It was a busy but dreary Thursday afternoon – an odd combination. A large squad of tradesmen had just finished replacing most of our windows before the rain set in and we were due to take our oldest to Kung Fu. So, in a fatigued and manic haze of post-mega-purchase-stupor, I thought “Hey, let’s go out to eat!”

We cruised across Bellevue to another odd contradiction – a busy stretch of Galvin Road that sits between the end of Harlan Drive to the north and Mission Avenue to the south. A stretch of road that sees hundreds, if not thousands, of cars daily. Local commuters, traffic from the back gate at Offutt Air Force Base, and transients from across the toll bridge from Iowa all zip by. And there, hiding in plain sight, is a Bellevue landmark that’s been standing for over 45 years: Dairy Twist. And its literally right off the road. There’s no carefully planned civil engineering here. No manicured green space outlined by curbs and gutters. A real, honest to goodness roadside burger stand. Bright, warm lights shined through the falling rain.

The wife and I dashed through the odd, January shower, each with a daughter in tow. We flung open the door and stepped across the threshold into nothing short of a bygone era. The tile floor. The fluorescent lights. An old school menu filled with burgers, hotdogs, and more hangs behind a simple counter. The register is flanked by an assortment of soft serve machines and toppings galore. 

When I attempted to order a cheeseburger kids meal for my youngest, I was informed that they don’t do meals, but rather everything is a la carte. This will serve me well in the future and you should heed my advice: you can share one of these baskets of fries! They were huge. We probably could have gotten away with two for our little family, but they have a ton of options so you could mix and match for the table. For example, while everyone else got crinkle fries, I got the curly fries and was very pleased. These were big, loopy, greasy, old school shoestring fries. 

Aside from the fries we ordered a kid’s cheeseburger, a hot dog, a chilly dog, and a pork tenderloin sandwich. The tenderloin was mine as they regularly advertise it on their marquee. I’ve gotten it before but not for many years. It was very good. There were two pieces of breaded pork hammered not-too-thin. They were battered in a simple but well-seasoned batter and fried to a perfectly crispy exterior while maintaining a very juicy bite. It was dressed in just enough condiments and toppings to compliment the tenderloin and the brioche bun was soft and griddled. The chilly dog received strong reviews for flavor, but it was noted that the dog to bun ratio left room for improvement. The kid’s cheeseburger was a pleasant surprise. As usual, my three-year-old peeled the cheesy patty off the bun and ate it by itself. This offered me a good view of what was clearly an irregular, genuinely hand-formed patty. It was overly thick and not round at all, which I noted as positive for its authenticity and fresh quality. Try as I may, I could not steal a bite. 

As we sat and ate in what was booth-like, but really just a square, four person table with a patio-like divider on either side, I couldn’t help but note how dated Dairy Twist is inside. But you know what, it has a sort of kitschy charm. In fact, when we first walked in, I directed my daughter’s attention to some fanciful ice cream sculptures that were clearly constructed, in part, with expanding spray foam insulation. For as tacky as that may sound, they were actually very fun and cute. When I made a note about it, the cashier informed me that the manager had made them. And there’s the catch with a place like this. Does it look a little tired inside? Yes. But does it have unique, grounded, mom and pop type charm you just aren’t going to get at a chain? Absolutely! Every part of it is personable and real. Every one of those al a carte options was served in an old fashioned red plastic basket with a little square of paper inside. 

And what’s the point of going to a place called ‘Dairy Twist’ if you aren’t going to get some twisted dairy? We finished out our meal with three soft serves: pineapple, raspberry, and vanilla. The pineapple packed a flavorful punch as equally poppy as its bright yellow color. It tasted so fresh and real without a hint of artificial flavor or sweetness. The raspberry was equally enchanting but had a decidedly more mellow color and flavor. The vanilla soft serve should have been a simple afterthought, but it really wasn’t. It had a noticeably superior flavor and texture to a typical fast-food vanilla. We got these frozen treats in cups, but again, there were a number of options for mix-ins, shakes, sundaes, and cones. 

All in all, Dairy Twist’s food quality and personal service shouldn’t be missed. And in a world of manufactured nostalgia, they’re genuinely old-fashioned aesthetic and surroundings can’t be recreated. So, if you find yourself in southeast Bellevue, pop-in to Dairy Twist – I guarantee you’ll leave happy.

Matt Hebert is an engineer and self-published author. His dopamine-fueled creative pursuits have spanned from chicken keeping, sand sculpture, acting, and public speaking, but writing is nearest and dearest to his heart. He lives in Bellevue with his wife and two daughters. You can find him on Instagram at @jerkofalltradeshebert or email him at matt.hebert.books@gmail.com