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Clanton's Cafe in Vinita, OK
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Clanton's Cafe

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Clanton's Cafe is a family-run restaurant in Vinita, OK, on East Illinois Avenue, the street that carries Historic Route 66 through downtown. The Clanton family has run a restaurant in town since 1927, and the cafe calls itself the oldest restaurant on Oklahoma's part of Route 66 to stay with one family. It has been in its present building since 1947, is known for chicken fried steak and calf fries, and was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

What is Clanton's Cafe?

The cafe is a red and green building with a "Clanton's" awning, facing the old road itself: through downtown Vinita, Route 66 shares East Illinois Avenue with US 60 and US 69. A tall EAT sign stands on its front corner.

History of Clanton's Cafe

It began in 1927, when Vinita farmer Grant "Sweet Tater" Clanton opened a lunch place called the Busy Bee Cafe. As the family tells it, he banged a pot with a spoon when lunch was ready. The cafe later took the family name. Cleve and Ma Clanton moved it into the present building in 1947.

It has stayed in the family for four generations. Melissa Clanton-Patrick and her husband, Dennis Patrick, have run it since the late 1990s. In spring 2025 they put it up for sale so they could retire, and said it would stay open in the meantime.

Visiting Clanton's Cafe: tips

No detour is needed: the cafe sits on the Route 66 street in downtown Vinita. Allow time for a meal, and catch the EAT sign from the sidewalk for a photo.

Updated · Written by Route 66 Trip Guide

Practical info

Address
319 E Illinois Ave, Vinita, OK 74301
Website
clantonscafe.com
Hours
We have no opening hours for this stop yet — check the official site.
On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

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Stops near Clanton's Cafe

All of Oklahoma
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Spraker Service Station

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The Glass House, a 1950s restaurant bridging I-44 near Vinita, was billed as the world's largest McDonald's.

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McDougal Filling Station in Pensacola, OK

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A 1941 wood-frame filling station with an eye-catching stone veneer, on Route 66 near Vinita.

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3.5 mi from Clanton's Cafe

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An early Afton gas station that stood out for its outside restroom doors, one for each sex.

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11.0 mi from Clanton's Cafe

Afton Station Packard Museum, Oklahoma

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11.2 mi from Clanton's Cafe

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