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Roadfood: An Eater's Guide to More Than 1,000 of the Best Local Hot Spots and Hidden Gems Across America
First published in 1977, the original Roadfood became an instant classic. James Beard said, "This is a book that you should carry with you, no matter where you are going in these United States. It's a treasure house of information." Now this indispensable guide is back, in an even bigger and better edition, covering 500 of the country's best local eateries from Maine to California. With more than 250 completely new listings and thorough updates of old favorites, the new Roadfood offers an extended tour of the most affordable, most enjoyable dining options along America's highways and back roads.Filled with enticing alternatives for chain-weary-travelers, Roadfood provides descriptions of and directions to (complete with regional maps) the best lobster shacks on the East Coast; the ultimate barbecue joints down South; the most indulgent steak houses in the Midwest; and dozens of top-notch diners, hotdog stands, ice-cream parlors, and uniquely regional finds in between. Each entry delves into the folkways of a restaurant's locale as well as the dining experience itself, and each is written in the Sterns' entertaining and colorful style. A cornucopia for road warriors and armchair epicures alike, Roadfood is a road map to some of the tastiest treasures in the United States.
464 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 16, 2017
Going on a road trip? Well ..... with this book in hand and a GPS, you'll be able to find some mighty fine meals along the way. Not fine dining mind you, but rather local eateries offering really good food. And what fun is that! You gotta eat anyway, so why not try something special enough to have made it into a book.
My husband and I have been big fans of Jane and Michael Stern for years. So as we headed out on a cross-country road trip, we made a special effort to get their latest 10th edition book and have it for traveling. And it worked out really well. We were delighted with the pasties of Marquette, Michigan, the roast beef sandwich of Pipestone, Minnesota and the whitefish in Bayfield, Wisconsin.
I also noted some places in our own backyard, that we have never tried. And so, the adventure will continue now that we're home until our next road trip and then who knows.
My husband and I have been big fans of Jane and Michael Stern for years. So as we headed out on a cross-country road trip, we made a special effort to get their latest 10th edition book and have it for traveling. And it worked out really well. We were delighted with the pasties of Marquette, Michigan, the roast beef sandwich of Pipestone, Minnesota and the whitefish in Bayfield, Wisconsin.
I also noted some places in our own backyard, that we have never tried. And so, the adventure will continue now that we're home until our next road trip and then who knows.
April 6, 2017
My family was never one for road trips when I was a child, but my husband's family more than made up for that and I've since heard many stories from across the country. Some of the best take place in the places they stopped for food, especially those restaurants that offered regional cuisince. Roadfood is a comprehensive guide to a wide variety of food stops for anyone's journey from one coast to the other.
Roadfood is well formatted, the stops being separated by region: New England, Mid-Atlantic, Mid-South, Deep South, Midwest, Southwest, Great Plains, and West Coast. Before each chapter delves into each restaurant there are two maps that are useful, a general one of the region to show what states are included and a second, much more detailed one that had black dots indicating what major highways they may be near or how close they are to one another. This is a great tool if you're using this book in conjunction with planning your trip and should prevent journeying too far off course.
The information for each restaurant is very inclusive. Not only do the authors include delectable descriptions of, presumably, their favorite dishes, but the restaurants that are local favorites are earmarked with a Locals Love It stamp (like Porubsky's Grocery in the Little Russia neighborhood of North Topeka, KS) and others with a Hot Ticket stamp, such as Harry Caray's, a popular if pricey eatery in Chicago owned by the voice of the Chicago Cubs, Harry Caray (a choice place for steaks like the sirloin or prime and "Italian" dishes like chicken Vesuvio). Helpfully, there are also stamps for Vegetarian Friendly places that call attention to dishes that are palatable for vegetarians. Together with the above stamps and contact information for each establishment (phone number, address, and website if applicable), there is also a handy guide for pricing. The more $$$ signs, the more expensive; the range in this book is $ to $$$ and each state has a good sampling of each price category.
I know this was published very recently, but if you're going to go out of your way on your road trip, I'd make a quick call to the place you're looking at. The most local place to me, Cliff's Dairy Maid, had an entry that was sadly inaccurate. Having visited it recently (4/4/17), the grills have been removed and they no longer offer any of the hot food items mentioned in this book (foot long hot dogs, chili dogs, fries, etc.). The ice cream is still well worth the trip, though; dozens of unique flavors will ensure everyone finds something to savor.
The only other downside I would take note of is that some states, such as Nevada (3) and Delaware (5). have very limited choices when compared to some of the surrounding states. Since this is the 10th edition and the authors make a note that there have been additions and subtractions from edition to edition, I hope that this is merely one in which other states are being given a chance to shine and that next time, perhaps they will find some culinary gems in the states that didn't get as much attention this time around.
I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
Roadfood is well formatted, the stops being separated by region: New England, Mid-Atlantic, Mid-South, Deep South, Midwest, Southwest, Great Plains, and West Coast. Before each chapter delves into each restaurant there are two maps that are useful, a general one of the region to show what states are included and a second, much more detailed one that had black dots indicating what major highways they may be near or how close they are to one another. This is a great tool if you're using this book in conjunction with planning your trip and should prevent journeying too far off course.
The information for each restaurant is very inclusive. Not only do the authors include delectable descriptions of, presumably, their favorite dishes, but the restaurants that are local favorites are earmarked with a Locals Love It stamp (like Porubsky's Grocery in the Little Russia neighborhood of North Topeka, KS) and others with a Hot Ticket stamp, such as Harry Caray's, a popular if pricey eatery in Chicago owned by the voice of the Chicago Cubs, Harry Caray (a choice place for steaks like the sirloin or prime and "Italian" dishes like chicken Vesuvio). Helpfully, there are also stamps for Vegetarian Friendly places that call attention to dishes that are palatable for vegetarians. Together with the above stamps and contact information for each establishment (phone number, address, and website if applicable), there is also a handy guide for pricing. The more $$$ signs, the more expensive; the range in this book is $ to $$$ and each state has a good sampling of each price category.
I know this was published very recently, but if you're going to go out of your way on your road trip, I'd make a quick call to the place you're looking at. The most local place to me, Cliff's Dairy Maid, had an entry that was sadly inaccurate. Having visited it recently (4/4/17), the grills have been removed and they no longer offer any of the hot food items mentioned in this book (foot long hot dogs, chili dogs, fries, etc.). The ice cream is still well worth the trip, though; dozens of unique flavors will ensure everyone finds something to savor.
The only other downside I would take note of is that some states, such as Nevada (3) and Delaware (5). have very limited choices when compared to some of the surrounding states. Since this is the 10th edition and the authors make a note that there have been additions and subtractions from edition to edition, I hope that this is merely one in which other states are being given a chance to shine and that next time, perhaps they will find some culinary gems in the states that didn't get as much attention this time around.
I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
March 13, 2017
Roadfood, a guide to over 1,000 of the Best local eats across America, was a fun book to browse through and will definitely take a place on our trips as we travel around the country. Often when we travel we have a deep desire to sample the local cuisine, or even the one of a kind eatery. However, the reality is when in a new place with the family, we often find ourselves resorting to the well known restaurant brands, and as such completely miss out on a huge part of the travel experience. Of course, in your local community, you know of the good spots to eat. Sometimes you discover them on the recommendations of others who are a little more adventurous when it comes to trying a new place. I am generally more hesitant when it comes to food. I need good recommendations! Of course, in your hometown, or in places where you have friends or family you have those connections. Generally you could ride about the places you travel and look out for the busy spots. Usually a good indicator of a great restaurant. You know the kind, sometimes often looks questionable from the outside, but parking lots are packed, and long wait lines during the peak times of the day. So what resources do we have for finding these kind of places? Books like this one.
What I loved -
Each State is grouped into a region of the country, easy to find. Northwest, Midwest, Southeast etc. Once there you can look at a map and see particular locations within those states. You can quickly see if there is a recommendation in your destination.
There is verity. The locations listed are not all fancy 5 star restaurants, or small cafes. Some are even quite odd, market type stores that also sell food to be consumed on the side.
Even in the places I have lived I was intrigued to know some of the places listed, I had no even heard of. Which gives me additional places to try out in the future.
The descriptions of the Food critic's choices are clear and easy to follow, and their overall outlook on the specific eatery gives you a good idea of what you might expect.
What I did not love -
Even though you are given over a 1000, and yes, I realize the United States is vast, it really only gives a limited view of what's available in each State. Some of some well known and locally loved places are not included in this book. Giving me the impression that either the writers have not travelled too extensively, maybe only to the major cities, or they have limited themselves to places to try based on people they know.
Pictures of the food or restaurants would be a welcome addition, that would richly add to the enticement of trying these places out.
Thanks to Blogging for Books for the complimentary copy. This is my honest review.
What I loved -
Each State is grouped into a region of the country, easy to find. Northwest, Midwest, Southeast etc. Once there you can look at a map and see particular locations within those states. You can quickly see if there is a recommendation in your destination.
There is verity. The locations listed are not all fancy 5 star restaurants, or small cafes. Some are even quite odd, market type stores that also sell food to be consumed on the side.
Even in the places I have lived I was intrigued to know some of the places listed, I had no even heard of. Which gives me additional places to try out in the future.
The descriptions of the Food critic's choices are clear and easy to follow, and their overall outlook on the specific eatery gives you a good idea of what you might expect.
What I did not love -
Even though you are given over a 1000, and yes, I realize the United States is vast, it really only gives a limited view of what's available in each State. Some of some well known and locally loved places are not included in this book. Giving me the impression that either the writers have not travelled too extensively, maybe only to the major cities, or they have limited themselves to places to try based on people they know.
Pictures of the food or restaurants would be a welcome addition, that would richly add to the enticement of trying these places out.
Thanks to Blogging for Books for the complimentary copy. This is my honest review.
March 22, 2017
I was so excited to be getting this book. Living in Southwest Missouri and so close to Branson (a major tourist destination) I figured I might have the chance to discover or even rediscover a local-ish place (Think Leong's Asian Diner - Goggle it). On this front I was disappointed. Upon opening the book for the first time, it was of course to scour the Missouri listings. All St. Louis and Kansas City area, with a side step to Columbia. So much of the state, with it's own amazing history and hidden gems of dining are forgotten, or worse ignored. I'm going with forgotten for my own piece of mind. Kansas City or St. Louis are not particularly areas I am going to foray to just for foodie road-trip. They are more a drive around than drive into, unless I'm there for legitimate reasons. Crestfallen, but not broken, I checked the states near me for other local ideas. The only other close location was Chicken Mary's in Pittsburg, Kansas. Been to both Mary's and Annie's and they are both pretty spectacular. In the book they mention Annie's with their description of Mary's and I can attest that both serve amazing fried chicken along with typical southern style comfort sides. Wasn't quite enough to cure my heartbreak but must push through.
Let's start with what I didn't like about the layout of this book. There's only one thing so it's easy. Within each region, it's broken down by state. (Like this, more later.) However the restaurants are then listed alphabetically within the state. Which means, Illinois for example, you have to go through all the listings to find the restaurant choices for you if you happen in be in Springfield (see what I did there?). I feel like it would be easier to utilize the listings if they were grouped georaphically instead of alphabetically within each state section. Perhaps alphabetically by city or something? Ok, that's really it. Negative is out of the way.
What I liked. While some of the regional breakdowns I slightly disagree with I liked that each region had a map of each state with locations marked, usually with major roadways marked as well for ease of locating the restaurant. I liked that each state, within the region, was dedicated it's own section in order to help narrow down your searches. But then places like Chicken Mary's in Kansas, which is right on the Missouri/Kansas border was separated from someone who could just make a quick hop across the state line. This is not a dislike however as when you are dealing with state-lines there's really no way to prevent this. The descriptions of each location and the menu offerings were amazing. I don't even eat hamburgers but some of the descriptions made me think I wanted one. Each location also included contact information which is super helpful for someone who may be planning a foodie road trip to these areas. A quick perusal of the website, a phone call if in doubt about anything and oh wait they are closed on Tuesday? let's wait and go this time frame instead. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who tends to drive on their vacations, likes to road trip or is just a general foodie who likes to explore new locations as well.
I was lucky to be able to receive this book from Blogging for Books for review. I was not required to post a positive review and all thoughts regarding this book are my own.
Originally posted at https://fizzypopcollection.blogspot.c....
April 4, 2017
I'm kind of excited for Road Food by Jane & Michael Stern. I've heard from friends years ago about this, but never really had the chance to look it up. And since I'm not very good with directions, it's hard to tell where I am when I'm on the road. Looking it up on their website wouldn't be ideal. I'll usually just hop off to a fast food joint or a Cracker Barrel. When Road Food hit my hands, I was so excited, I looked through the book in one sitting. It was actually not a book to read sitting down when you have no trips in mind!
With that said, let me explain. The book is broken down by geographical areas, then by state. For example, New England encompasses Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Say the West Coast, then it's California, Oregon and Washington state. And within each state, the restaurants are listed in alphabetical order. You may think if you break it down by states from the get go, it would be easier, but this is perfect for road trips! When you're in your vehicle travelling down a stretch of highway, you may cross state borders. By categorizing this way, it's easier for the passenger to check out which section you should focus on. Still unsure? Well, you'll need to head to the first page of each section. It comes with a handy dandy map of each of the state, its major interstates, and where each restaurant is. It is so easy to just look at the map and point out which interstate we are on and find the closest mentioned restaurant. Once you have the name, the alphabetical way of listing the restaurants of each state makes total sense.
Under each restaurant, you'll get the location, their contact number, the meals they are open for, and price range in terms of dollar signs. At the beginning, you will see the price range for each dollar sign. And then we'll have the authors input on each restaurant, some with history and some with tips.
In all, I think this is an awesome book for all road trip lovers. It's tailored to travelers on the road with its layout and recommendations. So here's a quick cheat list to how to use this book:
1. Look up which geographical location you are traveling to/on in the contents.
2. Go to the first page of that section to find the map.
3. Find the closest route/highway to where you're traveling on.
4. Look up the restaurants that interests you based on location from the maps.
Let me end with, I'm quite happy that I've tried a good number of restaurants noted from travel or being somewhat locals, and the authors are on the mark. The choices are definitely worth exploring.
This review first appeared on Just Commonly blog.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.
With that said, let me explain. The book is broken down by geographical areas, then by state. For example, New England encompasses Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Say the West Coast, then it's California, Oregon and Washington state. And within each state, the restaurants are listed in alphabetical order. You may think if you break it down by states from the get go, it would be easier, but this is perfect for road trips! When you're in your vehicle travelling down a stretch of highway, you may cross state borders. By categorizing this way, it's easier for the passenger to check out which section you should focus on. Still unsure? Well, you'll need to head to the first page of each section. It comes with a handy dandy map of each of the state, its major interstates, and where each restaurant is. It is so easy to just look at the map and point out which interstate we are on and find the closest mentioned restaurant. Once you have the name, the alphabetical way of listing the restaurants of each state makes total sense.
Under each restaurant, you'll get the location, their contact number, the meals they are open for, and price range in terms of dollar signs. At the beginning, you will see the price range for each dollar sign. And then we'll have the authors input on each restaurant, some with history and some with tips.
In all, I think this is an awesome book for all road trip lovers. It's tailored to travelers on the road with its layout and recommendations. So here's a quick cheat list to how to use this book:
1. Look up which geographical location you are traveling to/on in the contents.
2. Go to the first page of that section to find the map.
3. Find the closest route/highway to where you're traveling on.
4. Look up the restaurants that interests you based on location from the maps.
Let me end with, I'm quite happy that I've tried a good number of restaurants noted from travel or being somewhat locals, and the authors are on the mark. The choices are definitely worth exploring.
This review first appeared on Just Commonly blog.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.
March 22, 2017
Roadfood is a wonderful compilation of restaurants throughout the country. I took this book along with us when we took a trip and we were glad we had it. The descriptions were just enough to entice us to try some places while leaving some of the magic of the stops to unveil themselves upon arrival. The information including pricing was up to date. The maps were confusing in a couple of places however the maps aren’t designed to get you to the door rather to help travelers plan trips in specific cities. I would highly suggest mapping out places before hand or turning to a preferred GPS device. If you like tor try new places and or want to plan your eating adventures before hand instead of settling for McDonalds on a vacation this is a book for any traveler.
March 15, 2017
This is an excellent road trip book. It gives you great ideas of places to stop to eat anywhere you are going in the US. It even gave me some ideas for day trips in my own state to go eat at places that I've never gone before. This is a book that I think will always be with me on trips, or even something to plan trips around. Such a great idea and well executed. The one thing that would have really raised this book above the bar would have been a few pictures of the food. That would have been fabulous, but without that I'll just have to go see the food for myself. I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for an honest review.
December 9, 2017
This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.
I will be the first to admit that I'm not a foodie–at all. You're probably wondering why I agreed to review Roadfood, then. The truth is that I just liked the idea of a guidebook to travel food, and I wanted to see if it would really help my family pick where to eat while we travel.
The truth is that it probably wouldn't. This is mostly because I come from a family of not-foodies, and there are six of us so we have to work really hard at keeping bathroom/eating/resting breaks at a minimum if we ever want to get anywhere, and so we basically always just pick our lunch destination from the billboards by the highway (and they're almost always either McDonald's, Wendy's, or Burger King, because those are the restaurants with a drive-through). I don't see myself truly being able to convince my parents to drive out of their way to enjoy a particularly succulent sit-down diner, because they get antsy if we drive more than two miles away from the highway on a rest stop.
That said, I do think this book offers a valuable service: it lists yummy restaurants sorted by state, with detailed descriptions of a few dishes and the service/atmosphere, so it makes choosing a restaurant once we've reached our destination much more intriguing. Put another way: I wouldn't drive out of my way to eat at Tedd Drewe's (which famously sells the best ice cream in the world) in St. Louis, because those St. Louis highways are murder and I'd lose way too much time for reaching my final destination, but of course I would make a point to visit it if I were there a couple of days. And, you know, already within a 20 to 30 minute radius of one of their locations.
To be fair, though, I grew up on Tedd Drewe's ice cream. If I didn't already know what it tasted like, and I was a real foodie, maybe I would go hours out of my way to try it. And maybe now I'm just making myself hungry for ice cream. I'm going to stop talking about Tedd Drewe's now.
Anyway, I can't vouch much for the accuracy of the listings, but the basic format of the book is that the entries are sorted by state (which are sorted by region, not alphabetically); if you want a short list of just the restaurant names, without details, there's one in the back of the book with page numbers for looking up the details. Every entry includes the name of the restaurant and its address, its website and phone number if it has those, hours of operation, and a price-range estimate. Beneath that, there's a description of the restaurant's food and service and atmosphere, as well as tips about how crowded it can get and the like.
The cynical part of me says that most of this information is probably available online, and that books can very quickly get outdated (and, in fact, one of the restaurants it lists in Indianapolis is already out of business!), but the other part of me says that it can be really nice to have a tangible book for looking up interesting and unique places to eat. Roadfood can serve as a good jumping-off point for restaurant hunting, anyway. And who knows what rare gems it might point us to?!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I will be the first to admit that I'm not a foodie–at all. You're probably wondering why I agreed to review Roadfood, then. The truth is that I just liked the idea of a guidebook to travel food, and I wanted to see if it would really help my family pick where to eat while we travel.
The truth is that it probably wouldn't. This is mostly because I come from a family of not-foodies, and there are six of us so we have to work really hard at keeping bathroom/eating/resting breaks at a minimum if we ever want to get anywhere, and so we basically always just pick our lunch destination from the billboards by the highway (and they're almost always either McDonald's, Wendy's, or Burger King, because those are the restaurants with a drive-through). I don't see myself truly being able to convince my parents to drive out of their way to enjoy a particularly succulent sit-down diner, because they get antsy if we drive more than two miles away from the highway on a rest stop.
That said, I do think this book offers a valuable service: it lists yummy restaurants sorted by state, with detailed descriptions of a few dishes and the service/atmosphere, so it makes choosing a restaurant once we've reached our destination much more intriguing. Put another way: I wouldn't drive out of my way to eat at Tedd Drewe's (which famously sells the best ice cream in the world) in St. Louis, because those St. Louis highways are murder and I'd lose way too much time for reaching my final destination, but of course I would make a point to visit it if I were there a couple of days. And, you know, already within a 20 to 30 minute radius of one of their locations.
To be fair, though, I grew up on Tedd Drewe's ice cream. If I didn't already know what it tasted like, and I was a real foodie, maybe I would go hours out of my way to try it. And maybe now I'm just making myself hungry for ice cream. I'm going to stop talking about Tedd Drewe's now.
Anyway, I can't vouch much for the accuracy of the listings, but the basic format of the book is that the entries are sorted by state (which are sorted by region, not alphabetically); if you want a short list of just the restaurant names, without details, there's one in the back of the book with page numbers for looking up the details. Every entry includes the name of the restaurant and its address, its website and phone number if it has those, hours of operation, and a price-range estimate. Beneath that, there's a description of the restaurant's food and service and atmosphere, as well as tips about how crowded it can get and the like.
The cynical part of me says that most of this information is probably available online, and that books can very quickly get outdated (and, in fact, one of the restaurants it lists in Indianapolis is already out of business!), but the other part of me says that it can be really nice to have a tangible book for looking up interesting and unique places to eat. Roadfood can serve as a good jumping-off point for restaurant hunting, anyway. And who knows what rare gems it might point us to?!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2017
About the Book:
First published in 1977, the original Roadfood became an instant classic. James Beard said, "This is a book that you should carry with you, no matter where you are going in these United States. It's a treasure house of information."
Now this indispensable guide is back, in an even bigger and better edition, covering 500 of the country's best local eateries from Maine to California. With more than 250 completely new listings and thorough updates of old favorites, the new Roadfood offers an extended tour of the most affordable, most enjoyable dining options along America's highways and back roads.
Filled with enticing alternatives for chain-weary-travelers, Roadfood provides descriptions of and directions to (complete with regional maps) the best lobster shacks on the East Coast; the ultimate barbecue joints down South; the most indulgent steak houses in the Midwest; and dozens of top-notch diners, hotdog stands, ice-cream parlors, and uniquely regional finds in between. Each entry delves into the folkways of a restaurant's locale as well as the dining experience itself, and each is written in the Sterns' entertaining and colorful style. A cornucopia for road warriors and armchair epicures alike, Roadfood is a road map to some of the tastiest treasures in the United States.
My Review:
What better way to travel across the United States than with this handy companion by your side. You can take this with you on a road trip and be pleasantly entertained with all the different food stops you can make.
This book is seriously something that you can take with you on vacation. It comes complete with restaurant names, addresses, phone numbers, and a fantastic description of what they serve. And everything is cross referenced by state. So it is filled with facts and really easy to follow. It also gives you a guide on how expensive the food is at each establishment.
A great guide for food on the road!
**Disclosure**This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.
First published in 1977, the original Roadfood became an instant classic. James Beard said, "This is a book that you should carry with you, no matter where you are going in these United States. It's a treasure house of information."
Now this indispensable guide is back, in an even bigger and better edition, covering 500 of the country's best local eateries from Maine to California. With more than 250 completely new listings and thorough updates of old favorites, the new Roadfood offers an extended tour of the most affordable, most enjoyable dining options along America's highways and back roads.
Filled with enticing alternatives for chain-weary-travelers, Roadfood provides descriptions of and directions to (complete with regional maps) the best lobster shacks on the East Coast; the ultimate barbecue joints down South; the most indulgent steak houses in the Midwest; and dozens of top-notch diners, hotdog stands, ice-cream parlors, and uniquely regional finds in between. Each entry delves into the folkways of a restaurant's locale as well as the dining experience itself, and each is written in the Sterns' entertaining and colorful style. A cornucopia for road warriors and armchair epicures alike, Roadfood is a road map to some of the tastiest treasures in the United States.
My Review:
What better way to travel across the United States than with this handy companion by your side. You can take this with you on a road trip and be pleasantly entertained with all the different food stops you can make.
This book is seriously something that you can take with you on vacation. It comes complete with restaurant names, addresses, phone numbers, and a fantastic description of what they serve. And everything is cross referenced by state. So it is filled with facts and really easy to follow. It also gives you a guide on how expensive the food is at each establishment.
A great guide for food on the road!
**Disclosure**This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from the author. All opinions are my own.
March 12, 2017
An Eater's Guide to More Than 1,000 of the Best Local Hot Spots and Hidden Gems Across America is one of the coolest books! This is one of the neatest travel books I have ever seen because it is a food guide for someone traveling who is looking for unique and great food. Have you ever been on a road trip, but struggled to find good food or you weren't sure what the area was known for? This is your go to book for all road trips and GOOD food! From around the country, you can find the neatest restaurants and best food! I love this guide book. It is going in our car for all our road trips. I love how every section of the region on the map has a recommendation with a little bit of information about the restaurant, environment and food. I highly recommend this book and give it 5/5 stars!
June 17, 2017
This is a handy book to have if you enjoy traveling. I love going to new places and this book multiple places listed for each state. I didn't see anything in the book as a place I had been before so I need to find these places, even if just in my own state.
I think adding some pictures would make this book a bit better and more visual but otherwise it is easy to read and follow.
Five stars.
"I received this book from Blogging for Books for free. All opinions are my own."
I think adding some pictures would make this book a bit better and more visual but otherwise it is easy to read and follow.
Five stars.
"I received this book from Blogging for Books for free. All opinions are my own."
July 7, 2017
Like all their books, this latest (hopefully not last) edition of 'Roadfood' is a delight. On a practical note, over the years I have visited many of the Stern's recommended haunts and been thrilled with all of them. But even if you visit none, 'Roadfood' is a gem, filled with history, mouth watering descriptiveness, humour, and of course pure food love. Perfect for an actual road trip, or an arm chair reverie.
June 4, 2023
I honestly thought I could read a state a day and finish this book in less time. Trying that just made me hungry all the time, and not for "good" food choices. Road food is local favorites, and most of those are what I'd term "comfort food". Anyhow, I ended up reading a couple pages a day with breakfast in hopes that my cravings would have been forgotten by lunchtime.
It took me awhile to realize the aim of the authors is to find places that serve local dishes well. Doesn't matter if you make amazing seafood in Iowa, you won't make the book because you're not coastal. You might get a mention if you serve fish from lakes and streams. Once I caught on to that, I understood why so many places in each state seemed to feature the same dishes.
I also wrongly expected these places to be easy to reach off the Interstates. I should have thought more along the lines of state roads, or even main streets in downtown.
Some of the places in my state were places I wouldn't go mostly because of location.
I was a little disappointed that big cities got more nods than odd small town ones. It was also surprising how some states got very little mentions at all. Does everyone there just eat in chain restaurants, or do the authors not like those states?
On the other hand, I will hold on to this one and probably refer to it before I travel, just in casse.
It took me awhile to realize the aim of the authors is to find places that serve local dishes well. Doesn't matter if you make amazing seafood in Iowa, you won't make the book because you're not coastal. You might get a mention if you serve fish from lakes and streams. Once I caught on to that, I understood why so many places in each state seemed to feature the same dishes.
I also wrongly expected these places to be easy to reach off the Interstates. I should have thought more along the lines of state roads, or even main streets in downtown.
Some of the places in my state were places I wouldn't go mostly because of location.
I was a little disappointed that big cities got more nods than odd small town ones. It was also surprising how some states got very little mentions at all. Does everyone there just eat in chain restaurants, or do the authors not like those states?
On the other hand, I will hold on to this one and probably refer to it before I travel, just in casse.
Read
July 1, 2023Great concept, but double check and make sure restaurants are still open. I saw several that I knew had been closed for years (and I truly miss because they were amazing). Based on the selections I was familiar with, I would trust their judgement on the ones I didn't know.
Read
May 18, 2021We just made a bunch of notations in Google maps for our summer vacation road trip.
September 5, 2023
A fun book on some really cool restaurants from across the country, complete with fun descriptive writing of some of the great food that they serve.
March 5, 2017
The focus is not on deluxe fare, but on everyday local food;
"Burgers are nothing like fast-food burgers; they are thick, hand-formed patties, cooked to order, and fairly spurting juice at first bite.
If you're hungry and also need an oil change, call ahead to the service station (where the pumps open at seven and the garage at nine) and make an appointment. Your vehicle can be in and out in thirty minutes, which is about as long as it takes to order and enjoy breakfast next door. The service station number is ..."
"Burgers are nothing like fast-food burgers; they are thick, hand-formed patties, cooked to order, and fairly spurting juice at first bite.
If you're hungry and also need an oil change, call ahead to the service station (where the pumps open at seven and the garage at nine) and make an appointment. Your vehicle can be in and out in thirty minutes, which is about as long as it takes to order and enjoy breakfast next door. The service station number is ..."
January 4, 2023
Great place to start but double check reviews from Google.
December 30, 2022
I enjoy Jane and Michael Stern and their take on dining--I read this over the course of several months and hope to visit some of the restaurants they discuss
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