What Was Your First Favorite Childhood Restaurant in the Southern Tier?

Last weekend, I was standing in my kitchen unloading the dishwasher when my husband asked me a question I haven't been able to stop thinking about.

“What is the first restaurant you remember going to as a kid?”

My answer came right away: Ponderosa. Then I thought for a second and added Friendly’s.

Ponderosa Was a Special Back to School Tradition

My family didn't have much money growing up, so going out to eat was a big deal. We didn't head to a restaurant on a random weeknight. A meal out usually meant there was a reason to celebrate.

For us, Ponderosa was part of our back to school tradition. Every year, the weekend before school started, my mom would round up all of us kids and take us there for dinner.

I can still see it clear as day. My brothers would eat and eat and eat. They would excuse themselves to go to the bathroom, then come back and head right for more food. One year, my uncle joined us for our special Ponderosa dinner, and I remember him watching my brothers in complete amazement at how much they managed to put away.

It makes me laugh now, but those dinners meant so much to us. They were a treat we looked forward to all year.

Friendly’s Ice Cream Still Brings Back Happy Memories

Friendly’s is another restaurant that immediately takes me back to childhood.

I don't remember going there often for meals, but I definitely remember the ice cream. My grandparents would sometimes take me to Friendly’s after a dance recital, a school play, or a particularly hot Sunday at church.

The Friendly’s Cone Head sundae was my favorite. It was more than just ice cream. It meant I had done something worth celebrating, or that I was getting a little extra time with my grandparents.

It is funny how certain restaurants can hold so much of your childhood. Sometimes it is not really about what you ordered. It is about who was sitting across from you, what you were celebrating, and how special it felt to be there.

Southern Tier Families Remember Their Favorite Restaurants

I asked Southern Tier residents which restaurant first comes to mind when they think about being a kid, and the responses have been so much fun.

Tammy said hers was the A&W Drive-In in Wysox. She remembered that her parents could take the kids out for a meal while keeping everyone contained in the car, which was helpful since the kids were not always perfectly behaved.

That is what makes these memories so good. It doesn't have to be a fancy restaurant. It might be a drive-in, an ice cream stop after a recital, or the place your family saved for one special night each year.

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Restaurants That Hold Southern Tier Childhood Memories

We asked people across the Southern Tier which restaurants hold a special place in their hearts and bring back childhood memories. From drive-ins and ice cream stops to family dinner favorites, their answers are a sweet trip down memory lane. Take a look at the restaurants they told us they will never forget.