An 8 Wonder of Kansas Cuisine
Prairie Nut Hut, Altoona
Address: 1306 Quincy Street, Altoona, KS 66710
Phone: 620.568.2900
Website:
Open Tuesday-Friday 4-9 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
The
Prairie Nut Hut is a finalist for the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine because of
its widespread reputation, since the 1960s, for serving Mountain
Oysters, and for being a colorful cafe.
When
a person sees the white wooden Prairie Nut Hut for the first time,
located at the intersection of Business U.S. 75 and K-47, most people
think its small and rather "rustic" looking. With signs all over it,
it's obvious that everyone has a bit of fun with the name of the place.
Opened
as a tavern in the 1940s, it started featuring mountain oysters (calf
fries) around the late
1960s. Today, the Prairie Nut Hut still features its namesake but
there are many other good choices if you don't want the "special."
The
hamburgers and chicken-fried steak are fresh, juicy, and big. In fact,
the Prairie Nut Hut is on the Kansas Explorers Club list of best
chicken fried steaks (fresh meat, hand-breaded, and grill or pan
fried). This chicken fried steak fills a plate and the edges are all
crinkly and misshapen proving that it's fresh. For a terrific burger, ask for grilled onions
and Swiss cheese on it.
You
can throw peanuts on the wooden floor but you can't squeeze more than
about 40 people into the place. Go early! This is one of the
early six-stool counter places in the state but it's a good vantage point if
you want to watch the waitresses on a frantic pace to get food to
the hungry.
This is not for the weak of heart or those on a diet plan but people do come from everywhere to eat here.
"I had a ball at the Prairie Nut Hut" t-shirts are for sale.
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T-shirt says it all. Photo credit Yvonne Hull.
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Menu Board. Photo credit Yvonne Hull.
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