Val's Drive In

Val’s Drive In

925 Sabattus St

Lewiston, Maine 04240

(207) 754-5592

www.valsdrivein.com

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According to my mom I first went to Val’s Drive In when I was just a few weeks old back in 1979.  I recently took my 10 week old son Wesley to Val’s and my Mom noted I was younger than him the first time.

Val’s first opened in 1959 as an A & W Root Beer Drive In and became Val’s in 1974. As one of the only 5 Car Hop Drive In’s left in Maine, that I know of, Val’s is open seasonally from mid-April to Early October and is the only one that has no inside seating.  Val’s has no marked parking spots but the vehicles are corralled well by the car hops who have always been dressed in red tops and white bottoms.  They are very prompt, but don’t forget to blink your lights for service.

Val’s is known for their delicious homemade Root Beer that they serve in ice cold frosty mugs. They also use to make their own Orange soda, and in my life time of going there I have never tried it, which is odd as I love Orange soda, I truly missed out.  You can buy their Root Beer but the Quart and Half Gallon.

Val’s menu has featured the same daily specials and the prices have only gone up slightly over the years.  Monday thru Thursday you can get a Hamburger, French fry, & frost Root beer for $4.50.  Friday thru Sunday a large Onion Ring is only $2.99, Tuesday’s Hot Dogs are only $1.25 and Wednesday’s Hamburgers are $1.35. 

Their menu features a specialty burger called the Heart Attack which is burger with double bacon and double cheese.  Another burger not on the menu is the Triple Bypass a triple burger with three layers of bacon and cheese between two grilled cheese sandwiches. 

I went to Oak Hill High School and used to go to Val’s all the time back then, now I live a little further away, but always make it a point to go a couple times each season for their delicious food and fantastic Root Beer.

If you're in the area you need to check it out, and even if you're not in the area it's worth the drive!

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment and check out my other posts.

Later Readers!

These two photos were taken in 2002, you can really see the changes.

Here's a commercial for Val's that I found on You Tube

Update: 4/18/2016 

Last fall a drunk driver crashed into Val's sign knocking it down.  They replaced it with a new sign this years.  It's nice but it doesn't have that classic drive in feel.

A1 Diner

A1 Diner

3 Bridge St

Gardiner, Me  04345

(207) 582-4804

Located on Bridge St in Gardiner the A1 Diner is a landmark restaurant of the Gardiner area since 1946 when it opened as Heald’s Diner.  The A1 has been featured in many regional and national publications touting it as one of the finest places to eat and has also been featured in Food Networks Diner’s Drive In’s and Dives.

As I child we drove by the diner many times but I have no memory of ever eating there.  We ate at Denise’s Pizza next door many times.  Even as I got older I never went to the diner, my first time going there wasn’t until 2012, and it was fantastic!

They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and their menu varies from the standard diner cuisine to daily specials of gourmet dishes that you wouldn’t expect at a diner.  I’ve eaten breakfast there the most, my favorite getting two scrambled eggs with feta cheese, bacon, and an English muffin cooked to death on the flat top. 

They have great burgers and their homemade onion rings are phenomenal.  One day the wife and I both saw the photo of the Onion Rings that they posted on their Facebook page and right then and there we headed down and literally just got an order of Onion Rings.

The inside of the diner is definitely a throwback with counter service the length of the car and 8 booths to choose from.  There are many original fixtures, some woodwork and of course plenty of diner stainless steel.  My favorite decoration inside is the large A1 neon sign on the wall behind the counter.

 If you are every in the area do not hesitate to stop for a bite to eat, you will not regret it!


Later Readers!!