Posted by Michael Stern on July 10, 2007
Kewpee Lunch dates back to the pre-Depression days; and although today it is a spanking-clean stainless steel and Formica-table urban burger joint with lovely little images of Kewpee dolls in the tiles along the wall, it has all the ambience and the no-frills menu of a 1920s urban hash house. A big glass case along the back wall is filled with old-time Kewpies and memorabilia of the Kewpie Doll, the baby-faced munchkin designed by Rose O’Neil in 1909 that became one of the most familiar pop-culture icons of the century’s early decades.
As far as we can tell, there are altogether six Kewpee Lunch restaurants – two in Lima, Ohio and three in Lansing, Michigan – making this the least-known hamburger chain in America! The lone Racine branch is located in the heart of the city, which is currently undergoing what looks like a robust urban renewal.
Sit at counter or dinette tables, and order either a hamburger or a double (or a bowl of good Midwest-style chili). The hamburgers start as a 1/6-pound or 1/3-pound sphere of fresh ground beef that is hand-fashioned into a patty, then flattened on the grill and cooked until crusty brown, finally sandwiched in a toasted bun with condiments of choice. To drink with this archetypal lunch counter hamburger, there are some good choices: homemade root beer, a thick made-to-order milk shake, or a malted milk. The Kewpee Lunch menu notes that Racine, Wisconsin is the birthplace of malted milk. This refers to the fact that Racine is home to Horlick’s, the company that makes malted milk powder, originally developed in 1877 as a weight-gain aid for children.
Overall: Worth planning a day around
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Reviewers "Must Eats" List
double hamburger
($3.00)
malted milk
($2.00)
"Considering that Racine bills itself as the birthplace of malted milk, you would expect Kewpee Lunch to make a great chocolate malt... and they do!"
buffetbuster
"Even at 7:00AM, Kewpee Lunch will be glad to grill you up a double cheeseburger. Pickle, onion and ketchup come standard with the burger."
buffetbuster
"Even though there are tables in the back and to the side, the best seats are at one of the U-shaped counters, where you will quickly be brought into the local conversation."
buffetbuster
"The spotless kitchen is in plain view of all the counter seats."
buffetbuster
"If you like Kewpee Dolls, you will love the way Kewpee Lunch is decorated!"
buffetbuster
"The Kewpee Lunch is relentless with their theme... even the wall tiles have kewpee dolls!"
buffetbuster
"The sign is beguiling, but the house motto is even better: "Hamburger, pickle on top, makes your heart go flippety-flop.""
Michael Stern
