In 1967 Jim and Virginia Johnston built a ranch-style home on their farm in what would eventually become Gilbert, Arizona. They raised three sons there — Joe, Steve, and Paul — on land that had been farmed since 1927, when barren desert was cleared and irrigation made agriculture possible. By the time the Agritopia development […]
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American, Arizona, Burgers, Restaurants, Season 3Bobo Drive-In has been operating in Topeka since 1948, making it one of the longest-running drive-ins in the state of Kansas. It appeared in Season 3, Episode 7 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — “American Classics,” aired May 12, 2008 — as a genuine classic American drive-in serving the kind of burgers and fries that
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Burgers, Kansas, Restaurants, Season 3One block from the beach in Ocean Beach, San Diego, Hodad’s has been doing burgers its own way since 1969. No shoes, no shirt, no problem. The walls are covered floor to ceiling in license plates sent in by customers from every corner of the country. The booths are plastered in stickers. There is a
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Burgers, Califonia, Restaurants, Season 2Route 66 has produced a lot of legendary stops over the decades, and Emma Jean’s Holland Burger Café in Victorville, California earns its place among the best of them. The pistachio green building at 17143 N. D St. has been feeding truck drivers, road-trippers, and High Desert locals since 1947, and it looked right at
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Breakfast, Burgers, Califonia, Restaurants, Season 2Some places earn their reputation one plate at a time. The Beacon Drive-In in Spartanburg, South Carolina has been doing exactly that since 1946. It showed up in Season 1, Episode 11 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives — “Diners A-Plenty,” which aired July 23, 2007 — and it fit the episode title better than almost
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Burgers, Restaurants, Season 1, South CarolinaTaylor’s Automatic Refresher in St. Helena, California cruised into Season 1, Episode 9 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with exactly the kind of roadside burger-stand energy a Retro episode should have. This Napa Valley stop brought burgers, casual counter-service charm, and the kind of old-school setup that feels built for a sunny detour and a
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Burgers, Califonia, Restaurants, Season 1Patrick’s Roadhouse in Santa Monica, California brought a beachside burger-and-breakfast stop to Season 1, Episode 3 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. In an episode called Blue Plate Special, it fit the bill as a laid-back California spot serving the kind of American comfort food that keeps a roadside classic in the conversation. There is a
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Breakfast, Burgers, Califonia, Restaurants, Season 1The Penguin in Charlotte, North Carolina brought burger-joint comfort and neighborhood personality to Season 1, Episode 3 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. In an episode called Blue Plate Special, it fit right into the early Triple D groove: casual food, local character, and the kind of place that did not need a fancy pitch to
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Burgers, Comfort Food, North Carolina, Season 1Triple XXX Restaurant in West Lafayette, Indiana rolled into Season 1, Episode 7 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with the kind of old-school burger-and-diner energy that fits the show like a well-worn counter stool. In an episode called Burgers, this Indiana stop brought exactly what you would want on the route: local character, comfort-food confidence,
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American, Burgers, Indiana, Restaurants, Season 1Hackney’s in Glenview, Illinois brought burger-joint muscle and old-school comfort to Season 1, Episode 7 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. In an episode called Burgers, this Illinois stop fit the assignment perfectly: local flavor, casual charm, and the kind of food that does not mind stealing the spotlight. There is a reason places like this
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Burgers, Illinois, Restaurants, Season 1