We had all intentions of grilling out tonight, but it started to rain, again, for the millionth time this week. What more of an excuse did we need to go out and get some quick burgers! Having reminded myself earlier that the Hilltop is little more than 30 minutes away, we hopped in the Retromobile and off we went.
UPDATE- night time photos showing sassy neon added 6/28
The Official name of The Hilltop is the Hilltop Drive-In, but nowadays there is indoor seating and you just “drive-in” to the parking spaces out front. Originally opened in 1952 as a Carvel, it became the Hilltop just 6 years later.
(It still has the twisty cone on top- cool!)
Decor is vintage knotty pine paneling, with some updated touches like the 80′s retro pink/aqua “50′s” color scheme, and better yet some boomerang Formica on the tables. The jukebox is in keeping with the feel of the place, but definitely from a different era. Next time we’re there I will have to make sure we drop a couple of quarters in and give it a spin!
The food is more varied than your typical fast food joint with burgers alongside Broasted chicken, pirogies and potato puffs. One thing I’ve noticed in this area is the quaint custom of calling a burger with lettuce and tomato a California burger. I am curious to know how that came about, but all I can think of is that California must mean vegetables to some, and healthy to others.
Our food was in no way gourmet, more like fast food, but still good, and I was thinking how I’d take the nieces and nephews to this place over McDonalds any day. One neat addition to the offerings was the selection of Good’s Potato Chips, a local brand in business since the late 1800′s. Are you at all surprised to learn that I am a sucker for a small bag of indie chips? True!
Harkening back to its origins as a Carvel, the Hilltop also offers soft serve ice cream with a variety of toppings. Dang it, we were too full from our cheeseburger/cheesesteak split to get some ice cream, but the older couple next to us did not seem to have a problem polising off their sizeable chocolate twist cones.
The rainy weather that caused us to go out for burgers in the first place did not make for a good photo taking evening, but I was assured by the pony-tailed counter girl that the sign does in fact light up. Consider some of these photos as place holders until I can get up there later in the evening when it isn’t pouring rain, I’m sure this place is like a beacon in the night!
The Hilltop Drive-In
2910 E. High St
Pottstown/Sanatoga PA 19464
Look at this place on the Retro Roadmap!
Sounds like my kind of place! Can’t wait to see the current exterior pics!
Just added some nice nighttime shots!
Thanks! If it ever stops raining I am looking forward to getting some good shots. Rain rain go away!
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[...] thanks to ModBetty of Retro Roadmap for bringing The Hilltop to my attention via her great post and pictures (special notice should be given of the early ’50’s black and white image she shares of [...]