On a recent early Sunday afternoon, things at the Original Saugus Cafe looked just about the same as they would at any greasy spoon. Families feasted on stacks of fluffy pancakes and orders of eggs Benedict as servers hustled around the dining room to top off coffee in thick, diner-style mugs.
The restaurant, tucked away in Newhall, the oldest community in the city of Santa Clarita, looks at first glance like most local diners. There's the rustic patina, the busy breakfast clientele and the menu of all-American comfort food staples. But the Original Saugus Cafe is more than that: It's the oldest operating restaurant in Los Angeles County. And despite its normal appearances -- a narrow dining room outfitted with a long counter with sky-blue stools and spacious booths in the same hue -- Saugus Cafe, as it's colloquially known, has a history that's as rich as the thick gravy draped over its morning biscuits.
From its early days as a railroad cafe to a destination serving Old Hollywood icons, this 138-year-old cafe about an hour north of Los Angeles is a true California diamond hidden in the rough.
The history of Saugus Cafe corresponds with the construction of the Saugus rail station, part of the Southern Pacific rail line that dramatically reshaped Southern California. The San Fernando train tunnel had recently opened nearby, and the Santa Clarita area was slowly becoming a viable residential valley just outside of LA, which was itself a West Coast city on the rise. Just a few short years later, from 1890 to 1900, LA's population would more than double -- thanks in no small part to the railroads.
The cafe was originally opened as the Saugus Eating House by James Herbert Tolfree in 1886 (or as late as 1888, as some reports state). He operated it at the north end of the depot. Both the train stop and the restaurant were named after local developer Henry Newhall's hometown of Saugus, Massachusetts. In 1899, the name was changed to Saugus Cafe by two brothers, Richard R. and Martin Wood, who took over the deed from Tolfree.
According to the blog SCV History, the depot was likely the only building in town, which had something of a Wild West feel. The blog states that one woman, Helen Wood Cone, "recalled local cowboys, bored with nothing to do, taking 'pot shots' at the station and using northbound trains for target practice."
As time progressed, and the Southern Pacific line cemented itself as a major connector between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Saugus Cafe became a pit stop for dignitaries both local and national. President Benjamin Harrison had a meal there while he was campaigning for reelection in 1891, and Theodore Roosevelt reportedly enjoyed a New York steak at the cafe in 1903. Even Los Angeles politicians like former Mayor Fred Eaton, who had breakfast in 1904, made it a point to stop in.
The cafe moved across the street to its current location in 1916. Around that time, the Santa Clarita area became a popular filming location for Hollywood (as it still is), and Saugus Cafe became a destination for directors like John Ford and D.W. Griffith, as well as stars like Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford. In 1938, Marlene Dietrich even filmed the movie "Seven Sinners" behind the restaurant.
Other Old Hollywood celebrities that have graced the cafe with their presence include Clark Gable, John Wayne, Gary Cooper and Frank Sinatra.
The cafe has changed owners several times over the decades and has even seen a couple of closures, first in 1943 due to financial strain around World War II, and once again in 1983. Neither lasted long, as both times another party swooped in to save the restaurant. Still, some change has been inevitable. For decades, the place was known for being open 24/7, but that, too, ended eventually. In 1998, the cafe was sold to longtime employees Gay Libby and Alfredo Mercado; Mercado still owns it today.
Despite its nondescript appearance, Saugus Cafe is still an anchor for locals who come to enjoy breakfast or have a cocktail at the classic dark-wood, mirrored bar in the back. (Yes, you read that correctly.) And it's not unusual to see a Metrolink train roll by across the street during a meal, a reminder of the place's earliest days. In 2022, the cafe was awarded a plaque from the Order of E Clampus Vitus, an organization dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of the American West.
The cafe has even maintained its ties to Hollywood, with shows like "CSI" and movies like "Boys on the Side," starring Drew Barrymore and Whoopi Goldberg, filming scenes there in more recent years.
These days, the menu may not change your life -- although it's honest food served in very hearty portions. On a recent visit, an order of the cafe's well-known chicken-fried steak was nicely crisped and absolutely slathered in white gravy. The pancakes were lighter than expected and served with a perfect scoop of butter. And the service was cheery and prompt with the coffee refills, just like you'd expect from a neighborhood diner.
Santa Clarita has become a boomtown not just for the entertainment industry but for families looking to escape LA for a slightly less expensive life. A lot has changed up there, but Saugus remains -- and yes, you can still take the train to enjoy a bite of history.