Hong Kong Cafe (Gone)
Flagstaff, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Standing along the historic downtown alignment of Route 66 directly across from the old railroad tracks, this downtown storefront was once home to one of Flagstaff's most cherished and enduring culinary landmarks.

The Hong Kong Cafe first opened its doors in 1962 under the Gee family, quickly cementing its place as a beloved community institution. For 42 continuous years across multiple generations, locals, university students, and weary cross-country travelers packed the booths and counter seats. They came for the warm, family-run atmosphere and generous portions of dependable, reasonably priced Chinese-American comfort food. Back during the peak mid-century highway era, a vibrant glowing neon sign mounted to the facade guided evening motorists straight off the asphalt and into a welcoming dining room.

Hong Kong Cafe (Gone)
Flagstaff, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

As the decades marched on, the changing economic landscape brought stiff competition from modern national restaurant chains, and staffing shortages made keeping an independent family kitchen running an uphill battle. After more than four decades of dedicated service to the mountain town, the Gee family made the tough decision to retire the brand, serving their final loyal patrons and turning off the stoves for the last time on July 23, 2004.

Following a brief transitional stint as a Mexican eatery, the historic downtown space found lasting new life in May 2006 as the Karma Sushi Bar Grill, which continues to anchor the bustling corner block today. 09-21

UPDATE: The vintage neon Hong Kong Cafe signage was removed following the 2004 closure, and the building continues to operate as Karma Sushi Bar Grill. 08-26

Grand Canyon Cafe (Closed)
Flagstaff, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Grand Canyon Cafe first fired up the grill back in 1942, and by 1945 the Wong family took over the business. They went on to run the beloved highway stop for an incredible 71 years across multiple generations. Travelers and locals packed the vinyl booths and counter stools for decades, drawn in by a classic dual menu that served up Cantonese-American favorites like chop suey and chow mein right alongside chicken-fried steak, homemade pies, and burgers.

Grand Canyon Cafe
Flagstaff, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Beyond the menu and neon, the old building picked up its fair share of local ghost stories over the decades. Sitting right across the street from the historic Santa Fe railroad tracks in a mountain town famous for its haunted lore, longtime workers and night-shift cooks would occasionally report odd happenings in the back rooms after closing time. Tales of cold drafts sweeping through the kitchen, unexplained footsteps shuffling near the vintage wooden booths when the floor was empty, and lights flickering on their own gave the cafe a cozy, slightly spooky mountain-town mystique that only added to its charm.

When the Wong family finally retired in 2016, a local group bought the landmark and worked to modernize the aging structure while keeping its vintage heart intact. The cafe reopened briefly in 2017, but it struggled to find its old rhythm and ended up closing its doors for good in May 2018.

Grand Canyon Cafe
Flagstaff, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Fortunately for roadside fans, a local craft butcher shop and deli called Proper Meats + Provisions stepped in shortly after, making sure the historic building stayed alive while preserving the classic neon marquee and facade lettering out front for passing motorists to enjoy.

UPDATE: While the historic cafe is closed, the original Grand Canyon Cafe neon signage remains preserved and mounted in place along Route 66 on the front of Proper Meats + Provisions. 08-26