Well, a stubborn summer cold interrupted my plans for “Burger Month 2015,” but I am feeling better and I’m returning to my July theme. This week’s quest for some of the best area burgers in the region took me to one of Bristol’s oldest eateries.
Tootie’s touts itself as the oldest restaurant in Bristol, according to a history printed on the back of the restaurant’s menu. Claude Vance opened Tootie’s in the fall of 1945 a few months after he returned home after service during World War II. Claude and his wife, Ann, opened Vance’s Confectionary. They sold sundry items, including hardware and Claude’s own brand of paint. They even had a lunch counter at the front of the store, where they sold burgers, hotdogs and other diner fare. In those days, the menu notes that Vance’s was the only eating establishment between State Street in Bristol and Mountain City.
The original site of Tootie’s was in what was known as the “Willie Boom” section of town. Today, the restaurant is located across from Food City. Years ago, however, a lake covered the area where the grocery store now stands. People brought in logs and floated them to a lumber yard owned by a Mr. Willie. The “boom” is a reference to the floating timbers.
In July of 1982, Claude retired and his son and daughter-in-law, Arvil and Jane vance, bought the business and renamed it Tootie’s Restaurant in honor of Arvil’s nickname.
The restaurant’s interior doesn’t look to have changed much through the years. The walls are painted yellow and white, trimmed with orange. Seating is available at booths and tables, which are also orange and yellow. There’s also a couple of tables on the restaurant’s front porch.
Customers order at the front counter, and drinks are available from a self-serve dispenser or as bottles and cans from a refrigerator. There’s also a condiment station offering ketchup and other items. Some arcade games in one corner and a guitar-stumming stuffed toy dog add a few other items of interest to the decor.
Tootie’s still retains its diner atmosphere, serving breakfast all day long, as well as a variety of burgers, hot and cold sub sandwiches and other items, including Soup Beans with Cornbread, a barbecue platter and a hamburger steak dinner.
The restaurant is quite justly famous for its burgers, and the star among the offerings is the Arvil Burger. Other burgers include the Famous Five-Ounce Burger, a Double Five-Ounce Burger and a Bacon Burger. Deluxe burgers are also listed on the menu, including the Willie Boom Burger, Mushroom Burger, Jalapeno Burger, a Blue Collar Burger and a third-pound Angus Burger.
I tried the well-known Arvil Burger on my very first visit to Tootie’s a couple of years ago. On a subsequent visit, I ordered the Willie Boom Burger. On that occasion, a friend dining with me got his first introduction to the Arvil Burger.
So, what precisely is the Arvil Burger? Well, it’s a monster of a burger that starts out as a 10-ounce beef patty. One of the secrets to the popularity of this burger is that onions are fried within the patty to lock in the flavor. It’s served on a large bun with a double serving of lettuce, tomato, onion, mayonnaise and, on request, American cheese.
It’s not fancy, but it’s juicy and made of simple but fresh ingredients. Thankfully, the bun doesn’t fall apart and holds up throughout the meal.
The Willie Boom Burger is basically Tootie’s version of a chili burger. It starts as a six-ounce hand-formed patty paired with grilled onions, chili and cheese. The chili on the burger is savory, but I found myself wishing there had been more chili with this burger.
There’s a variety of side dishes to accompany your burgers, including French Fries, Onion Rings, Tater Tots, Chili Cheese Fries, Corn Nuggets, Cheddar Rounds and even Tamales.
My friend and I both enjoyed our burgers, and I also owe some other friends a big “thank you” for introducing my to Tooties.
Do make sure to leave some room for a cool treat at the end of the meal. Tootie’s offers ice cream in cones, waffle cones or cups, as well as ice cream sundaes, root beer floats and milkshakes. Ice cream flavors include traditional ones such as vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, as well as less-traditional ones as Moon Pie, Cotton Candy and Blueberry Cheesecake. I love to end a visit with a deliciously smooth and creamy shake. One of my favorites has been the Blueberry Cheesecake Shake.
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AT A GLANCE: Tootie’s Restaurant, 1310 Virginia Ave., Bristol. 764-6215. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Menu items $6.95 and under. Credit cards accepted. Carryout available.
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