Where Healdsburgers get their burger

There are two kinds of people from Healdsburg: those who call themselves “people from Healdsburg” and those who say they are “Healdsburgers.” Count me among the latter: it makes the town sound at once as American as apple pie yet like a village in Rhineland.

There’s another way to look at it – that we can call our country’s favorite drive-in food our own. And we can find it just on the outskirts of town, at 44 Healdsburg Ave.

It’s pretty clear this used to be an A&W, “arguably the first successful food franchising operation,” according to Wikipedia (and who could argue with Wikipedia?). The chain grew from 1921 throughout the automobile age in America, and by 1960 had 2000 locations.

It wasn’t until the 1970s that McDonald’s took over the top spot in diners, and the franchise is now greatly reduced (it was put up for sale last month by current holder, Yum! Brands).  But I’m of an age to still remember being dumbstruck by the frosty mugs with the brown and orange A&W logo, frothing over with a root beer float.

It's fitting that they are turning out burgers again at that old A&W, after it served time closed and as a sushi bar. Now it’s called – you guessed it – . The name's been in use for several years, but the original owners have left the building. “Maybe three ago? More than three,” said present-day co-owner Chris Schilling. She’s a ball of energy behind the counter, a social woman who likes show cars, motorcycles, friends and food, not necessarily in that order.

Her partner, Colleen Falconer, is a redhead, taller, but cut from the same hard-working mettle. And between 11 and 7 every day of the week, they and a small staff turn out “diner food”. They also run the Piner Café, a reliable diner “near the Nutty,” which should be as much direction as you need, and have a catering business on the side.

Schilling has been in the diner business for 23 years, and knows enough not to compromise the source of success and loyalty. “The burgers are all fresh, no frozen meat comes in here,” Shilling says. “It’s all fresh, and we make everything individually to your order. Even the French fries are fresh, we cut the potatoes here.”

If you’re looking for tablecloths and silver, you’ll find trays and napkins instead. From the hand-painted biker mural at the distinctive roofline of the old-fashioned A&W chain, to the friends and staff photos trapped flat under the glass tabletops, there’s nothing fancy here.

Check out the menu: “Burgers, served on a bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle mayo, mustard, ketchup.” Simple. It’s what you want on a burger, without having to ask.

They range from the three-ounce ‘Bobo’ burger ($3.55) to the 14oz. ‘Mondo’ double burger ($7.55), though perhaps the chili burger with cheese ($8.55) calls from a stronger constitution. You’ve got your Ortega burger, your Cajun burger, even your Blue Cheese burger. There’s a Turkey burger and yes, a Garden burger as well.

I ate there this week with my son (, class of '03), and I let him do the heavy lifting of eating a mushroom burger. Suffering from beef fatigue, I had a turkey burger instead, which I found surprisingly and pleasantly fresh, tasty and even meaty. There was plenty of it, and a generous helping of the condiments on board as well.

The burger that Brian ate disappeared quickly, but not without a fight – as the photo in the gallery shows. The fries were thick cut and neither overdone nor frozen – and yes, I’ll confirm that they were made from fresh not frozen potatoes.

There are real hot dogs as well – Cajun and Chili, Polish and Corn – and a handful of sandwiches and salads. But this is definitely diner food, complete with the fries and onion rings, the $4 milk shakes and malts ($4.20) made with real ice cream. Do they honor their location by serving Root Bear Floats? Yes, they do.

The customers who eat here are either locals who know the place, or weekend visitors spilling over from or, less frequently, wine tasters who take a chance on its funky vibe and name.

It’s the kind of diner you stop for lunch at on a long road trip, maybe the kind you remember from when you were young, and the kind you’ll go back to when you want a burger and fries, and that’s that. Sometimes that’s what you need. Now you know where to get it. Healdsburger.