Every diner, town cafe, and truck stop sells a hot turkey sandwich. A precious few are memorable and as delicious as the best Thanksgiving leftovers. They include plenty of moist turkey (preferably a mix of white and dark meat), real mashed potatoes, and flavorful gravy. Here are twelve faves.
Parkway Diner
Vermont's Worcester Lunch Car Company #839 (The Parkway Diner) serves four-star diner fare, including the best hot turkey sandwich and extraordinary hamburgers.
Dot’s
Dot's is a best-of-Vermont town cafe serving from-scratch square meals, great burgers, and memorably fruity berry pancakes at breakfast.
Hackney’s on Harms
Hamburgers are Hackney’s glory, and the fried onion loaf is a must, but daily-special square meals are worth the trip to Glenview, Illinois, too.
Johnson’s Corner
Johnson's Corner north of Denver, Colorado, is famous for its immense cinnamon roll, but it is a full-menu, three-meal-a-day truck stop with hearty fare.
Blue Colony Diner
Newtown, Connecticut: Your wish is the Blue Colony diner's command. The menu is huge. Breakfast is great, as is chicken souvlaki. Open 24/7.
San Diego Chicken Pie Shop
Expect wholesome coffee shop food at the San Diego Chicken Pie Shop. House specialty: old-fashioned chicken pie. Also: superb hot turkey sandwiches.
Frank’s Diner
Inside this beautiful vintage diner, travelers and locals enjoy big, satisfying Northwest meals including Frank's six-egg King of the Road omelet.
Twede’s Cafe
Its cherry pie, as seen in the TV show "Twin Peaks," is the headliner, but Twede's is a northwest restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and supper.
Marshall Diner
A sign outside the Marshall Diner says Home Cooking, but meals in this modest cafe are true Diner Cooking, much of it from-scratch good.
Carol’s
A beacon of from-scratch Midwest comfort cooking, Carol's cafe serves superb hot turkey and hot meat loaf sandwiches and a repertoire of blue-ribbon pies.
