Eclectic dining in Topeka

Topeka, Kan. (March 26, 2009) – Located in the Heartland, Topeka is teeming with unique dining experiences that share one thing in common, a special brand of heartland hospitality and customer service that the Midwest is known for. Below is a sample of locally owned restaurants that illustrate Topeka’s rich culinary charm.

Bobo’s – 2300 S.W. 10th Ave.
Bobo's Drive In is a classic drive-in that has been operating in Topeka, Kansas since 1948. It has been at its location on 10th Avenue since 1953.
A small dining area is characterized with a horseshoe shaped counter and a handful of booths for table service. Half of Bobo’s customers are still served by the carhops at the drive-in parking lot.

The current owners, Richard and Tricia Marsh, bought Bobo's in 2007, but some of the staff has been there many years.

Famous for their hamburgers and apple pie with satin-freeze ice cream, Bobo’s is a definite step-back in time and a true slice of 1950s Americana.
Bobo’s was featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" on the Food Network in December 2007.

Just recently, Bobo’s was identified as one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine. More than 13,861 votes were cast to determine the eight most iconic Kansas restaurants from a list of 24 finalists. A "Guide to the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine" can be printed off at www.8wonders.org or call, 620.585.2374 for a brochure.

C.W. Porubsky’s Deli and Tavern – 508 N.E. Sardou
C.W. Porubsky's Deli and Tavern has been a fixture in the food lore of Topeka and Kansas for more than 60 years. Nationally and internationally know for its chili, hot pickles and cold cuts, Porubsky's embodies the flavor of the "Little Russia" neighborhood in Topeka, located at 508 N.E. Sardou.

Porubsky's has been featured in numerous newspaper articles, covered in regional magazines and has appeared nationally in Gourmet magazine.

C.W. Porubsky's has survived floods, fires and recessions and is still proudly owned and operated by the Porubsky family.

Dining at Porubsky’s is very intimate with a total occupancy of just 36. You never know whom you might end up sitting next to because it is a popular hangout for State legislative members!

The RowHouse – 515 S.W. Van Buren
Located in the historic Ross Rowhouses, RowHouse Restaurant provides an intimate and exciting atmosphere that turns a mere dinner out into an event to remember. Chef and Owner, Greg Fox, greets every patron with a smile and sometimes a serenade with his guitar.

The eclectic menu changes weekly, ensuring that no two experiences at The RowHouse are alike. If everything on the menu looks good, no worries, Fox offers a sample plate with a smaller portion of each entrée served that week.

Nestled in the distinctive Ross Rowhouse block at 513 – 521 Van Buren, the rowhouses were completed in 1880 and modeled after townhouses in Washington D.C. There are three floors of the restaurant to choose from, each offering a unique setting for a meal to remember. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Sommerset Hall Cafe – Dover, KS (approximately 10 miles southwest of Topeka on K-4 Highway)
The building began as the Sage General Store in the late 1800s. The owner, Alfred Sage, named it Sommerset Hall after his birthplace in Somersetshire, Bristol, England. The Oddfellows Lodge began meeting in the upstairs in 1902 and purchased the building in 1905. The Dover Lodge (I.O.O.F #490) still meets in Sommerset Hall today.

The Café on the lower floor of the building became nationally famous in November 2008 when Good Morning America Weekend announced that the Coconut Cream Pie baked by Sommerset Hall Cafe's Norma Grubb was the winner of their Best Slice Challenge. The notoriety increased demand for the pies to the point that whole pies can no longer be purchased and the slices of pie must be eaten in the Cafe. Grubb only bakes about eight pies a day, and the manager wants her customers to be able to have a slice of pie with
their meals. Get there early for a taste of Grubb’s award winning pie!

Cheeburger Cheeburger – 2919 SW Wanamaker Rd.
Don’t call it a cheeseburger. Call it a cheeburger, and put as many as 26 different toppings on it at no extra cost.

The name of the new restaurant is Cheeburger Cheeburger – a franchise operation based in Fort Myers, Fla., that operates 75 restaurants, mostly in the eastern and southeastern United States.

The Topeka franchise – the first in Kansas – is owned and operated by Tom and Sharon Overton. Sharon explained that Tom was looking for something to do after retiring from 33 years in the automobile business and approached the Cheeburger chain.

"I can only sit and eat potato chips and watch poker for so long," Tom said.

The Cheeburger chain suggested several locations, but the couple chose Topeka because Sharon was born and raised here.

"We just thought it would be something a little different for Topeka, so here we go," Tom said.

The specialty of Cheeburger Cheeburger, of course, is what is referred to in the rest of the world as a cheeseburger. Each Cheeburger is all natural and the beef is fresh from a plant in Dodge City. When ordering a Cheeburger, you can choose from one of nine cheeses and then any combination of 26 toppings for no extra charge, including all 26 for the daring.

"It’s not fast food," Tom said. "Everything is made to order."

The menu also includes sandwiches and salads you can create with different combinations of toppings. Another staple of Cheeburger Cheeburger is the milkshake and malt flavors – 52 to be exact – that can be mixed to create 378,000 different combinations.

"We have any combination of milkshake or malt you can possible think of," Tom said. "So, if you wanted a chocolate, oreo, almond, coconut, pineapple – what ever you want and it’s no extra charge."

Tom said the atmosphere is fun and family-friendly with 50s and 60s music as the backdrop.

And if the endless combinations of food aren’t enough, patrons can come in and see if they can stomach the pounder challenge. If any adult, 12 and older, can scarf down the pounder, they will get their picture taken and posted on a bulletin board inside the restaurant. Any kid under 12 can take the challenge with a half-pounder.

Tom said the whole idea behind Cheeburger Cheeburger is to have fun, be creative and have a good time while eating.

The restaurant will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

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