Holly’s Lighthouse Cafe, Pacific Grove
Holly's Lighthouse Cafe in Pacific Grove, California
Whenever we go on our travels I always do a search for somewhere to get breakfast on the way. Our destination on this trip is Big Sur so I started my search in Monterey. One thing I check is the reviews and one place place really caught my attention – Holly’s Lighthouse Cafe in Pacific Grove. The reason being their oatmeal is made with steel-cut oats. We just had to investigate.
Pacific Grove is a nice little town. It is on the coast between Monterey and Carmel but a lot less touristy than either. Holly’s Lighthouse Cafe is on Lighthouse Avenue, which is the main street. There are a lot of interesting shops along the way but they are all closed at 7 am.
Holly’s Lighthouse Cafe is a charming place with huge plant pots outside the door. We were the first customers so had the pick of all the tables. We chose the one in the window.
It is not your typical diner – no booths at all but two, four and one eight seater tables plus four seats at the counter. All the tables have blue checked plastic tablecloths. Every table has a small vase with fresh flowers.
The menu is extensive and there are two boards showing specials. Of course I had the steel-cut oatmeal with toast ($5.99). As usual I asked for wheat toast and was offered a choice. They have a walnut wholewheat toast so I had to try that. Tom went for one of the specials, an Eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon ($11.25). The coffee by the way was very good ($1.75).
With ‘lighthouse’ in the name of the cafe, that was the obvious theme for the decor. A couple of large pictures depicted lighthouses and a shelf, which ran the length of one wall, was crammed with all manner of model lighthouses. Right next to us was a 4 foot high wooden lighthouse with shelves cut into it. Of course each shelf sported a model of a lighthouse. There were several other photos, including an old one showing the Winston Hotel which originally stood on the site. Also a large photo of Holly’s and a black and white photo of a surfer.
A local radio station played softly in the background. It is amazing how fast the cafe filled up and muted chatter was going on all around. Along with the cheerful server, it all created pleasant ambience.
My oatmeal came in a round bowl and it looked the real deal. The brown sugar and raisins were served in small white ceramic bowls and the milk in a small white ceramic jug. The walnut toast came on a plate with the oatmeal. Tom’s Eggs Benedict looked very attractive. Such a pity one of the eggs was a little undercooked and Tom found a hair in it halfway through his meal. My oatmeal was good but it could have been a little warmer. The toast though was crispy and delicious.
The restroom (directions, turn left at the lighthouse) was different. It was small and narrow but it had been artistically painted. One wall depicted ivy. The wall by the sink had a geometric donut and coffee cup and saucer pattern. On another wall a small portrait in a frame had been painted and the end wall had a window painted on it with a beach view. Almost unnoticed at the top of the painting was a small plane advertising Holly’s Cafe.
Would we go there again? Probably. I guess we were unlucky to have a hair show up in our food and we probably should have mentioned it at the time.
August 29 2010 12:51 pm | Breakfast Log
