There’s one thing undeniably nostalgic about pulling as much as a drive-in burger joint, the place the allure of less complicated instances meets the sizzle of a basic American burger. A couple of legendary spots in Florida have saved this retro custom alive, serving up tasty, no-frills meals from behind iconic neon indicators and classic facades.
From Burger Inn to Dino’s Drive-In, John’s Drive-In, Mike’s Drive-In, and the Moonlight Drive-In, these cherished eateries provide greater than only a meal—they’re a glimpse into the previous, inviting diners to decelerate, relax, and savor the flavors which have stood the take a look at of time.
Gone are the times of unfolding paper maps and twiddling with clunky GPS units. We now have dependable, user-friendly apps like Google Maps and Waze to information the best way.
Initially, I deliberate to cease by simply John’s, however then I found Mike’s solely 10 miles down the street. And with Dino‘s close by, it solely made sense to show it into the beginning of a mini-tour of Central Florida’s basic drive-in burger joints.
Florida’s Finest Drive-In Burger Joints
Pappa’s Drive-in was ravaged by a hearth earlier this 12 months, a complete loss. The constructing was torn down and is now closed completely. I made a decision to maintain them on this listing as a memorial.
Burger Inn
The Burger Inn has been open in Melbourne since 1952. A kind of “oldie goldies,” as my Mother would say, that may be discovered solely within the House Coast of Florida.
The menu has remained principally unchanged, aside from a black bean chipotle burger and the Inconceivable Burger (a plant-based vegan patty).
I don’t take into account both of these “up to date” gadgets a burger, however that’s a battle for an additional day, and no, I didn’t get them organized. There may be curb service, so you may sit in your automotive, have a tray hanging exterior your window, and eat there prefer it was again within the day.
Whenever you arrive, you will need to flip in your headlights in order for you a server to return out to you. I had simply pushed a couple of hours straight, so sitting in my automotive was the very last thing I needed to do.
There are about ten tables littered across the entrance of the Burger Inn, with a couple of counter seats inside. Very similar to I did in highschool, I took my place on the desk on the facet, partially obscured from everybody’s view.
Burger Inn Chili Canine and Cheeseburger
I knew I used to be doing a chili canine and a cheeseburger, however I threw within the chili on the final second on a whim. Enthusiastic about it now, ordering chili and a chili canine didn’t make a lot sense.
I beloved the chili, however including that nacho cheese ooze to it was a mistake. Straight-up onions alone would have made the chili excellent.
I ordered the canine with chili, onions, and mustard; it was a superb transfer by me, the BB!
As soon as I observed that the burger menu wasn’t adhering to its old-school roots, I went with the bacon cheeseburger. I lathered the underside bun with ketchup, mustard, and mayo, and I used to be in heaven.
It’s simply how I’d do it once I was a child, and now I do it once I wish to relive these nice childhood reminiscences. If I needed to do it once more, I nonetheless wouldn’t have eaten in my automotive.
However I’d have made my burger a vegan double, with further vegan mayo and vegan mozzarella cheese. I’m simply kidding; everybody is aware of these issues don’t exist.
Burger Inn
1819 N Harbor Metropolis Boulevard
Melbourne, FL
(321) 254-2211
Web site – https://burgerinnfl.com
Fb – https://www.fb.com/Theburgerinn
Monday 10 am – 3 pm
Tuesday 10 am – 8 pm
Wednesday 10 am – 8 pm
Thursday 10 am – 8 pm
Friday 10 am – 8 pm
Saturday 10 am – 8 pm
Sunday CLOSED
Dino’s Drive-in
Some years again, my good friend David Hosticka, proprietor of the Canine ‘n Suds in Muskegon, Michigan, got here to Miami to take part in my occasion, Wiener Bash.
He stopped at Dino’s Drive-In on his drive-down as a result of it was an previous Canine ‘n Suds Drive-In restaurant. Nevertheless, since 1968, it’s been Dino’s Drive-In.
I wasn’t positive how we deliberate to do it, however we wanted a burger and a canine from Dino’s. Lastly, there may be full-on curb service right here with a tray!
The fries at Dino’s had been crinkle-cut and fried on the crispy facet. The chili canine was huge, and I used to be one chew in earlier than I spotted that if I didn’t go away room in my abdomen.
There was no means I may even attempt the double cheeseburger. The burger had the identical toppings as the opposite three drive-ins, and as soon as once more, I mentioned NO to the lettuce and tomato.
This fella was a winner, however I couldn’t money in my earnings. I used to be too stuffed.
Nevertheless, as a tribute to its historical past as a Canine ‘n Suds, I ordered a root beer to clean the whole lot down—an ideal ending to a tasty drive-in journey.
Dino’s Drive-In
2929 Havendale Blvd NW
Winter Haven, FL
(863) 967-0230
Fb – https://www.fb.com/profile.php?id=61566845636600
Monday 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Tuesday 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am – 10:30 pm
Thursday 10:00 am – 10:30 pm
Friday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
John’s Drive-in
After we arrived at John’s Drive-In, the very first thing that caught my eye was that the constructing appeared like Tom’s Drive-In (now closed) and the restaurant in Lakeland. Tom’s is just about 25 miles away, making me suppose they had been each a part of a *drive-in restaurant chain again within the day.
The curb service for John’s is positioned on the facet of the constructing, and there’s a crudely handwritten signal, which I beloved. There’s a menu board with their in depth menu, however my spouse Marcela and I had been right here to have burgers, perhaps fries, and presumably sizzling canine.
Since no sizzling canine had been obtainable, a patty soften and a double cheeseburger with fries made up our order at John’s. A half-pound Miner Burger is on the menu, however I opted to stay to the smaller common ones.
They nailed it with that patty soften on griddled rye, caramelized onions, and gooey, stretchy cheese.
The quarter-pound double cheeseburger got here with uncooked onions, pickles, cheese, and a mustard-mayo sauce. I skipped out on the lettuce and tomatoes. This beautiful little ditty was higher than the patty soften.
The carhop took our order from the motive force’s window and introduced us the meals in a few luggage. We weren’t provided a kind of trays that hook in your automotive window, so we made do.
After ending our meals, Marcela exited the automotive and threw out the rubbish. We had been headed to examine in at our lodge in Lakeland, or so we thought.
*because it seems, that chain was Whataburger
John’s Drive-In
17 N Charleston Avenue
Fort Meade, FL
(863) 285-9680
Web site- https://www.johns-drive-in.internet
Fb – https://www.fb.com/p/Johns-Drive-In-100036934578951
Monday 10:30 am – 9:00 pm
Tuesday 10:30 am – 9:00 pm
Wednesday 10:30 am – 9:00 pm
Thursday 10:30 am – 9:00 pm
Friday 10:30 am – 9:00 pm
Saturday 10:30 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday CLOSED
Mike’s Drive-in
We will need to have been about 10 minutes away from John’s and mid-conversation concerning the plans for our street journey once I noticed Mike’s Drive-In within the distance. It took a minute or so for me to register what I used to be viewing.
After having handed it by, Marcela prompt I flip round. Nice concept, she is aware of finest.
In line with the Fb web page for Mike’s Drive-In, they opened their doorways in 1969. There’s even an unique 1970 Mike’s Drive-In menu on show within the indoor seating space.
I examine their Yellow Jacket burger, a half-pounder cooked to your temp liking. Marcela insists on some fried pickles; who am I to argue?
We throw a foot-long all-beef canine into the combo with yellow mustard and uncooked onions. Each had been stable decisions.
The Yellow Jacket comes with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo, and mustard, very similar to double at John’s Drive-In. As all the time, I skip out on the lettuce and tomatoes.
It’s a beefy burger with a properly toasted bun, however I in all probability ought to have ordered the common burger in order that I’d have a greater foundation for evaluating John’s and Mike’s.
Mike’s curb service had a carhop, however there was no window tray. We ate in our automotive as soon as once more; she returned to examine on us and take our rubbish. Then, we had been on our technique to the lodge, kinda.
Mike’s Drive-In
1055 US-17
Bartow, FL
(863) 533-5353
Fb – https://www.fb.com/mikesdrivein55
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Moonlight Drive-in
I’ve bought an inventory that I carry with me of eating places that I’d like to eat from at some point. Moonlight Drive-In has been on this “listing” for too a few years to depend.
Each time I inform myself that I’m going to cease in on considered one of my journeys to the House Coast of Florida, one thing adjustments the course of that plan, however I lastly made it!
To get the entire expertise, we parked and positioned our order with the carhop. There may be the choice to eat inside, however I needed to maintain it old style. Our carhop runs in our order, and earlier than you understand it, I’ve bought a tray of meals hooked on my window.
The chili canine options an all-beef chili, extra in line with Coney-style chili canine. You’ll hear no complaints from me as I like beanless chili on my sizzling canine. I’d have added a chili cheeseburger to my order if I had been on my recreation extra.
My double cheeseburger had pickles on the underside bun, which is all the time a pleasing shock. It’s an ideal little ditty.
The identical household had owned the Moonlight Drive-In because the doorways opened in 1964. Sadly, the Moonlight not too long ago bought, however the brand new house owners saved the whole lot the identical, which is good news.
I want I had grown up consuming in a spot just like the Moonlight Drive-In. Miami’s drive-in restaurant tradition is non-existent, sadly.
Moonlight Drive-In
1515 S Washington Avenue
Titusville, FL
(321) 267-8222
Web site – https://www.moonlightdrivein.com
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/driveinmoonlight
Fb – https://www.fb.com/MoonLightDriveInTitusville
Monday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Pappa’s Drive-in Household Restaurant
I knew that Pappas Drive In from New Smyrna Seaside was considered one of solely ten eating places in Florida which are a actual drive-in with real-deal curb service. My Street Meals listing grows day by day as I uncover some spots or a few of your favorites. Pappas Drive-In was added to it shortly after I created it.
Once I discuss curb service, I imply not solely taking your order from you whereas in your automobile but additionally bringing the meals and placing it on a tray hanging off your window.
Sure, old style, as you see in these movies attempting to recapture that Nineteen Fifties glory interval of eating places.
Pappas Drive In is CLOSED PERMANENTLY1103 N Dixie Fwy
New Smyrna Seaside, FL
(386) 427-0633