Soaring to popularity in the 1950s, the drive-in restaurant is an American pastime that seems to be popular these days. The problem is that there are unfortunately very few of these places left, at least in West Virginia. Let’s take a step back in time for a moment and take a look at all the drive-in eateries located in the Mountain State.
Established in 1932, Stewart's was the first drive-in in West Virginia. Owned for four generations by the Mandt family, this drive-in is known for its mouthwatering hot dogs sauce, hamburgers and barbecue. It is also known for selling ice cold root beer in a cup or Frosty glass mug. A Huntington favorite.
Family run since the 1940s, this drive-in makes handmade food fresh every morning, including their selection of dogs, buns, and pies, all of which are popular recipes from tearooms during the Great Depression. They even hand spin their own milkshakes. They are also known for their stone baked pizza, not a common food item served at most drive-ins.
Another popular drive-in, this Huntington landmark opened in 1939, just a few years after Stewart's. What Stewart's did for Huntington's east end, Midway did for the west end. Serving juicy hamburgers, delicious hot dogs, and hot fries, this restaurant is still going strong to this day.
This is primarily a hot dog restaurant, but Morrison's is also known for its chicken fingers and grilled cheeseburgers. Open since 1947, this place swept in on the drive-in craze just as it was starting to gain some popularity. More than 70 years later, and Morrison's is still going strong.
Although serving the typical hot dog/hamburger dynamic popular at most drive-ins, Pinnacle has a much wider and varied selection that most other drive-ins. At Pinnacle, you can find chicken, beef and seafood dinners, such as ground beef steak, butterfly shrimp, and honey-dipped chicken.
Frostop is the first restaurant you see as you enter Huntington from the interstate. Its iconic root beer mug has been spinning on the restaurant's roof for a long time. There are actually 350 locations for this restaurant, which many patrons in Huntington don't realize. And of course, aside from hamburgers and hot dogs, you can get a frosty mug of homemade root beer or take home by the gallon and half gallon jug.
Open since the early 1950s, Jim's has a little more than the hamburger/hot dog American fare, although you can choose from a large selection of both. You also have more than a dozen different sandwiches to choose from, several salads, desserts and even a small selection of entrees. If it is variety you are looking for, Jim's has it.
Which of these drive-ins have you visited? Feel free to comment below and join the discussion.
West Virginia has a rich dining history that goes beyond the classic drive-in. Would you like to learn about more classic restaurants in the Mountain State? Check out these 10 hometown restaurants that will take you back in time.
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