The Whistle Stop at the American Café, or Whistle Stop for short, is located in Travelers Rest and offers guests a wide variety of Southern dishes in a train-station-themed setting.

Outside, a vintage steam train parallels Main Street, acting as a beacon to those visiting Travelers Rest.

Inside, the restaurant has a wooden-board ceiling, red brick walls and decorations to create a unique atmosphere that harkens back to the early America railroad.

If guests want to enjoy the cool autumn breeze, they can request a table outside. The Whistle Stop also offers rooftop dining, giving guests a unique view of Main Street.

The Whistle Stop menu contains a wide selection of classic Southern dishes, including shrimp ’n’ grits and fried green tomatoes, as well as other family favorites, such as mac and cheese and hand-dipped ice cream cones.

The Whistle Stop lunch  menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, hotdogs and more ranging from $7 to $13.

Dinner entrees are priced anywhere from $17 to $24. Customers can choose from catfish, ribs, ribeye steak, roasted chicken and more.

College students who visit Whistle Stop are given a 10 percent discount.

Besides lunch and dinner, the Whistle Stop offers the “Caboose Express,” a menu that offers a variety of smoothies, shakes and shaved ice.

According to Leisa Miller, the assistant manager, nearly all desserts available at Whistle Stop are homemade.

Among the many desserts offered are the apple or peach turnovers—or “flat cars,” as the Whistle Stop calls them.

Doors open at 11 a.m. every day. The café is open until 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.  On Sunday, it’s open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Whistle Stop has been family-owned since 1945 when it was purchased by Troy Styles Sr.

The Whistle Stop building has been a recognized trademark in Travelers Rest since it was first built on Main Street in 1932.

The café was expanded and renovated in 2013.