White Turkey Drive-In, Conneaut

Open since 1952, Conneaut’s White Turkey Drive-In offers a little slice of roadside heaven. Founded by Eddie and Marge Tuttle, who also raised white Holland turkeys, the stand serves up retro fare and frosty soda from Rochester, New York’s Richardson Root Beer.

“We actually have a lot of the original root beer barrels, the original countertops,” says general manager John Mason. “A lot of the restaurant stuff is the same as the 1950s. We still have jukeboxes that you play 1950s and ’60s music on.”

Keeping with the classics, White Turkey Drive-In has a menu not far off from its original: shredded turkey sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, ice cream cones and root beer floats. The Large Marge tops a turkey sandwich with cheese and bacon, while the Big Ed and Super Ed are a double cheeseburger and a double cheeseburger with bacon and an onion ring, respectively.

What was once, and still is, a simple stand with counter service is also now surrounded by a large picnic area where customers can dig into the drive-in’s sandwiches along with french fries, milkshakes, sundaes and more. (White Turkey Drive-In accepts cash only, but there is an ATM on-site.)

“Those sandwiches and the root beer are still No. 1 in everybody’s hearts,” Mason says. “There’s nothing like a root beer in a nice frosty mug in the summertime.” 

388 E. Main Rd., Conneaut 44030, 440/593-2209, facebook.com/whiteturkeydrivein