Life is short, eat dessert first in Green Country

By Herb Sparrow

Courtesy Claremore CVB

Route 66 in Green Country offers groups several distinctive, delicious and iconic dining stops morning, noon and night.

Start with breakfast at Chapters Bookstore on Route 66 in Miami, a one-of-a-kind bookstore and coffee shop that gets the day started with a “caffeine fix” and homemade muffins or cookies.

Stop for a snack break at the Nut House on Route 66 in Claremore, a rustic log cabin made from real pecan logs that sells a variety of pecans, nuts, homemade fudge, jams and jellies.

Lunch stops can include the famous Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger in Miami, the last of a popular 1960s fast-food chain — be sure to order the Ku-Ku fries and get a Cyclone on your way out — or the Rock Cafe in Stroud, a Route 66 landmark since 1936, whose owner was the inspiration for a character in the Pixar move “Cars.”

A midafternoon break could be a wine tasting at Summerside Vineyards and Winery, located right on Route 66 near Vinita.

For dinner, try the Hammett House in Claremore, famous for its pies.

“One of the things you have to do is have a slice of a Hammett House pie,” said Nancy Phillips, marketing director for the Green Country Marketing Association.

“When you walk in, the first thing you see is a sign that says ‘Life is short, eat dessert first,’” said Tanya Andrews, executive director of the Claremore Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Their cream pies are 10 to 12 inches high out of the pie shell, and they are homemade every day.

“They also have some local favorite dishes, such as pampered fried chicken, and a wide variety of daily specials. They are very group friendly.”