Hitting the road? You'll probably want to plan some sustenance stops along the way – and, if you skip the chains, there are some truly unexpected food treasures to be found across America. Here we reveal the best truck stop restaurant, café, or diner in every state, counting down to the most unmissable of all.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover the best places to stop off for great food when you're on the road.

Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.

Broken Wheel Truck Stop does its bit to help truckers combat the Wyoming winter cold. On Tuesdays, anyone who comes through the door gets a free cup of coffee and, while you’re inside, you can fill your belly with one of its cracking breakfast options. The menu also features specials such as a bison burger with potato salad, and a roast beef and chili sandwich served with soup or fries.

Encompassing a mind-boggling 100,000 square feet, Iowa 80 is reportedly the world’s largest truck stop. There are many fast food options, but most people make a beeline for Iowa 80 Kitchen. Here you'll find breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets, plus comforting entrées like rib-eye sandwiches, fried chicken, and spaghetti.

Virginia road-trippers should stop in at Joe’s Diner at the Harrisonburg Travel Center. A classic 24-hour diner, it serves rotating daily specials including Salisbury steak, spaghetti, and pork tenderloin, plus new dishes such as huevos rancheros are added all the time. If you’re in a hurry, order online so you’re back on the road in minutes.

You can get your Mexican food fix on l-15 between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas at Kan Kun Mexican Restaurant, which stays open until around 10pm. The specialty here is the house-made tamales, but customers are also big fans of the chile verde, shredded beef tacos, and Margaritas. For those doing the driving, there's Mexican Coca-Cola.

Tucson Truck Terminal – or Triple T, as it’s fondly known – is home to Omar’s Hi-Way Chef, a spot that’s renowned throughout Tucson for its epic breakfasts. If you’re really hungry, order the I-10 Belly Buster (two eggs, two strips of bacon, two sausage patties, two pancakes or French toast, and grilled ham). Another favorite is the signature apple pie, which comes with a mountain of ice cream. Other dishes on the massive menu include burgers, salads, sandwiches, tacos, and omelets.

The Lone Star State has more top-notch roadside pit stops than you can shake a stick at, but The Big Texan Steak Ranch might just be the best. It’s known for its 72oz steak (served with shrimp cocktail, baked potato, salad, and a roll), but if you're looking for something a little smaller, there's also Rocky Mountain oysters, fried chicken, or rack of baby back ribs on offer.

Truckers love this central Pennsylvanian haunt for its friendly service and generous portions. This is the place for cheese lovers too, as the menu has an entire melt section including tuna, chicken, and bacon and a Reuben with mounds of corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese. The specials menu is posted daily on the restaurant's Facebook page, with the chili soup being a particularly popular choice.

Pioneer Villa Truck Plaza's restaurant is a great pit stop along Highway 5 to Portland. Breakfast dishes like corned beef hash, blueberry pancakes, and burritos are served all day, or choose a meal from the lunch and dinner menu such as country-fried steak or home-style pot roast. Diners praise the huge portions and reasonable prices.

There's a huge breakfast menu to choose from at the Mapleview Family Restaurant including stuffed omelets, waffles, pancakes, deluxe sandwiches, and the breakfast quesadilla, filled with scrambled eggs, cheese, bacon, sausage, peppers, and onions. The lunch and dinner menu is just as varied, with highlights including Philly steak, a Mediterranean turkey burger, and classic chef salad.

Between Death Valley National Park and Las Vegas, Area 51 Alien Center is an out-of-this-world pit stop in the desert. A cracking photo opportunity, it’s a lime green, alien-themed gift shop with a small but unexpectedly good diner attached. It serves shakes, root beer floats, and classic cheeseburgers and fries and customers say the joint is well worth a visit.

Driving through Missouri and in need of a break? Heartland Express, close to I-55, is an old-school joint with plenty of parking, a store, and excellent dining too. If you’re stopping by at lunch, there's a changing menu of daily specials that customers love, as well as Hunt Brothers Pizza and hot takeout items like corn dogs, pizza sticks, and popcorn chicken.

Brody’s Diner is an unpretentious dining spot offering humongous stacks of buttermilk pancakes and chunky ham, pepper, and onion omelets. Customers comment on the huge portions – comedian Jerry Seinfeld even reportedly wrote a Yelp review describing the coffee mugs as 'big enough to wash your feet in.' There's a daily list of specials too, including a mouth-watering stuffed banana French toast.

Although Country Pride is a chain found in many Travel Centers of America across the US, don't let it put you off stopping here because what you'll get is a tasty meal almost any time of the day. The menu is filled with hearty breakfast dishes, as well as burgers, sandwiches, fried chicken and steak. Customers appreciate the quick service too.

Schatz Crossroads in Minot, North Dakota, serves a breakfast steak and eggs plate that comes with hash browns and toast – if you're heading north, it'll tide you over all the way to Canada. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, then you could try a ham and cheese hoagie or a chicken Philly. Customers also praise the baked goods selection, especially the huge pies and caramel rolls.

Boise Stage Stop opened in 1891, making it one of the oldest continually operating businesses in Idaho. It’s also one of the best-loved truck stops in the US. There are a variety of cuisines on offer at the restaurant, including Mexican, classic American, and Italian, but it’s known best as a fantastic steakhouse. It serves sirloin with shrimp, has a range of hearty burgers, and you can even get a T-bone at breakfast.

Upon entering Delaware from Maryland, the main road will direct you to 301 Plaza Restaurant. Here, hungry truckers and travelers can tuck into comfort food including cooked breakfasts and giant burgers, plus tasty dishes such as prime rib with roast potatoes, and prawn linguine. Customers say the food is consistently good and the service faultless.

When heading up l-94 and Highway 26, it's worth holding out for the popular Pine Cone Travel Plaza at exit 267. Choose the waffles, eggs Benedict, or the steak and eggs, then stock up on cream puffs, cookies and éclairs for your onward journey. Customers love the classic diner vibe, great service, and the fact that it's open 24/7.

Tamarack is a truck stop with a difference: this roadside haunt along the I-77 has a theater, fine arts gallery, and hosts regular events, as well offering top-notch gourmet food. Travelers can swing by for dishes like the signature chicken pot pie or fancier options such as the breaded rainbow trout and lemongrass-smoked shrimp bowl. There are food deals available for truckers too. 

The Common Man Roadside North is a multiplex with something for everyone. The Hi-Way Diner is a kitsch, 1950s-inspired joint with outstanding veggie options. Then, for something sweet, there’s the Common Man Donut Shop. Alternatively, you can head to the Roadside Deli for pizza, burgers, and house-made potato chips.

As well as an extensive buffet, Fred's has a menu of burgers, breakfasts, pizza, and seafood to satisfy the hungriest of truckers. Visitors praise the good food and friendly service and love that there's a well-stocked convenience store on site as well. And, if you want some extra entertainment, Fred's also has its own casino.

It’s not just truckers who love Russell’s Restaurant, which opened in 1973 – locals from all over Salina dine here and rave about the well-priced food and huge portions. Rustic and low-key, the place serves all-you-can-eat fried chicken, plus chicken livers, and gizzards. The menu also includes Midwest comfort food like smothered steak and a catfish dinner. 

Heading down to Myrtle Beach? Little Fisher Truck Stop & Restaurant, a family-owned convenience store open every day of the year, is a top stop. Known for their hospitality, the owners are there to quell all your hunger pangs, with options like fried chicken, pork chops and gravy, mac ’n’ cheese baked beans, and hot dogs. The food is reasonably priced too.

While most truck stop diners serve classic American dishes, this spot is all about fabulous Indian curries. At Taste of India, you can dive into satisfying plates of butter chicken, biryanis, chana masala, and garlic naan in a convenience store setting. It’s a truly original experience that people drive across the Cornhusker State for.

One of Minnesota’s best bakeries can be found at a truck stop in Clearwater. Highlights at Nelson Bros. include donuts the size of your head and fritter bread in five heavenly flavors. The attached restaurant’s menu goes on for miles with house-made meals such as pizza, meatloaf, and fritter French toast. There’s even a pub.

Naturally, the wildest place to pull up your truck in Florida is just north of Miami, on the periphery of the Everglades. Not only is Cafe 27 a popular trucker spot, it’s also a meeting place for bikers and it turns into a bar with metal bands at night. When it comes to food, start with the gator bites, then tuck into a mahi sandwich served grilled, blackened or fried.

Claiming to offer the best chicken-fried steak on Highway 101, Wildhorse Cafe, on the outskirts of King City, serves Southern-inspired sustenance for those trucking on the West Coast. Customers love the corned beef hash and chile verde omelets, while the lunch menu has a wide range of sandwiches, burgers, soups, and salads. Highlights include the California Dreamin' burger with bacon, avocado and mozzarella, the turkey club supreme with Swiss cheese, bacon, ham, and tomatoes on sourdough, and the warm brownie ice cream pie.

This retro-style diner, with its black and white tiling and red leather chairs, wins rave reviews for both its ambience and hunger-busting meals. It serves everything from loaded breakfast omelets to hamburgers and fried chicken dinners. Menu highlights include the layered breakfast bowl with egg, sausage, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, and the fish and shrimp combo basket with hush puppies, fries, and slaw. Customers also love the friendly service.

What better way to start the day than with a Gee Cee's Breakfast? At this spot off exit 57 on I-5, there are eggs, hash browns, and toast, plus breakfast meats, pancakes, and biscuits and gravy on offer. The menu also features salads, pizzas, burgers, and mac ’n’ cheese, but whatever you order it will be huge – and that’s why people love it.

Adjacent to Truck Street in Kimball, Ditty’s is an inviting spot to pull up for a rest. There are pre-packed deli sandwiches and salads if you’re hungry and in a hurry, or those with time to stay a while can try the loaded baked potato with pulled pork, the barley soup, or the Indian taco. Diners say the food is tasty and the service super-friendly.

Before crossing the Maryland border into Pennsylvania, many drivers make a pit stop at Belle Grove Grocery. Rotating specials such as barbecue pork sandwiches and hamburger macaroni casserole keep the menu fresh, while the staples – 'pies to die for' and 'the best burger around' – keep customers coming back for more.

Dysart’s Truck Stop is a favorite in The Pine Tree State. Top menu picks include the bestselling chicken pot pie and meatloaf and there’s also poutine and hot sandwiches. You can pick up some sweet treats for the road from the bakery too: choose between chocolate cream pie, whoopie pies, and cookie platters. 

On the way into Alabama from Atlanta on the I-20 and getting that comfort food craving? Chevron, formerly the Old Time Country Kitchen, at Newborn Truck Stop has you covered. The buffet has fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, creamed corn, hot bread rolls, green beans, tender roast beef and all the Southern trimmings, or there are dishes made to order, like the hand-breaded chicken sandwich.

If you’re heading up Highway 2 (or down, for that matter) in Danville, Vermont, you can swing into Marty’s 1st Stop for a gourmet trucker’s lunch and all your supplies. The soft-shell crab is a winner and the rotation of soups, including clam chowder, potato bacon, and chicken rice, will be sure to warm you up on chillier days. The specials, like chop suey with garlic bread, are worth a look too. A true one-stop shop, it's also got you covered for groceries.

As the smallest state in America, good truck stops are hard to come by in Rhode Island. To get away from fast food chain options, you can head to Cafe Tempo Coffee House for incredible coffee and bagels. It serves plain and onion bagels with cream cheese, egg, ham, bacon, sausage, and more and is well worth the small detour.

This truck stop is loved by locals as well as those passing through thanks to its huge portions, reasonable prices, and good service. The menu has all the usual diner classics, as well as daily specials such as taco salad, steak and shrimp, and grilled salmon, but it's the range of house-made fruit pies and cinnamon rolls that the joint is famous for. The freshly made bread rolls and dressings win high praise from diners, too.

Located off exit 13a on the New Jersey Turnpike and around the corner from the Elizabeth Seaport, Seaport Diner is a popular place for truckers to stop. For breakfast you can choose from a range of waffles, breakfast sandwiches, and omelets (customers love The Western with ham, onions, and peppers). The extensive lunch and dinner menus include chicken and vegetable stir-fry with rice, burgers, toasted sandwiches, and fried jumbo shrimp.

North of Yellowstone National Park, Broadway Diner at the Broadway Flying J Travel Plaza is a welcome sight for weary travelers and truckers. It offers a big breakfast selection, with the highlights being the blueberry pancakes, biscuits and gravy with eggs, bacon, and hash browns, and BLT on rye. There's also a wide menu of main meals and delicious desserts, including apple pie. It's part of a chain, but the friendly service is that of an independent spot.

HomeCooker stands head and shoulders above the chains at London Auto Truck Center, dishing out fried chicken, steaks, cheese fries, and loaded nachos to hungry drivers. Restless truckers can also pick up something for later at the grab-n-go section. Customers particularly love the breakfasts and roast beef dinners.

Out in the Arkansas boonies, Workman’s Travel Center – and the complex’s Hillbilly Hideout – is a welcome rest stop. There’s a good choice of burgers, sandwiches, steaks, and salads, but truckers often praise the 24-hour breakfasts. Choose between omelets served with hash browns and toast, chocolate chip waffles, French toast, or eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, and gravy.

Around 10 miles south of Grand Rapids, 76th Street Truck Stop Diner is a haven for hungry travelers. All the diner’s burgers, sandwiches, and wraps come with fries or house-made chips, and the Big Mother Trucker (two half-pound patties, three slices of sourdough, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, sauce, and salad) is particularly popular. Or you can opt to build your own skillet – add items like bacon, sausage, and ham to a base of scrambled eggs, potato, and cheese. There's a second location in Coppersville.

Although not technically a truck stop, Ted’s Bakery is a decent spot to park up if you’re looking for food while cruising along Kamehameha Highway. Diners can sit down with ocean views and feast on a ham and egg breakfast sandwich or pan-fried garlic shrimp. Don’t miss out on a slice of cream pie, either – the special plate lunches include this tasty dessert for free.

Truckers and travelers in need of comfort food while ploughing through snowy Alaska will be pleased to encounter Hilltop Truck Stop. The joint is known for its decadent desserts – people rave about the pies, which include coconut cream and blueberry – and its savory menu features an all-day breakfast with reindeer sausage, and a fried halibut sandwich.

For an upmarket truck stop experience, drivers can head to Haywood 209 Cafe in Waynesville, North Carolina, which is known as a favorite on the interstate. The breakfast menu has all of the classics you would expect, while the lunch and dinner menu includes delicious pulled pork, popcorn shrimp, and rib-eye steak.

This 24/7 restaurant attached to a gas station is popular with truckers thanks to its extensive all-day breakfast menu, reasonable prices, and friendly service. As well as the traditional breakfast plates and omelets, the health conscious can enjoy the joint's fruit plate served with sirloin steak and cottage cheese. There's also a huge menu of sandwiches, salads, burgers, pasta dishes, and seafood to choose from.

On the cusp of New Mexico and Texas, Russell’s Travel Center offers truckers a historic Route 66 experience with its classic diner and museum. While there are plenty of standard burgers on offer, why not opt for a Tex-Mex dish? The spot serves great chile rellenos, refried beans, and beef tamales. While you're there, you can also check out all the vintage memorabilia and gain free entry to the classic car museum.

The tamales turned out daily at The Old Oak are truly something special. All the food served at this Mexican taqueria is pretty special, in fact. Sisters Angelina and Made San Juan Rizo bought the old gas station and convenience store in 2000 and have turned it into a favorite spot for visitors and locals, thanks to delicious snacks and meals made to their grandmother’s original recipes. Don't worry, you can still get gas too.

Mobil Cafe, attached to the Sunoco station in Olmsted Falls, serves gyros and deli-style sandwiches crammed with cured meats, pickles, and cheese, but it’s the hummus made by owner Khalil Dari and his chef mum that has really taken off. Named Mama Mary’s, it comes in tempting colors and flavors like jalapeño and garlic, and many customers stop here just for that.

Good food options are limited on the route down towards the beautiful beaches of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, but Crazy K’s Food & Fuel is an exception. It serves classics such as po' boys and fried chicken, and the staff have even been known to bring food to passengers who have broken down on the surrounding roads. Now, that's Southern hospitality.

If you’re seeking comfort food on Highway 70 between Indianapolis and Columbus, you’ll feel like you’re back in grandma’s kitchen at Gas Grill Family Restaurant. Here you’ll find well-priced and hearty rib-eye sandwiches, huge chicken wraps, and country-fried steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, and beans. There’s also a daily specials menu including dishes such as crab cakes, pasta Alfredo, and salmon steak.

Not your traditional truck stop, Stage Stop Cantina is the only restaurant in Old Stage Road and the perfect place to stop off and recharge if you're in the area exploring the Pike National Forest. There's a tempting barbecue menu with highlights including mac ’n’ cheese topped with chicken, brisket, or pork, as well as a deli menu featuring a tasty turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, onion, and Cheddar, and a bacon and cranberry salad with chunks of blue cheese. Impressed diners give the joint full marks for the delicious food, friendly service, and amazing scenery.

Now discover America's best breakfast and brunch spots