Doumar's Cones & Barbecue
Barbecue restaurant · Norfolk ·
BBQ, burgers, dogs, shakes & waffle cones since 1904
BBQ, burgers, dogs, shakes & waffle cones since 1904
"According to legend, Abe Doumar invented the ice cream cone at the 1904 World’s Fair while selling souvenirs between an ice cream stand and a waffle stand. He went on to invent a four iron waffle cone machine and open a chain of ice cream cone stands that dotted the East Coast from Coney Island to Norfolk, where the Doumar family opened a diner in 1934. Only the diner still stands today, with Abe’s original waffle cone machine still on display and, occasionally, in use." - Alicia Camden
"Credited with inventing the waffle cone after a 1904 World’s Fair inspiration, this family-run drive-in (opened in 1907 and moved to its current spot in 1934) still uses a custom-built cone machine and retains distinctive curved architecture, red vinyl stools and black-and-white checkered floors. Known for made-on-site cones and nostalgic drive-in service, a signature treat is the Ringo hot fudge sundae topped with crushed cones, underscoring its place as a local icon." - Veronica Stoddart
"Thanks to Abe Doumar’s ingenious invention of his original waffle cone machine, every day can be ice cream day. The drive-in at Doumar’s has been a touchstone of family life for generations living in Norfolk, Virginia. With pit cooked Carolina-style barbecue, burgers, and shakes delivered car-side since 1933, it ranks among the most quintessentially American dining experiences left in our modern world. But strangely enough, the item this iconic restaurant is most known for isn’t even touted on its old-timey sign. After wooing the masses with his unique invention at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, Abe Doumar brought the world’s first ice cream cone rolling machine home and set up a chain of ice cream shops along the East Coast. It took a devastating storm that toppled the most successful outpost at Ocean View Amusement Park, before the family relocated their business to the current Granby Street location everyone knows today simply as “Doumar’s.” Ever since, adults and children alike have lined up to enjoy Doumar’s shakes, sundaes, and cones crafted in exactly the same fashion the kids’ parents and grandparents remember. Still very much a drive-in, carhop at its core, fair weathered days find the waffle machine parked outside the diner, allowing families to witness the magic from the comfort of their car. For the true ice cream aficionado, late mornings are prime time for catching an employee using the original waffle cone machine to make the day’s cones." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
"Thanks to Abe Doumar’s ingenious invention of his original waffle cone machine, every day can be ice cream day. The drive-in at Doumar’s has been a touchstone of family life for generations living in Norfolk, Virginia. With pit cooked Carolina-style barbecue, burgers, and shakes delivered car-side since 1933, it ranks among the most quintessentially American dining experiences left in our modern world. But strangely enough, the item this iconic restaurant is most known for isn’t even touted on its old-timey sign. After wooing the masses with his unique invention at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904, Abe Doumar brought the world’s first ice cream cone rolling machine home and set up a chain of ice cream shops along the East Coast. It took a devastating storm that toppled the most successful outpost at Ocean View Amusement Park, before the family relocated their business to the current Granby Street location everyone knows today simply as “Doumar’s.” Ever since, adults and children alike have lined up to enjoy Doumar’s shakes, sundaes, and cones crafted in exactly the same fashion the kids’ parents and grandparents remember. Still very much a drive-in, carhop at its core, fair weathered days find the waffle machine parked outside the diner, allowing families to witness the magic from the comfort of their car. For the true ice cream aficionado, late mornings are prime time for catching an employee using the original waffle cone machine to make the day’s cones. Know Before You Go Open Monday-Thursday 8-11pm, Friday and Saturday from 8-12:30. Closed Sundays. There's both parking and covered drive in areas on the lot." - blimpcaptain, WickedWanderers, olnswt, littlebrumble, ickaimp, tybbiesniffer
A Norfolk original where the family still rolls waffle cones on the century‑old machine. Featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive‑Ins and Dives, it’s where locals mix barbecue sandwiches with limeades and sundaes.
