If you dream of sipping sodas in Pop Tate’s shop with the “Riverdale” gang, then get pumped: your dreams are about to come true. Yes, you read that right. The diner from “Riverdale” is a real place, and you can go and visit it. Although the actual Pop’s Chock’Lit Shoppe in the show was built in a parking lot, the pilot episode was filmed at Rocko’s Diner in British Columbia.
If you don’t know what a pilot episode is, think of it kinda like making some epic pancakes— you use the first one as a tester to see if the rest of the batch will work. Luckily, the producers liked the first episode enough to give the series the greenlight, and “Riverdale” was born.
This isn’t Rocko’s first time in the spotlight; the diner has also been featured in “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief,” “Horns,” and several other films. Rocko’s may not have made the cut for the rest of the “Riverdale” series, but it was used in the show’s promotional ads. The show has also brought in fans to the diner, who are keen to sit in Archie or Jughead’s booth. Tbh, sign me up. I’ll sit anywhere that KJ Apa’s butt has been. In a totally non-creepy way, of course.
Rocko’s may have recently achieved rockstar status, but the diner from “Riverdale” has humble beginnings. This mom and pop shop is family-owned, and it’s one of the last free standing diners in BC. Plus, Rocko’s is open 24/7, so you can have your coffee (or milkshake) at any time of the night. The only drawback is that the diner is located in Mission, which is about an hour out of Vancouver. That means if you’re driving there at 3am, you have to reaaaaally want that shake.
Speaking of milkshakes, Rocko’s actually serves shakes named after the “Riverdale” characters. You can try an “Archie Shake” (strawberry apple pie), a “Jughead Shake” (jolly rancher), or a “Betty Shake” (banana caramel pecan). If ice cream ain’t your thing, then don’t stress; Rocko’s also has a selection of burgers, poutine (a classic Canadian dish), omelettes, and deep-fried french toast. Can’t pick? That’s okay. Just buy the whole menu and #treatyoself. It’s what Jughead would want.
If you’re more about that leather-jacket-wearing, alcohol-consuming, Southside Serpents lifestyle, then don’t worry. You can also visit the Whyte Wyrm, where the Serpents hang out. The actual bar is located in Langley, which is less than an hour’s drive out of Vancouver. Whyte Wyrm, aka Gabby’s Country Cabaret, offers live music and karaoke every Wednesday. Honestly, I would pay a lot of money to see F.P. Jones in a cowboy hat singing about his feelings. Seriously. Just look at his face and imagine it.
Even if you can’t make it to Gabby’s or Rocko’s, you can still turn your home into the diner from Riverdale by mixing up this double chocolate shake. Pop on your pajamas, make some popcorn, and get cozy; “Riverdale” season two premieres at 8pm EST on Oct. 11, and with 22 episodes this season, the drama is only going to get bigger and better.