Destinations

DESTINATIONS

Lester's Diner

Bryan, Ohio

FOR MOTORCYCLE RIDERS, interstate highways are doubly damned. Not only are these bands of concrete as uncurving as a carpenter's straight-edge, but the food available along-side them is, well, let’s just call it unimaginative.

Should you find yourself droning along Interstate 15 near the Ohio-Indiana border when hunger pangs strike, do yourself a favor. Give the junk-food emporiums a pass, and “de-interstate” at Ohio Exit 2. From there, point your wheels south towards the town of Bryan. There, you’ll find Lester’s, a real 1950s diner, not a trendy imitation like you would find in Chicago or Los Angeles.

Stepping inside is like going back in time 30 years. In front of the counter are authentic, rotating circular stools, and at each booth, you can select classic tunes from a real juke box: two plays for a quarter.

The food is classic diner fare; you won’t find anything fancy here. On Sunday mornings, Lester’s is packed with farmers who drive from miles around for breakfast, a testament to the diner’s good food and famous 14-ounce mug of coffee. The waitresses are typically Midwest; charming with a farm-fresh beauty hard to match anywhere else.

When you’re done eating, forget about I-80. Instead turn down U.S.

6, a pretty backroad that roughly parallels the main highway. After a good country meal, it’s the perfect way to end the interstate blues.

Michael J. Kneebone

Information Lester's Diner 233 S. Main Bryan, Ohio 43506 419/636-1818 Open 24 hours