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Ariston Cafe

Retro roadside
In Litchfield, Illinois
On Route 66
National Register of Historic Places

The Ariston Cafe is a restaurant on Old Route 66 in Litchfield, IL. It dates from 1935, and its design is associated with the Art Deco taste of that time. Listed on the National Register in 2006, it is one of the old road's historic places to eat, so it makes a natural lunch or dinner stop on the Illinois stretch of the drive.

What is Ariston Cafe?

This is a restaurant building on an older alignment of Route 66 through Litchfield. Its design is linked with the Art Deco style, the streamlined look of the 1930s, which suits a business that grew up alongside highway travel.

What makes it notable is its use: this is a historic place you can sit down in rather than just photograph. Restrooms and parking are on site, it is wheelchair accessible, and it welcomes families with kids.

History of Ariston Cafe

The Ariston dates from 1935, less than a decade after Route 66 was established in 1926, when the highway was bringing a steady stream of drivers through Illinois towns. Like many businesses on the old road, it later saw traffic change as interstates bypassed the route. Its listing on the National Register in 2006 recognized it as a historic Route 66 restaurant.

Visiting Ariston Cafe: tips

Plan on a relaxed sit-down meal of 45 minutes to an hour, and check the restaurant's own listing for days and hours before you go. The area around it is well supplied: Jubelt's Bakery and Restaurant is about 0.1 mile away, a gas station about 0.1 mile, and a motel about 0.2 mile, so Litchfield works well as an overnight stop on the Illinois stretch.

For more old-road history, the Belvidere Café, Motel, and Gas Station is about 0.6 mile away and makes a quick photo stop, the Manske-Niemann Farm about 2.8 miles, and the Soulsby Service Station about 8.2 miles further along.