I’ve never seen the movie Bagdad Cafe. And, to be honest, I’m not even sure what it is about. But I know the Bagdad Cafe in Newberry Springs, California, where the 1987 German film was filmed, was famous. And it was right on Route 66 anyways. So, when I was driving that world-famous road through California, I had to pull over for that world-famous cafe.
The building started life in 1975 as the Sidewinder Cafe, a simple pit stop along the National Trails Highway (Route 66). Then in 1987, German filmmaker Percy Adlon rolled in with cameras and turned this little roadside spot (and the neighboring Henning Motel) into the setting for his indie drama Bagdad Cafe. The movie didn’t exactly sweep U.S. theaters, but it became a cult sensation overseas, especially in Germany and France. To this day, fans (and, you know, people like me who have never even seen the movie) show up by the busload.
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In 1995, new owners Andrea and Harold Pruett leaned into the fame and officially renamed the place after the film. Andrea has been greeting travelers here for nearly 30 years, and the cafe walls now double as an international guestbook, covered in flags, stickers, and notes left behind by visitors from around the world.
These days, the Bagdad Cafe isn’t serving up burgers and fries, but it’s still open for photo ops, souvenirs, and a cold drink.
It may not be a sit-down diner anymore, but the Bagdad Cafe hasn’t lost its charm. Quirky, cinematic, and delightfully desert-y, it remains one of Route 66’s most unforgettable roadside icons. And, hopefully, one day soon, maybe in time for the Route 66 Centennial in 2026, it will sling burgers once again. And I’ll definitely come back for a meal. And I’ll maybe even watch the movie on Tubi before I do.
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
Photos of Bagdad Cafe in Newberry Springs, California
