Classic Restaurants of Wichita

by Denise Neil

Overview

Wichita is the birthplace of Pizza Hut and White Castle. But from its early days as a cattle drive stopover on the Chisholm Trail to its current life as a hub for aviation manufacturing, the city has been filled with hundreds of popular restaurants owned by generations of hardworking entrepreneurs. The 1920s and 1930s were a time for tearooms like Innes and for cafés like Holly Cafe and Fairland Cafe. The '60s and '70s ushered in swanky private nightclubs like Abe's. And there are classics like NuWay Cafe. Old Mill Tasty Shop and Angelo's that are still around today. Author Denise Neil details the rich history of Wichita's favorite classic eateries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467146975
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	08/09/2021
Series:	American Palate
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	1,091,444
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Denise Neil has worked at the Wichita Eagle since late 1997, writing stories for the features, lifestyle and entertainment sections. She started reviewing restaurants and writing about Wichita's dining scene in 2000, and her stories are among the newspaper's most read. She's a regular speaker around town for groups whose members love to hear about where to eat and reminisce about old favorites. Denise, a 1995 graduate of the University of Kansas, also worked at the Chattanooga Times and has worked as an adjunct professor of journalism at Newman University in Wichita since the early 2000s. She lives in Wichita with her husband and their two children and loves cooking, traveling and audiobooks.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 7

Introduction 9

Part I Wichita's First Restaurants

1870-1915: Saloons, Chili Parlors and a Fred Harvey House 15

1916-1929: Tearooms, Cafeterias and the Rise of the Chop Suey Palace 21

1930-1939: Home-Style Cooking, Diners and White Castle's Departure 37

1940-1949: North Broadway Nightclubs and Barbecue to Go 53

1950-1959: Drive-Ins, Sit-Ins and the Start of Pizza Hut 69

Part II The Modern Dusting Scene Emerges

1960-1969: Steaks, Fondue and Beef on Buns

1970-1979: Fern Bars, Supper Clubs and That Old English Flair 101

1980-1989: Fine Dining, Fun Dining and the Early Days of Old Town 129

Still Serving after All These Years 144

Sources 153

Index 155

About the Author 159