A line around the block, even in the rain? Yep. That's the Silver Spur, which is arguably one of the best breakfast spots in town. All the locals know it, and the tourists seem to have found out, too. Your wait is comfy, though: hot coffee is in an urn outside, and you can help yourself to a bottomless cup. Serving breakfast and lunch six days a week (closed on Sundays), the Silver Spur diner is as comfortable as a pair of old shoes. Booths and tables with captains chairs are packed with young, old, and everyone in between (surfers, yupsters, and lovers who've obviously dragged themselves out of bed). Although new owners bought the place in 1998, the restaurant still uses the original pancake recipe from 1963. Forty years of happy diners is saying something.
Don't be fooled; while the menu may read "traditional," it's anything but generic. Biscuits and many baked goods are made in-house. And while the cowboy theme may appear on coffee cups and menus, don't expect burned toast and bitter coffee. The care that goes into each dish is palpable. Home fries are made with rosemary, and the hollandaise fairly sings with fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Omelets, scrambles (available with organic tofu), huevos rancheros, pancakes, French toast, and all the typical sides (oatmeal, granola, gravy, bananas, and more) fill out the breakfast half of the menu. On the other side, you'll find lunch items that are standard, but which also include BBQ, teriyaki, quesadillas, and house specials.
On the morning we were there, the specials included Eggs Benedict, chorizo scramble, fresh swordfish or salmon with scrambled eggs, orange poppyseed pancakes, corned beef hash and eggs, skirt steak and eggs, and chicken-fried steak and eggs. Besides coffee or tea, you can get chai, soda, Odwalla juices, Martinelli apple juice, or even a milkshake made with Marianne's (local legend) ice cream. The kids menu is ample, and all soups and desserts are homemade.
Every time we go (it's just a couple of blocks from our house), it's always been worth the wait. Good folks doing good business, the right way: consistently, cheerfully, and with attention to flavors, freshness, and value.
NOTE: Photos coming soon!
Silver Spur web site.