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When I'm on the road, I prefer to start my day off with a stick-to-my-ribs breakfast, preferably with a plate of biscuits and gravy, and a hot cup of coffee on the side. Fast food is ok for dinner, but it's just not my "thing" for breakfast. I also like to sit at a table, choose from a menu, and enjoy coffee that is poured into my cup by an attentive server. If the aforementioned describes the way you like to start your day, and you're in Ludlow, CA, the only game in town is the Ludlow Coffee Shop.
Photo: Ludlow Coffee Shop is located across from the Chevron Gas Station, and it's owned by the same people. Note the name Coffee Shop is on the sign, and painted on the roof of the building. There seems to be some confusion about the name of the restaurant, as both the names Coffee Shop and Café are used interchangeably... not to mention the name of the street is confusing as well... is it Crucero Road or is it National Trails Highway? Note the road sign, as it seems to be confused as well. After I checked into the Ludlow Motel for the night, I pondered this mighty question, and I resolved to find to answer to my dilemma -- any way I could. Since the Coffee Shop is the only restaurant in town that offers a real, sit-down breakfast, I decided to pay them a visit in the morning, not only to enjoy a delicious breakfast, but to have my eternal question answered.
Photo: What is the name of the road? Is it Ludlow Drive or National Trails Highway? To top it off, most addresses in town give Crucero Road as their address... Heck, it's just historic Route 66, as any address in Ludlow is easy to find. I've enjoyed the fine cuisine before, and wrote an extensive article about my January 1, 2009 visit to the restaurant, so I'll skip the descriptions. Suffice to say on this Monday morning, March 16, 2009, the decor was as rustic as ever, and the waitress on duty, Linda, was dressed just as "folksy" as the restaurants that I'd had the pleasure to meet during my previous visit. After a menu was placed on my table, and my first cup of coffee was poured, it was time to get down to serious business, to find out the name of the restaurant. (I already knew what I wanted to order for breakfast...) The menu offers no clues... so when Linda came to take my order, I popped the question to her, "Is the name of this place the Ludlow Café, or the Ludlow Coffee Shop?" She answered, "Both," as I placed my order of two eggs, over easy, home style potatoes, and biscuits and gravy on the side.
Photo: The first thing you see when you walk into the restaurant is the breakfast counter. Linda is behind the counter, and I stand in the door, with the sun to my back, snapping a silhouette of a self-portrait. Perhaps the name Ludlow Café could be somewhat misleading, as an uninformed traveler could easily become confused with the predecessor of the restaurant, the Ludlow Café, which is a long-closed, burned-out hulk from the glory days of Route 66. Linda did go on to tell me that since so many people confuse the present operation with the relic of the past, that the official name of the establishment is the Ludlow Coffee Shop, but they're happy to cash-in on the identity of the old restaurant. Now that solves the riddle of the name of the restaurant!
Photo: My breakfast is on the table in front of me, as I snap the inside of the main dining room from table level. The gentleman in the photo was the only other customer, on this sunny March Monday morning, at 0715.
Photo: My breakfast of home style potatoes, fried eggs over easy, biscuits and gravy, and a cup of hot coffee. This is, perhaps, my favorite breakfast combination, especially when I'm on the road. Like my last visit, my breakfast was cooked to order, and done to perfection. Unlike my previous visit, my breakfast arrived in a timely manner, which was a welcome change. Maybe they read my previously published review of the restaurant? The food was delicious, the service was good, my coffee cup was always full, and the price was right.
Photo: Linda graciously snaps my photo, as I'm about ready to enjoy a delicious breakfast. The breakfast cost only $6.40, the coffee was only $1.25, but I left her $11.00 and told her to keep the change. Ludlow Coffee Shop is a modern-day Ludlow institution, and carries on the highway tradition of historic Route 66. When you're visiting Ludlow, and you're in the mood for a great meal, I'd highly recommend that you pay Ludlow Coffee Shop a visit. Ludlow
Coffee Shop Copyright(c) 2009 eRench Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. This site has been on the web since December 22, 2002. Web page design has been created by eRench Productions, Inc., custon photography for any occasion...
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