Cayucos: Honey Girl Cafe; restaurant review

1 South

Honey Girl Cafe  

14 N Ocean Ave #122, (805) 900-5193.  Daily from 6:30 am.  

exterior of Honey Girl Cafe in Cayucos, California

The small Honey Girl Cafe offers a breakfast menu that includes espresso drinks, breakfast bowls, bagels, a basic smoothie, pastries, and muffins.  We ordered an acai bowl that was loaded with fresh fruit (blueberries, strawberries, and banana), a bagel with lox and trimmings, a lemon-poppy seed muffin, and coffees--all delicious.  This seemed straight-forward but took a long, long time for the spacey, bland baristas to accomplish.  I wish I’d left out the smoothie because it was made with packaged juice.  In an effort to get some fresh fruit into it, I asked them to add a banana (which cost additional, though that wasn’t mentioned until I saw the receipt).  One interesting thing though, the server put the mixer into a special cabinet and shut the door and the mixing noise was stifled immensely.  The lesson I learned here is to order simple if you are in a hurry--perhaps just a pastry and coffee.  Made-to-order sandwiches are available at lunch.  

interior and menu at Honey Girl Cafe in Cayucos, California

2020 pandemic update:  I love that this sweet spot is located just across the street from the motel I was staying at.  However, I did not love that they don’t have a website with a menu and don’t answer their phone.  I had been hoping to place an order to pick up.  Instead, it took about 30 minutes to complete the order on site.  And after all that, they didn’t bother to pack it up in a bag so that I could easily carry it away.  I had to ask them to do that, and then they put it in a hard-to-manage box.  Also, unfortunately, a group of old-timers were seated inside.  But fortunately, they were in the back, though several were not wearing masks and they had to pass waiting customers as they left.  The space inside for waiting is minimal, so we had to wait outside in the cold.  

boxed breakfast from Honey Girl Cafe in Cayucos, California

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images ©2021 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Cayucos: Schooners; restaurant review

1 South

Schooners  

171 N Ocean Ave., (805) 995-3883.  L-D daily; $$.  Reservations advised.  

exterior of Schooners in Cayucos, California

Situated near the pier and offering an ocean view, Schooners features a nautical theme with a rustic woodsy decor.  It brings to mind an old-time seafront.  The restaurant has plenty of sheltered outdoor dining.  Our table was out on a spacious second-floor terrace equipped with heaters and expansive windows, but unfortunately we were too late to enjoy the sunset so we looked out to darkness.  But that’s not to say we didn’t have a great time.  Turns out the music system seemed to be set to the ‘60s, so we were having a blast identifying songs by Steppenwolf, Jimi Hendrix, and more from the era.  This popular restaurant is known for its cocktails and seafood, but salads, burgers, and steaks also populate the menu.  We started with delicious Mouse Rock Mai Tais, which were so good and relaxing that we later ordered up a second round.  Their deliciousness comes from Appleton Estate rum, housemade orgeat, Orange Curaçao, and fresh lime.  Drinks here really are exceptional, and I plan to come back to try the Jalapeño-Pineapple Margarita and the Frothy Colada.  Because we shared everything, we got to try more items.  For the Cayucos Salad starter--a mix of lettuces with avocado, tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumber, and red onion--the cilantro-lime-mango dressing was so tasty that we threw calorie cares to the wind and asked for additional.  Crab cakes followed and included a side of more salad, though this one was enhanced with roasted corn and black beans.  The main-course halibut and chips was crispy-fried and satisfying(, but the chips were actually French fries.  Because it was my husband’s birthday, we selected for dessert the house specialty “Cayookie” to sub in as cake.  This over-the-top confection is in reality a cookie baked in and served in a small black iron skillet and topped with vanilla ice cream.  

Mai Tais at Schooners in Cayucos, California

Cayucos Salad at Schooners in Cayucos, California

Cayookie dessert at Schooners in Cayucos, California

2020 pandemic update:  Schooners has plenty of open-air dining space on both the first and second levels.  Tables are well spaced, and the wait staff wears masks and makes an effort to observe social distancing.  The menu is currently abbreviated, and cocktails to go are contained in glass Mason jars.  You can also visit Schooners virtually by attending one of its twice-monthly virtual happy hours.  

patio dining at Schooners in Cayucos, California

dining on upstairs deck at Schooners in Cayucos, California

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images ©2020 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Cayucos: Shoreline Inn; hotel review

 1 South

Shoreline Inn  

1 North Ocean Ave., (800) 549-2244, (805) 995-3681.  29 rooms.  Continental breakfast.  Some gas fireplaces.  Pets ok.  

Christmas lights at Shoreline Inn in Cayucos, California

Family owned and operated since 1981, this well-situated Shoreline Inn motel offers guest rooms with a view of the sand and surf.  A string of rooms in the original two-story strip motel all open to the ocean.  A rectangle of grass is immediately outside the first-floor rooms (perfect for children and dogs), and a staircase leads down to the sand.  First-floor rooms also have Adirondack chairs right outside the sliding glass door.  Upstairs beachfront units have private balconies.  Since you can park your car right outside your room, unloading is particularly easy.  A second building offers units that are a little posher and some have gas fireplaces.  An area with picnic tables and barbecue facilities is provided.  All this and it’s green, with solar panels providing most of the inn's power.  In December, this inn lights up with a dense, colorful holiday light display that is truly breathtaking. 

front exterior at Shoreline Inn in Cayucos, California

exterior of strip motel at Shoreline Inn in Cayucos, California

guest room in strip motel at Shoreline Inn in Cayucos, California

beach at Shoreline Inn in Cayucos, California

sunset over ocean at Shoreline Inn in Cayucos, California

2020 pandemic update:  Covid safety procedures are in effect.  A breakfast is no longer served.  Upon arrival, I opened the window and sliding door (they each have a screen) and found that allowed for plenty of ventilation in the room.  When my husband unwittingly also opened the front door, the resulting suction pulled out all the air and put my always-present virus concerns to rest.  For breakfast, Honey Girl Cafe is right across the street.  We brought our order back to our room and enjoyed it leisurely at our room’s convenient dining table while listening to the surf.  For dinner, Schooners restaurant is an easy two-block walk away. 

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Cayucos: Introduction; things to do

1 South

Introduction to Cayucos:  A Little Background

This quiet little beach town located 6 miles north of Morro Bay, and 12 miles south of Cambria, has a very wide main street and a string of cute, old-time, inexpensive motels.  Cayucos boasts both mild weather and a sandy beach with gentle surf where activities include swimming, surfing, and other water sports, as well as good tide pooling.  Lifeguards are on duty in summer.  Referred to as “the coolest small town in America,” the town definitely lived up to that title when I visited in early December--the temperature was so cold and the wind was so strong that I skipped my morning walk on the beach.  But this seasonal adversity only made me want to return, but next time in summer. 

beach and pier in Cayucos, California

town Christmas tree in Cayucos, California

Cayucos Pier

Built in 1872 and originally only 380 feet long, Cayucos Pier remained in shallow water and was not long enough for boats to anchor.  In 1876 it was lengthened to 982 feet, allowing ships to dock on the sides.  When the state took control later, 40 feet of pier was removed.  And damaged by a rough winter storm in 2013, the pier was finally closed.  But local residents rallied and raised $3.5 million to reconstruct it.  A little shorter than before, the town pier now measures 953 feet long.  A fishing license is not required to fish from the pier, which is lit for night fishing, and equipment rentals are available.  Picnic tables, play equipment, restrooms, and outside showers are provided near the entrance. 

dolphin statue at pier entrance in Cayucos, California

pier entrance in Cayucos, California

Brown Butter Cookie Company

The town’s main street--Ocean Avenue---is lined with well-maintained historical buildings that now hold a variety of boutiques, antiques shops, and restaurants. One noteworthy shop you don’t want to miss is the Brown Butter Cookie Company at #98.  Situated in a building nicknamed “Big Red,” this is the flagship shop where these locally-famous cookies are made by hand in the on-site bakery.  Each is rolled out by hand.  Their traditional cookies--Chocolate Chunk, Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter, Lemon Sugar, Snickerdoodle, Ginger Molasses, and Everything Cookie--and Honey cookies are available at this location only.  Visitors are greeted by the aroma of freshly baked cookies and given samples fresh from the oven. They know that once you taste one of the sweet-and-salty cookies, you’ll want more.  Another type of cookie is available in limited edition batches.  I tried the Spice version made October through December.  The small round cookies are like soft shortbread, and the flavors are true:  espresso, cocoa, spice, and the original--which is my hands-down favorite of the lot.  Retail shops are also located in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo.

exterior of Brown Sugar Cookie Company in Cayucos, California

interior of Brown Sugar Cookie Company in Cayucos, California

bakery area of Brown Sugar Cookie Company in Cayucos, California

bag of cookies from Brown Sugar Cookie Company in Cayucos, California

Cayucos Murals 

Cayucos Murals are found here and there.  Many artists have contributed their time and talent to enhancing walls throughout the town.  A tour map with a description of each mural and artist leads to the nine murals, starting at the elementary school.  Or you can visit each mural site virtually.  I even managed to find one that isn’t on the list. 

Old Cayucos Tavern mural in Cayucos, California

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images ©2020 Carole Terwilliger Meyers