrictions ended in 1945, Americans took to the road in unprecedented numbers, and Route 66 entered its golden age. Tourism was a growing industry in Albuquerque, development continued to push east and west along Route 66.” With the Interstate Highway Act of 1956, Route 66 began to go into decline before being officially removed from the United States Highway System in 1985. Today, Albuquerque’s 18 miles of Central Avenue is the longest urban stretch of old Route 66. Along it are many historic sites, motels, diners and restaurants. Here are a list of places you can still eat at on old Route 66 in Albuquerque, with a bit of history for each:

Blake’s: in 1952, a WWII veteran from Texas named Blake Chanslor moved to Albuquerque and started his chain, Blake’s Lotaburger. There are now 74 locations across the Southwest. This one along Central Ave, seen below is not the first location, that was at Southern Avenue and San Mateo and is now Apapulco Taco & Burritos.

El Sombrerete: now a Mexican restaurant, this location used to house the Town House Restaurant, established by George Argyres, a Greek immigrant, in 1962. Gil Garduño writes on this blog, “life-sized fiberglass statues of stocky steers… became the symbol of steakhouses along [Route 66]. Ironically, this statuary was not designed for use as symbology for restaurants. In the 1950s, Bob Prewitt, a manufacturer of fiberglass trailers created life-sized fiberglass animals to prove the trailers were large enough to accommodate the real thing. Soon the manufacture of animals became the primary focus of his business. He created almost as many types of animals as Noah took on board his ark. The steer became one of the most popular.”

Griff’s Hamburgers: a chain dating back to the 1960s, the location in Albuquerque along Central/Route 66 was closed in the summer of 2023 and then torn down.

Bea’s New Mexican Restaurant: located behind the demolished Griff’s, Bea’s has been open since 1987. There is an old sign along central, where I assume an older location of the restaurant used to be.

Kap’s Coffee House and Diner in Albuquerque: next to the historic Tewa Lodge, Kap’s has been open since 1968. According to Modern Albuquerque, the building was constructed in 1963 and was originally a Denny’s.

Cafe Da Lat: opened in 2003, this Vietnamese restaurant is located on the site of the old Mars Motel, which was built in 1930s but then demolished in the 1960s (photos from the Albuquerque Museum)

Loyola’s Family Restaurant in Albuquerque: the currently restaurant was opened in 1990, but the building dates to 1958 and was originally known as “Sherm’s Restaurant.” It was inspired by the now-demolished Holly’s Diner in California, opened in 1956.

The Farmacy: this popular spot is housed within an old Toddle House, dating to the 1950s.

Clowndog Hot Dog Parlor: opened as a KFC in the 1960s, this location has had many iterations over the years, documented by the Route 66. You can see it as a KFC in this classic photo of Albuquerque’s Central Avenue, taken in the 1960s.

Ihavtov Bread & Coffee: housed within a former Arby’s, built to look like a covered wagon

M’tucci’s Bar Roma: their Nob Hill location is within the the Jones Motor Company building, which “used to be a popular spot for cars driving along Route 66 in the 1940s and 1950s”

Frontier Restaurant: opened in 1971, Gil’s Thrilling and Filling Blog (a favorite!) writes that, “some contend it may well be THE quintessential New Mexican restaurant”

Olympia Cafe: open since 1972

Asahi Express: according to the NPS, “a restaurant called The Pig Stand opened at 2106 E. Central Avenue in 1924.” The current building was constructed in 1935, “on the site of the original Pig Stand at 2106 E. Central, opposite the University of New Mexico on what would become, two years later, the new alignment of Route 66.” The Pig Stand closed in the 1950s. For a time it was the University Cafe, Pita Pit, and is now Asahi Express.

Hausammann Brewhaus (once Cottage Bakery): opened in 1937, the Cottage Bakery was in operation until 1960. It had been various businesses since, and is currently a brewery.

66 Diner: located here, opened in 1987 in a former Sam’s Phillips 66 station, constructed in 1946.

Whole Hog Cafe: the location along central is no longer open. I’m told that it was a new restaurant, but made to look like an old diner. You can see inside below.

The Range Cafe Downtown: located in an old service station that opened in 1938. It was later a BMW dealership, the Standard Diner, and is now a location of the popular diner the Range

Lindy’s Diner: opened in 1922, it is the oldest continuously operating restaurant on old Route 66 in Albuquerque

Dog’s House: located here, “it opened in the 1960s at the tail-end of the Golden Age of car travel, when Route 66 was the most viable way westward to the Pacific”

Garcia’s Kitchen: The first Garcia’s was first opened in 1975 at 4th and Mountain Road. It now has six locations around Albuquerque, the one below is located here along old Route 66

Duran’s Central Pharmacy: according to their website, “in business since 1942, Duran Central Pharmacy is one of the oldest commercial establishments in Albuquerque. The original owner of the drugstore was Pete Duran, a graduate of Notre Dame and the Colorado School of Pharmacy. As a resident of Old Town, he wanted his business close by on or near Central Avenue, Route 66”

Lam’s Chinese Restaurant: I am unsure of the history of this former restaurant, which is along Central Avenue. These photos were taken in the summer of 2023. This Smithsonian article discusses the history of the oldest continuously operated Chinese restaurant in the United States, which is located in Montana.

Monte Carlo Steakhouse: opened by Greek immigrants in the 1970s, ran by their sons today

Golden Pride: Frontier’s sister restaurant. There are many locations around town, including on Central and 53rd

Mac’s La Sierra Coffee Shop: in operation since 1952, “Mac’s has achieved institutional status… It’s become an almost mandatory stop for Route 66 completists. The motel that once ringed its parking lot is gone, but the sign that commands the intersection remains, albeit in modified form.”

Western View Steak Diner and House: “The Route 66 classic Western View has been known in previous years as the Ski View and Desert View… it’s been the Western View though for more than 40 years. It used to be open 24/7 and many older folks remember coming after dancing at the Hitching Post, which was next door, but was replaced by an apartment building.”

Cafe 66: located here, featured in this music video, season 4 of Stranger Things, the film Poker Face

Route 66’s initial route ran north-west through Albuquerque, until was rerouted in 1937. Below are some diners and restaurants along the old Route 66 route in Albuquerque, which runs along 4th street:

Mr. Powdrell’s BBQ: “the Powdrell family migrated from Louisiana via Texas in 1958. The barbecue recipe came from great-grandpa Isaac and was passed on to the late Mr. Pete Powdrell, who opened his restaurant in 1962. The restaurant on Fourth Street is in the Historical Shalit House built in 1936 in the English Cottage Revival style.”

Mary & Tito’s Cafe: located here, it has been open since 1963 (across the street is this older motel)

Juanita’s: according to the Society of Architectural Historians, “what began as the Tasty Freeze Drive-In demonstrates the continued importance to Barelas of car-oriented commercial architecture”

Red Ball Cafe in Albuquerque: first opened in 1922, the cafe closed in 1979 amid financial troubles, but was reopened in 1998. The pandemic also affected the restaurant negatively and it closed again in 2021.