We are a country of Jack Kerouac’s. We are a nation of ramblers, travelers, and wanderers. Most of us are far from home. Many of us are still searching for a place to land, unpack our bags, and call it ours.
But these are different times. Different times than, say, the 1880s. A time when there were only 50 million people in America. Bell and Edison were starting up the first telephone company. The Statue of Liberty made her home in the U.S. Not to mention Coke was invented!
We were growing. We were moving. We had trains to take us where we needed to go and phones to use when we got there.
It was a thrilling and thriving time for this country. A time celebrated by a small town family from Grand Rivers, Kentucky.
In 1975 Bill and Patti Tuller brought their kids to Grand Rivers and called it home. They set up Hamburger Patti’s first, and it kept growing and expanding into larger sizes and numbers of buildings. The operation is now famously named Patti’s 1880s Settlement and Restaurant.
It is a fantastic place to take your family, friends, and visitors year round! I would recommend warmer weather if you’re hoping to spend a large chunk of your day there as there are many buildings on the grounds and they are all connected by outdoor paths. There are seven gift shops, one restaurant, one café, an old-time photography studio, a portrait studio, and a miniature golf course! Each place named after a different member of the Tuller family!
In a town of only 350 residents, over 350,000 people stop by to be served by the friendly wait-staff decked out in 1880s attire! As one of those guests I can only perpetuate the recommendation I received from multiple people once we moved to Kentucky.
The menu is host to a myriad of mouth-watering meals served with their signature bread baked in flower pots! They are famous (in Kentucky anyway!) for their 2-inch thick pork chops. For the lighter eaters they offer a 1-inch pork chop as well. Know that if you go with the smaller of the two you forfeit your bragging rights. They also serve a delicious Kentucky Hot Brown-which is a state dish that one must taste to fully grasp its notoriety.
The desserts seem impossible if/once you finish your main course. But you must save room! Their meringue pies are at least six inches tall! I opted for the “Boo-Boo pie”-an incredible family mistake-made recipe comprised of brownie and coconut macaroon covered in whipped topping. My husband chose “Bill’s Boatsinker Pie” which is a masterpiece-no joke. It is a dark-double-fudge pie topped with coffee ice cream and whipped topping.
As a Patti’s veteran I’ll share some advice with you before you head out (which I’m sure you’ll be doing sometime soon!).
a. Make reservations. We went at two in the afternoon and there was a huge line of people eager to dine! Their phone number is 270-362-8844.
b. Go hungry! Seriously-in order to get your money’s worth (and you will) make sure to go with an empty stomach because it will be filled in no time.
c. Spend the day! There is much to see and much to do and it all is more fun if you’ve got a little time to enjoy it.
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