Pit Stop: Burger & Fries at Grave’s Drive-In, Perry

In my travels through Taylor County and Perry, I’d often seen roadside benches advertising Grave’s Drive-In, claiming they served the best hamburgers in the area.  But, almost always, as I headed north on Jefferson Street from US27, I was detoured by my craving for Johnson’s Bakery donuts, and then, sated, I’d head either west on US98 towards St. Marks or back over to US27 and on to Tallahassee.  However, on a recent trip to Madison and Jefferson County, I headed south on Hwy221 from Greenville (the boyhood home of Ray Charles and now site of Grace Manor B&B) towards Perry, where I encountered Grave’s Drive-In, just north of town.  I’m not sure why it’s there, but now having stopped for lunch while on a photo shoot in Greenville, I have my suspicions!

Located at 1974 N. Hwy 221, Grave’s isn’t much to look at.  It’s a simple (ex-gas station?) building and during lunch and dinner hours, there’s usually a full parking lot.  Indoors, it’s simple, too, but the folks working there couldn’t be nicer.  Just step up to the counter, order your meal, fix your drink and wait for your “to go” bag or a tray to be delivered to your table.  If you’re in a big hurry, this may not be the place for you, but if you want a real, honest-to-goodness homestyle hamburger or cheeseburger it’s worth the wait.  Seems to me that everything is cooked to order, so it’s juicy and fresh!

While the Grave’s menu board advertises all sorts of food, including hot dogs and chicken tenders, I’ve asked several “locals” if they’ve ever had anything other than the burgers and fries there.  Most say “no”.  I agree—don’t overlook a good thing and stick with what’s the best!