The Food Network highlighted Baxter Springs restaurant along Route 66
*CLOSED - January 6, 2013*
In the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas lies Cherokee County, the only county in the state that can lay claim to 13.2 miles of Old Route 66. Established in 1926, the two-lane road originally stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles and became famous for the unique communities along “Route 66.” [[endteaser]]
Recently, Cherokee County’s former cowtown of Baxter Springs along the old route became famous in its own right. Its Café on the Route was featured on a 2007 episode of “Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives” on The Food Network – and for good reason. Café chef and co-owner Richard Sanell is a certified Executive Chef with a special flair for creating an eclectic, global-inspired menu that whets the appetite.
Richard and his business-partner and wife, Amy Sanell, like to call their foods selection “Contemporary American Cuisine with a Twist.” Imagine Aztec Chicken enriched with avocadoes, bacon and chilies. Or Smoked Salmon crowned with apples, chives and a Mandarin orange glaze. Still, if it’s comfort food you’ve got a hankering for, the Café offers Cowboy Steak served with tobacco onions and Fried Potato Salad. Learn more about the Café, Baxter Springs and the region’s history.
While you’re enjoying your Café on the Route dining experience, be sure to notice special details in and around the café:
- Route 66 passes directly by the Café’s front door.
- The Café is located in the 1870 Crowell Bank building, said to have been robbed by Jesse James and Cole Younger in 1876.
- For an extended stay, consider Amy Sanell’s Little Brick Inn Bed & Breakfast, located above the Café.
- Cheesecake Buenella anyone? Leave room for dessert! You’ll find the Café’s dessert selections as enticing as its menus for dinner and lunch.
- On a day trip? Be sure to visit the nearby Baxter Springs Heritage Center and Museum rich in regionally historic collections and exhibits.