Top 10 Best Cafeterias in the US for Coffee and More!

A cafeteria is a kind of food service where you will not come across much waiting for the staff or table service. Although a cafeteria actually means a “coffeehouse,” it is quite different in the strictest sense.

Americans love cafeterias, and it is gaining in popularity daily. Here, we have mentioned the top 10 cafeterias in the US and their strategies for attracting more and more customers over the years.

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Most famous and Best Cafeterias in America

10. Cafe Latte, Saint Paul

This cafeteria is situated on Grand Avenue in the capital city of Minnesota and was founded in 1984 by Peter and Linda Quinn.

This location offers mouth-watering soups, sandwiches, and salads that are among the best around. Moreover, the housemade chicken chili likewise deserves special mention.

To attract customers, Cafe Latte is known to bake fresh daily. They provide different types of cakes, tarts, tortes, cupcakes, and freshly baked bread and scones.

No artificial color, flavor, or preservative is used by them whatsoever. The sandwiches and the salads will be prepared fresh in front of the customers, and more than six different soups will be provided daily, along with five prepared salads and as many as 12 sandwiches. Moreover, there is a pizza and wine bar as well.

9. Niki’s West, Birmingham

This cafeteria was introduced in 1957 and is located in Birmingham, Alabama. Despite having humble beginnings, Niki’s West is truly the unique restaurant of Birmingham that is known to serve top-quality meals to its customers.

The atmosphere here is inviting and relaxed, allowing people to socialize with their buddies and come across new friends. Moreover, the food is delicious, old-fashioned, and affordable.

The seafood menu, the steak menu, and the breakfast menu deserve special mention. In a nutshell, you will be guaranteed to have a scrumptious home-cooked meal once you are here.

8. Arnold’s Country Kitchen, Nashville

This cafeteria was opened in Nashville, Tennessee, by Jack and Rose Arnold in the year 1982. Ever since the children of Jack and Rose have continued to cater to the requirements of the food buffs in the area.

Here, food is prepared from scratch regularly, and it resembles your grandma’s home cooking to a great extent.

On most occasions, at least 3 to 4 members of the Arnold family are involved in cooking and serving the customers out there.

Despite serving a mouth-watering haunch of beef, veggies remain the main attraction of this cafeteria.

In fact, the long-simmered greens, perfectly cooked cornbread, and deep-fried tomatoes are worth mentioning right here.

7. Valois, Chicago

This cafeteria is one of the favorite spots of the ex-American President Obama and is situated in Hyde Park in Chicago.

It is an old-school cafeteria packed with foods like meatloaf, plastic trays, etc. Sausage, pancakes, biscuits, bacon, and eggs are the main attraction of Valois right now.

The food here is always cooked to perfection, and the staff is very friendly too. The atmosphere is conducive for enjoying a great meal, prime rib dinner, veggies, and potatoes.

You can also enjoy hamburger steak, fried catfish, roasted chicken, delicious salads, and mac n’ cheese, all served by hospitable servers.

The cafeteria serves breakfast every day till 4 PM, and the desserts consist of cheesecake, cream pies, and other tasty items, much to the customers’ delight.

6. Mehlman Cafeteria, St. Clairsville, OH

This one happens to be the perfect cafeteria, along with a small-town feeling. Mary Mehlman Dietrich opened a small eatery in the 1960s in West Virginia.

The show is run by her son, Fred, and is extremely popular amongst food enthusiasts.

The menu here typically consists of turkey with dressing, roasted beef, stuffed peppers, meatloaf, and mashed potatoes.

Apart from this, the chicken pot pie deserves a special mention too. Another attraction is the ham loaf.

You will have lots of vibrantly colored Jell-Os to select from, along with dessert de resistance, coconut pie, apple dumpling, homemade bread, broccoli casserole, and cabbage roll too.

All this delicious food is enough to attract customers to Mehlman Cafeteria from far-off locations in the country.

5. Harry’s Hofbrau, San Leandro and Redwood City, CA

This is yet another popular cafeteria in the US that has found a place in this comprehensive list mentioned right here. They are known to offer quality food to customers at relatively low prices.

Apart from turkey, Harry’s Hofbrau provides the perfect combo of top quality and fresh hand-carved meats: Smoked Ham, Roast Beef, Corned Beef, Rotisserie Chicken, Pastrami of the New York-style, and roasted center cut Pork Loin.

The chicken and the turkey are Grade A, while the beef is USDA Choice or higher. The menu consists of various lunch plus dinner selections consisting of “specials” for every day of the week.

4. Gray Brothers Cafeteria Mooresville, IN

This particular cafeteria in Mooresville, IN, has served some of the finest quality of desserts and cooked meals in Indiana since 1944.

The catering service of Gray Brothers is going to be the perfect touch to any special occasion, thanks to some really hard work, great food, and commitment.

The cafeteria is known to serve groups from as small as 40 individuals to groups of even 1,000 people at a given time. They also provide full-scale catering to banquets, office conferences, weddings, and receptions.

Customer satisfaction is their motto, and they are second to none regarding dedication.

3. Philippe’s, Los Angeles

This was one of the oldest operating eateries in Los Angeles and was launched in 1908. It has got a reputation for inventing the French dip sandwich.

Philippe’s attracts hungry people from every walk of life, including the poor to even the most affluent class.

The French dip sandwich also serves other delicious dishes like freshly prepared soups, baked apples, pickled feet of pigs, and beef stew. Amongst the side dishes mentioned may be macaroni salad, potato salad, and coleslaw.

The menu also consists of healthier food items like salads and turkey sandwiches. Cans of soft drinks, lemonade, iced tea, and other beverages are served as well.

2. Sokolowski’s University Inn, Cleveland

This one happens to be the oldest family-owned eatery in Cleveland. It was founded in the year 1923.

Sokolowski’s University Inn specializes in Eastern European and Polish cuisine and you can enjoy some tasty foodstuff, including stuffed cabbage, chicken paprikash, Salisbury steak, and the classic pierogi.

This cafeteria has been providing the sort of comfort food that entices the locals as well as the visitors.

1. Cleburne Cafeteria, Houston

Being established in 1941, this cafeteria is located on Cleburne Street as Fannin. There are adequate reasons why this restaurant has secured the top position in this list of the best cafeterias in the US.

The beef and poultry of Cleburne Cafeteria are delivered fresh daily, and they are all-natural as well. They are never injected with any additive or hormone, and they are not frozen either.

Most of the seafood has been handpicked and is delivered fresh each morning. All the cakes, pies, puddings, cobblers, as well as tarts are prepared fresh by expert bakery staff daily. These desserts are reputed globally.