One of our decisions before heading to St. Louis for three months was to make sure that we visited some eating places that Scott had never been to before.
We all know what it’s like; you may grow up somewhere your whole life, and there could be an endless wishlist of places you want to eat, see and things you want to do. But life gets in the way and you never quite get around to eating, seeing, doing.
Carl’s Drive In, which is situated on one of the original sections of historic Route 66, was one such place.
A tiny little diner-style cafe, Carl’s is famous for selling its own fresh root beer and serving hot, thin, crispy burgers.
The day we went, we were able to grab a stool straight away, but I’ve read stories of queues out of the door at busy times. Even though I knew the burgers were bound to be good, I opted for a chilli dog with cheese and onions. Scott ordered a cheeseburger and we shared a portion of fries.
The chilli dog was ok, but as soon as I saw Scott’s burger, I got serious food envy. I should’ve ordered the burger too. They squash the meat patty on the grill so that it gets very thin and crispy at the edges. As I love my burgers more well-done than is usually the norm here in the US, this was perfect for me.
Because the burgers were only fairly small, we decided to order another to share, so that I could properly enjoy it. It was very tasty.
I love that Carl’s has retained its old diner-style and friendly local atmosphere. I also love that all of Carl’s prices include tax, meaning that what you see on the menu is what you pay. This is great for someone like me, who regularly forgets that tax isn’t included in the prices over here. D’oh.
For a cheap, tasty, filling snack, and a taste of old St. Louis, Carl’s is definitely the place to go.
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