Zeno's Steakhouse

Zeno Sceggel was the son of Italian immigrants who settled in St. Louis and then moved to Rolla in the 1940s. He worked as a cook at a downtown hotel before scraping together the financing to build his own motel in 1957, just as Route 66 traffic through Phelps County was peaking. The motel had twenty-four rooms in two long single-story wings flanking a central office; the diner was a small standalone building at the south end of the property. Within five years Zeno had expanded the diner into a supper club and was personally cooking three nights a week.

His son, Frank, took over in 1981, just as Interstate 44's completion was beginning to siphon traffic away from the old highway. Frank made the calculated bet that Zeno's reputation was strong enough to survive without highway pass-through trade; he invested in the dining room rather than the motel, upgrading the kitchen, hiring a sommelier, and joining the Missouri Route 66 Association as a charter business member. The bet paid off. Today the steakhouse draws regulars from a hundred-mile radius, and the motel remains a popular base for Route 66 road trippers.

Frank's daughter Maria now runs both businesses. She has updated little, in line with her grandfather's instruction never to change the things customers come for. The piano is still played Saturday nights, the toasted ravioli still goes out three baskets per table, and the broiler in the back is still the same Garland from 1962, rebuilt twice but never replaced.

Start with toasted ravioli, the St. Louis classic that Zeno's makes especially well, with a thick crisp breadcrumb crust and house marinara on the side. The shrimp cocktail is a generous five-shrimp serving with a horseradish-forward sauce; the calamari is overlooked but excellent, lightly floured rather than heavily breaded. Skip the wedge salad unless you are absolutely committed; the house salad with creamy garlic dressing is the better choice.

For mains, the prime rib is the must-order. The twelve-ounce is the right portion for most diners; the sixteen-ounce is for serious appetites and arrives with a wide rim of fat that the kitchen will trim if you ask but is delicious if you don't. The filet mignon and the ribeye are the next-best steaks. Non-steak options include shrimp scampi over linguine, chicken Marsala with a generous mushroom and wine reduction, and a daily fish special that is usually walleye in summer and blackened catfish in winter. Sides are old-fashioned and uniformly good: baked potato, broccoli with cheese, sauteed mushrooms, and creamed spinach.

Request the round red-leather booth in the corner near the piano if you can; it seats four and offers the best view of the dining room and any musicians. Couples should ask for one of the smaller two-tops along the north wall. The bar is a fine option for solo diners, with full menu service and a friendly bartender who has worked there since the 1990s. Save room for dessert: the house-made cheesecake is dense and almost savory, served with a brandied cherry sauce that is house-made by Maria each morning.

Zeno's is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday. The kitchen takes its last orders around 9:30 p.m. Reservations are strongly recommended for Friday and Saturday nights and can be made by phone or through the OpenTable link on the website. Walk-ins are accommodated when possible but expect a wait of forty-five minutes to an hour on weekends without a booking.

Dress is country-club casual: a collared shirt and clean jeans will not feel out of place, but the staff also welcome customers in shorts and tee shirts after a hot day on the road. The bar serves a respectable wine list with strong Missouri representation (Stone Hill, St. James, and Augusta wineries all represented), a small but well-chosen cocktail menu, and an extensive selection of bourbons. Beer is mostly American macro; there is a small Missouri craft section.

If you are road-tripping Route 66, consider staying at the attached Zeno's Motel and walking to dinner. The motel is modest by chain standards (the rooms are clean, comfortable, and reasonably updated, with strong wifi and decent beds) but the price is fair and the convenience of strolling thirty steps to the steakhouse is unmatched. The motel pool is operational in summer. Reserve both motel and dinner together for a smooth Route 66 night.