Bono’s restaurant named to National Register January 19, 2008
Posted by Ron in History, Restaurants.add a comment
Bono’s Restaurant and Deli at 15395 Foothill Blvd., aka Route 66, in Fontana, Calif., was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, effective Jan. 10.
The National Park Service made the announcement in an e-mail Friday evening.
Bono’s also was the longtime home to the Bono’s Historic Orange stand, an orange-shaped building that was used to sell orange juice.
Here’s a little history of the restaurant:
Bono’s Italian Restaurant and Orange Stand in Fontana, California are iconic mainstays of the original Route 66. Bono’s Italian Restaurant was opened in 1936 to supplement Bono family farm revenue. Sadly, both the restaurant and orange stand are now closed due to the passing of the original Bono generation. Both the restaurant and orange stand are still extant on Foothill Boulevard, which is old Route 66 in Fontana. The restaurant appears locked in time as many of the original plates, utensils, chairs and tables are still visible through the windows. It is as if the restaurant was closed normally one night and just never opened again.
There’s been reports in the past couple of years that Bono’s might reopen again, but I haven’t heard anything new in a while.
