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City in Illinois, United States
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Litchfield is a small city in Central Illinois. Since its founding in 1853, when the Terra Haute, Alton & St. Louis Railroad came through, Litchfield has been a stopover for travelers on the route between the major Midwestern cities of St. Louis and Chicago. First on the rail line, later on the legendary Route 66, and today on Interstate 55, Litchfield remains an oasis of traveler services halfway between Springfield and St. Louis.
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One of the oldest—if not the oldest—restaurants on Route 66, the Ariston is rightly legendary around Central Illinois. It was founded in 1924 but didn't move to this location until 1935. It's been serving travelers ever since. Today, the menu is a mix of American, Greek, and Italian favorites, prepared simply but expertly. The soup and salad bar is a daily feature, while Sunday brunch-goers will find an incredible buffet (in addition to the regular menu) with an amazingly lengthy list of items. The desserts are freshly made and come in huge portions; the baklava is a specialty. Small gift shop inside.
Open April 1 - October 31. Offers primitive campground, electric and water campground, and the "Black Lowry Horse Camp" that has accommodations for horses and is nearby the horse trails.
Litchfield is about an hour north-northeast of St. Louis and an hour south of Springfield, along I-55 and the historic routing of Route 66.
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St Louis · International · STL
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