Del Monte Cafe

Well, hello there! Haven't been here in a few days, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been eating well! :)
I'm still visiting here in San Luis Obispo, California, and just yesterday, Mom and I went to a very local favorite: Del Monte Cafe.
The Del Monte was built in 1922 as a barber shop and store for J.R. Robbins. The false front, single-story, wood framed building was designed and built by contractor Neil Hampton for a cost of $600. The small, neighborhood store existed as the Del Monte Grocery up until 1981, when it was remodeled into a restaurant.
I just love how this place still looks like it did way back in the day. It has all of these old photos, of the joint, hanging on all the walls, and it only has about 10 tiny, little booths inside. There are a few tables outside, that are always packed on a beautiful coastal day. The kitchen is the size of a postage stamp and you can sit at one of the 5 seats at the bar to watch your meal being cooked. The waitresses remember your name and if you go often enough, remember your order. Their breakfast is the best in town and I was super sad that I was 20 minutes late for the breakfast menu. BUT, they have a really good lunch, and the dinners are all comfort food, deliciousness. Mom and I both had crab sandwiches (real crab) with homemade french fries. Sorry I have no pictures to share with you this time. We took those sandwiches down! :)
Here are a couple of pictures of the restaurant for you to enjoy - one from today and one from many, many years ago, back when it was a grocery store.