Good Airport Cafe's in SOCAL?

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FlyingElvii

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flyingElvii
Visiting SoCal this weekend, and looking for a good airport restaurant to kill a lunch-time at. Any suggestions? Basically SNA up to SBA?
 
Camarillo or Santa Paula. The cafe at Santa Paula closes at 2pm.
 
Camarillo is great...and it gets busy on the weekend from both pilots and locals. Catalina has great atmosphere, food is pretty decent. SBA has easy access to the Beachside Cafe...great atmosphere and good food.
 
KEMT has good eats... they do close at 3pm... Cable airport is also fun to go to, and last time I was there had a good breakfast too... Flabob out in Riverside is good also.. and there are nice old airplanes to look at..
 
Fullerton KFUL.

Nice new cafe with modern aviation theme. Well done interior. Good view of the airport.

Also another vote for Cable.
 
Glenn D said:
Cable airport is also fun to go to, and last time I was there had a good breakfast too...
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If you go to Cable and show my app or website on your phone (or iPad) they will give you 25 cents off per gallon of fuel, FYI.
 
RalphinCA and Overdrive148 got my choices - FLO's at Chino, and Wings Cafe at KFUL. Both were pretty good, though I hear great things about Fligh126 cafe at Santa Paula (not been there... yet.)
 
Nice Mexican joint a short walk from the Santa Ynez (KIZA) airport.

Ok burger joint at oceano (L52)

Ok burger type diner at riverside (KRAL), caution there is also a FSDO on the field and a ATP Inc school

Nice Chinese at Big Bear (L35)

Chino has already been mentioned.

94th a Aero squadron, good food and really cool WWII aviation theme at Van Nuys (KVNY)
 
ircphoenix said:
You're doing it wrong. You go to Oceano so you can Uber it to Pismo and Old West Cinnamon Rolls.
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Ummm, sorry, YOU are doing it WRONG.

You go to Oceano so you can Uber it to Splash Cafe and get the clam chowder bread bowl with seafood topper THEN to Old West Cinnamon Rolls.
 
Well if we are out ubering each other, that would be Jockos in Nipomo FTW
 
I dunno - can you find FUL if you have never been there before?
 
You did not say if you had aircraft access while here - so I'm kind of assuming you're driving? Either way -

Here's the gouge:

Flo's at Chino's would be first for a non-local - because you have TWO major world class air museums on the field - and walking distance from multiple transient parking locations.

Flo's has pretty good pies - along with the MGTOW exceeding food they serve - I love their strawberry in season - peach too - so CNO would be my first choice- plus they usually have fuel price wars going on. Plus, as a pilot, you can park it at transient near Flo's or near the middle of field - and I'd just walk around and see who's hangar is open - you've got guys with Mustangs and Messerschmidts, Focke-Wulfs and Hellcats, Lightnings and Warhawks - you can see almost every type of aircraft known to man just walking the ramp there.

Next, if food is what you're after = Camarillo has Waypoint Cafe - weekends the more well-endowed waitresses are usually working - most of them are 35-40 and over - but still not bad looking. The tri-tip sandwich with au jus is what you want - get the onion rings instead of the fries - and that'll set you back $20 without a drink. Waypoint cafe is good food - but its not cheap.

Moving on - you can't beat KSBA for ambiance. Walk to the beach from Atlantic Aviation - you'll need to give them 15 gallons of $7 avgas to beat the $40 parking fee. Just buy it and shut up. The Beach cafe has decent main meal salads and sammiches - plus you can walk along the beach from Isla Vista to the river - the fishing pier is right there too - Atlantic had bikes the last time I was there.

Down San Diego way - Montgomery has the world famous Casa Machado on field = pretty decent mexican food - well - american mexican anyway.

KSEE has an aviation museum - and a Atlas ICBM sitting out front and cranky controllers.

Further north - F70 - French Valley is a busy little place on weekends - they have a 7a -3p cafe - serves usually airport junk food - nothing special - is a new helicopter museum which more like a big hangar with helicopter parts and an F-4 being restored.

coming up east - first is RAL - Riverside Muni - has a choke and puke - again - nothing special - parking is free - not sure if over night costs - but is what it is. Others have mentioned FLABOB. Classic old tymey airport. Needs a nickeodeon.

Then a little bit east you've got KREI - Redlands - has Hangar 24 brewery - costs nothing to park in transient - they have food and root beer as well.

Coming west first place is my home drome - Brackett - KPOC. Norms is an airport eatery which has been there forever - basic breakfast and lunch. If you're willing to get an Uber - about 2 miles away is a place called El Merendero - homestyle old school mexican waitressed by cranky old Mexican ladies who still know how to cook. Place has failed health inspection a few times but they always get it back -as you might expect - the food is pretty darn good - they make their own tortillas and refried beans - with lard - be forewarned its not for cardiac patients but its really good.

A little before POC is Cable - KCCB - Bob Cable, present majority owner lives around the corner from me = the largest and busiest privately owned airport on the planet. Has Maniac Mikes cafe - which is ok. The runway slopes downhill a little and definitely slopes right to left to the southwest - not that bad - but its noticeable. Good drainage. If you're interested in the area PM me.

I'll leave KEMT, KWHP, KOXR etc to others - KSMO everyone needs to land at once for the logbook entry - a decent place to eat in transient - plus a typical airport cafe - a short walk.
 
comanchepilot said:
I'll leave KEMT, KWHP, KOXR etc to others - KSMO everyone needs to land at once for the logbook entry - a decent place to eat in transient - plus a typical airport cafe - a short walk.
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The restaurant at KWHP, Rocky's has been closed for a few years now.
 
>> KSMO everyone needs to land at once for the logbook entry - a decent place to eat in transient - plus a typical airport cafe - a short walk << I had a turkey burger with sweet potato fries - yummy - at Spitfire Grill in SMO when I celebrated my first solo. I don't know if the food was really that good or was it the euphoria of the solo that I tasted but I liked the place ;) The other joint, Typhoon restaurant, closed last November.
 
comanchepilot said:
You did not say if you had aircraft access while here - so I'm kind of assuming you're driving? Either way -

Here's the gouge:

Flo's at Chino's would be first for a non-local - because you have TWO major world class air museums on the field - and walking distance from multiple transient parking locations.

Flo's has pretty good pies - along with the MGTOW exceeding food they serve - I love their strawberry in season - peach too - so CNO would be my first choice- plus they usually have fuel price wars going on. Plus, as a pilot, you can park it at transient near Flo's or near the middle of field - and I'd just walk around and see who's hangar is open - you've got guys with Mustangs and Messerschmidts, Focke-Wulfs and Hellcats, Lightnings and Warhawks - you can see almost every type of aircraft known to man just walking the ramp there.

Next, if food is what you're after = Camarillo has Waypoint Cafe - weekends the more well-endowed waitresses are usually working - most of them are 35-40 and over - but still not bad looking. The tri-tip sandwich with au jus is what you want - get the onion rings instead of the fries - and that'll set you back $20 without a drink. Waypoint cafe is good food - but its not cheap.

Moving on - you can't beat KSBA for ambiance. Walk to the beach from Atlantic Aviation - you'll need to give them 15 gallons of $7 avgas to beat the $40 parking fee. Just buy it and shut up. The Beach cafe has decent main meal salads and sammiches - plus you can walk along the beach from Isla Vista to the river - the fishing pier is right there too - Atlantic had bikes the last time I was there.

Down San Diego way - Montgomery has the world famous Casa Machado on field = pretty decent mexican food - well - american mexican anyway.

KSEE has an aviation museum - and a Atlas ICBM sitting out front and cranky controllers.

Further north - F70 - French Valley is a busy little place on weekends - they have a 7a -3p cafe - serves usually airport junk food - nothing special - is a new helicopter museum which more like a big hangar with helicopter parts and an F-4 being restored.

coming up east - first is RAL - Riverside Muni - has a choke and puke - again - nothing special - parking is free - not sure if over night costs - but is what it is. Others have mentioned FLABOB. Classic old tymey airport. Needs a nickeodeon.

Then a little bit east you've got KREI - Redlands - has Hangar 24 brewery - costs nothing to park in transient - they have food and root beer as well.

Coming west first place is my home drome - Brackett - KPOC. Norms is an airport eatery which has been there forever - basic breakfast and lunch. If you're willing to get an Uber - about 2 miles away is a place called El Merendero - homestyle old school mexican waitressed by cranky old Mexican ladies who still know how to cook. Place has failed health inspection a few times but they always get it back -as you might expect - the food is pretty darn good - they make their own tortillas and refried beans - with lard - be forewarned its not for cardiac patients but its really good.

A little before POC is Cable - KCCB - Bob Cable, present majority owner lives around the corner from me = the largest and busiest privately owned airport on the planet. Has Maniac Mikes cafe - which is ok. The runway slopes downhill a little and definitely slopes right to left to the southwest - not that bad - but its noticeable. Good drainage. If you're interested in the area PM me.

I'll leave KEMT, KWHP, KOXR etc to others - KSMO everyone needs to land at once for the logbook entry - a decent place to eat in transient - plus a typical airport cafe - a short walk.
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Good gouge. There is also Perris Valley, L65. Good chow and it's fun to watch the meat bombs playing. Call ahead on the phone and let them know you're coming though.
 
ircphoenix said:
I need to open a cafe at Torrance. Seems like everyone else has one.
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But you have Chuck E. Cheese's next to Robinson!

Seriously, there is a ton of restaurants at both ends of the runways.

Too bad Farrell's is gone. And Vince's. But you have the Black Bear Diner now.

To answer the OP, the ones I know of are at Camarillo, Big Bear, Lancaster, Van Nuys, Long Beach, and Catalina.

Oh, and LAX (Proud Bird)
 
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RalphInCA said:
Fullerton KFUL. Nice new cafe with modern aviation theme. Well done interior. Good view of the airport.
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Great to hear they got it together there. I rent from Fun Outside when I'm in the area and never thought much of that diner. Will give it a try the next time through. (Probably Thanksgiving)
 
MAKG1 said:
But you have Chuck E. Cheese's next to Robinson!

Seriously, there is a ton of restaurants at both ends of the runways.

Too bad Farrell's is gone. And Vince's. But you have the Black Bear Diner now.

To answer the OP, the ones I know of are at Camarillo, Big Bear, Lancaster, Van Nuys, Long Beach, and Catalina.

Oh, and LAX (Proud Bird)
Click to expand...

Yeah but there's not one ON the airfield. The saddest thing I've ever heard was "Torrance ground, we'd like taxi to the restaurant." "Aircraft calling ground... we don't have a restaurant." "Well then we'd like to taxi back to 29R."
 
ircphoenix said:
Yeah but there's not one ON the airfield. The saddest thing I've ever heard was "Torrance ground, we'd like taxi to the restaurant." "Aircraft calling ground... we don't have a restaurant." "Well then we'd like to taxi back to 29R."
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There used to be back in the day. 94th Aero Squadron.
 
mr_happyland said:
Camarillo is great...and it gets busy on the weekend from both pilots and locals. Catalina has great atmosphere, food is pretty decent. SBA has easy access to the Beachside Cafe...great atmosphere and good food.
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Beachside Cafe closed, location changed hands a couple times but has yet to reopen. Should reopen as The Ellwood later this year...
 
Read through the necro quickly, but didn’t see the bison burger at Catalina here…
 
How could you guys forget the Foster's Freeze at Chiriaco Summit (L77)?

C.
 
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