East Idaho Eats: One of Pocatello’s oldest restaurants still going strong with many original menu items — and a few new ones

Photo: A Big Boy Burger, left, and taco spaghetti from Ross Park Drive-In. Video: Co-owners Dave Wilkes and Teresa Sorrells chat astir their restaurant. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

POCATELLO — Ross Park Drive-In has been serving nan Pocatello organization for astir 75 years.

Brother and sister Dave Wilkes and Teresa Sorrells grew up and Pocatello and callback eating taco spaghetti arsenic children. Then, 29 years ago, nan siblings became nan 3rd successful a statement owners of nan restaurant, which they judge to beryllium 1 of — if not nan — oldest operating restaurants successful town.

Wilkes and Sorrells person not changed things overmuch since taking complete nan small eating shack astatine nan area of Fredregill Road and South 2nd Avenue. The menu, for nan astir part, has remained nan aforesaid for nan amended portion of a period — arsenic they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t hole it.

The cardinal to their success, Wilkes said, isn’t astir keeping up pinch nan times, but alternatively offering delicious, caller food. That is why Ross Park Drive-In sources its nutrient from section butcher shops — Del Monte Meats and Butcher Block Meats. And they make astir everything connected nan paper daily, including hundreds of hand-pressed burger patties each day.

“It’s touch-making 200 patties each day, but you person to person nan freshness of it. That’s what makes it good,” Wilkes said.

The burgers is among nan apical sellers astatine Ross Park Drive-In. But its astir celebrated crockery whitethorn beryllium its taco spaghetti — noodles topped pinch taco-seasoned beef, complete pinch small spicy bite, past smothered successful cheddar cheese.

For our visit, EastIdahoNews.com sampled nan taco spaghetti. It is easy to spot why nan point has remained connected nan paper since nan edifice opened successful 1950.

Wilkes and Sporrells besides had america effort nan Big Boy Burger — 1 of nan fewer paper items added by nan existent owners.

Wilkes’ brainchild, nan Big Boy Burger features 2 beef patties, cheese, bacon, ham, lettuce, pickles and jalapenos.

As a instrumentality of jalapenos — and burgers topped pinch them — I thoroughly enjoyed nan burger. And nan herb is needed, fixed nan plethora of meats stuffed betwixt nan burger buns.

Ross Park Drive-In is conscionable arsenic celebrated for its desserts arsenic it is for its burgers and Mexican-Italian combo pasta.

Sorrells was speedy to mention nan restaurant’s sweeter options, including its celebrated milkshakes.

“We person nan champion brownies, nan champion divinity and fabric candy,” she said.

And this week, Ross Park Drive-In has a typical offer. Saturday only, it will beryllium live-spinning fabric candy, adding different extremity for group readying to return advantage of Zoo Idaho successful Pocatello’s free zoo day.

The Ross Park Drive-In paper and bid model | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

Ross Park Drive-In is unfastened done nan outpouring and summertime months. They unfastened annually astatine nan opening of April, Wilkes said, and stay unfastened until Labor Day. Their hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week. The times are taxable to alteration later successful nan season.

For much accusation astir nan restaurant, aliases to spot its menu, sojourn its Facebook page.

Having grown up successful Pocatello, and pinch nary plans to time off immoderate clip soon, Wilkes and Sorrells some said they are happy to beryllium capable to service nan organization by moving 1 of its astir recognizable eateries.

“We emotion our customers,” Sorrells said.

“They’re loyal,” Wilkes added. “They support america and that’s bully to see.”

If you would for illustration to make a proposal for nan adjacent destination to beryllium included connected East Idaho Eats, email Kalama@EastIdahoNews.com and see “EATS” successful nan taxable line.