Mom's Cafe
Salina, UT Photo courtesy Allen Sandquist
Here's a quaint cafe located in Salina, Utah. How much more cozy can you get than a meal in a cafe named Mom's? And best of all, this cafe is still open for eating.
The building itself has quite a history, dating back to 1878 when it originally opened as a community co-op selling a variety of goods. In 1926, the building became home to Mom's Cafe, beginning a tradition that has continued for generations. The classic storefront and vintage neon sign have helped make Mom's one of the most recognizable landmarks in downtown Salina.
UPDATE: Mom's Cafe is still going strong. The building will celebrate its 100th year as Mom's Cafe in 2026, making it one of the longest-running restaurants in Utah. It's nice to know that after all these years, travelers can still pull over on Main Street and grab a meal at Mom's. 07-25
Century Cafe (Gone)
Price, UT Photo courtesy Allen Sandquist
The Century Cafe in Price, Utah is reminiscent of the old roadside cafes that used to dot the main street of nearly every town. Places like this were once a familiar part of the American roadside, offering travelers a place to stop for a meal while serving as gathering spots for the local community.
Located in the heart of downtown Price, the Century Cafe was part of a streetscape that reflected an earlier era of highway travel, when most traffic passed directly through town rather than around it. The storefront fit naturally into the historic Main Street setting and looked right at home among the neighboring businesses.
UPDATE: The Century Cafe has been gone for many years. While the restaurant has faded into history, photographs like this help preserve the memory of the small independent cafes that once lined the main streets of towns across the West. 07-25
Tumble Inn Lounge Cafe (Gone)
Powder River, W Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
Check out this sighting of the Tumble Inn Cafe, discovered in the middle of nowhere. You can't beat this healthy cowboy. Standing more than twenty feet tall beside the highway, the giant neon figure became one of Wyoming's most recognizable roadside landmarks and an unforgettable sight for travelers crossing the wide-open plains.
The Tumble Inn traces its roots back to the 1940s, when it rose from the ashes of the earlier Powder River Inn, which burned down in 1938. The famous cowboy sign arrived around 1960 and has quite a story of its own. Originally built for a business in Las Vegas, the sign was never installed there and instead found its way to rural Wyoming. Over the years, the waving cowboy welcomed generations of travelers stopping for a meal, a drink, or simply a break from the long highway.
UPDATE: The Tumble Inn closed its doors in 2005. For years, the abandoned building and giant cowboy slowly weathered the Wyoming elements. Fortunately, the sign has been saved. In 2023, the property was purchased and the cowboy was removed for a full restoration. Plans call for the restored sign to be displayed in Casper, giving one of Wyoming's most famous roadside figures a second chance to light up the night. 07-25
El Bambi Cafe and Truck Stop
Beaver, UT Photo courtesy Tony Craig
As you travel through Beaver, Utah, stop by the El Bambi Cafe and Truck Stop. The building itself stands out thanks to its colorful exterior panels, but the real attraction is the roadside sign. Take a look at the Bambi character perched atop the marquee and those oversized doe eyes.
Let's see... truckers and Bambi. What a combination.
The El Bambi opened in the mid-1940s and has been welcoming travelers ever since. According to local lore, the restaurant got its unusual name after the original owners adopted an orphaned deer named Bambi and raised it on the property. Whether the story is the sign, the deer, or the truck stop itself, it's hard to imagine another roadside cafe quite like this one.
UPDATE: The El Bambi Cafe is still going strong and remains a popular stop for travelers passing through Beaver. Nearly eighty years after opening, customers still stop in for breakfast and lunch favorites including the Monte Cristo sandwich, biscuits and gravy, and the Bambi Burger. The combination of truckers and Bambi apparently still works. 07-25
El Bambi Cafe
Beaver UT Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here's a shot of the El Bambi Cafe and Truck Stop along the road in Beaver. The cafe appeared to be pretty busy this morning.
Aly's Fireside Cafe (Closed)
Walsenburg, CO Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Aly's Fireside Cafe looked like a good place to stop along the long journey through Walsenburg, Colorado. Located on Main Street, the cafe occupied a historic building that offered travelers and locals a comfortable place to relax and grab a meal.
The building was originally home to Shosky's Bar & Cafe, a longtime local establishment known for its two large stone fireplaces. After the property sat vacant for more than a decade, Alys Romer purchased it in 1998 and brought it back to life. Inspired by the impressive fireplaces, she renamed the restaurant Aly's Fireside Cafe and created a welcoming gathering spot in the heart of town.
UPDATE: In 2007, Alys Romer announced plans to sell the cafe and return home to New Jersey. The restaurant later reopened under new ownership as simply the Fireside Cafe, but that chapter eventually came to an end as well. Today the cafe is closed, leaving behind memories of a unique Walsenburg restaurant whose name was inspired by the very fireplaces that helped bring the building back to life. 07-25
Mom's Cafe
Century Cafe (Gone)
Tumble Inn Lounge Cafe (Gone)
El Bambi Cafe and Truck Stop
As you travel through Beaver, Utah, stop by the El Bambi Cafe and Truck Stop. The building itself stands out thanks to its colorful exterior panels, but the real attraction is the roadside sign. Take a look at the Bambi character perched atop the marquee and those oversized doe eyes.
