Bakersfield Life

Breakfast in Bakersfield

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 Made up of two Bakersfield natives and two longtime residents, the Food Dudes are four friends with a simple mission: to find the best food and drink the Central Valley has to offer. The idea evolved from a desire to take a step beyond the typical water-cooler discussions of who has the best burger in town, or where to get outstanding sushi. The Food Dudes were formed to discover those secret spots and local favorites in order to try and answer those questions. Kern County has a long history of great food and great places to eat, and our mission is to find them. This month they headed to 24th Street Café and Milt’s Coffee Shop to weigh in on breakfast.David:     The Dudes’ recent travels consisted of stops at two landmark diners, 24th Street Café and Milt’s. Where to begin? Well, if you are in the mood for a good old-fashioned country-style breakfast then Milt’s is the place. The staff greets you at the door with a friendly smile and is conscientious of everyone’s needs. On the other hand, 24th Street Café has that unique “city” vibe. Once you’re seated, the staff works hard to make customers feel like family. Frankly, these two cafes are good places for anybody to come, eat, and enjoy great meals. Kevin:     While it may seem difficult for a coffee shop to stand out in a town full of great breakfast spots, the good folks at Milt’s and 24th Street Café make it appear effortless.  Not only does their standard fare stand out, you just can’t order wrong from the specials menu. The shrimp scramble at Milt’s with mushrooms and jack cheese would be my new favorite if not for the delicious cream-filled apple crepes and at least six other specials I can’t wait to try. The portabella mushroom omelet at 24th Street was a mouth-watering, well-balanced dish, great for breakfast or lunch. Chris:     We were fortunate enough to review two well-known Bakersfield restaurants. The Dudes, avoiding breakfast overload, split it into two weekends. Good call on our part! Milt’s and 24th Street Cafe both offer essentially the same base menu. Staples such as trout and eggs, chicken fried steak and eggs Benedict are great. Specials such as the linguica sausage omelet and portabello mushroom omelet are standouts at 24th Street while the tasso ham omelet, fresh apple crepes and carrot cake pancakes were scrumptious at Milt’s. Kudos to go to Milt and Delores Huggs for establishing “a happy place for hungry people” and to son Mark who has kept the tradition alive while keeping things fresh.  Bill:     We visited two of Bakersfield’s iconic breakfast location, 24th Street Cafe and Milt's Coffee Shop. Both restaurants have been owned and operated by the Huggs family for decades. The 24 Street Cafe has a relaxed atmosphere and the wide selection of specials that will please everyone. I had an old standard, chicken fried steak and eggs, my favorite. This is a breaded tender, beef steak covered with country gravy, served with two eggs, hash browns and biscuits and gravy.   Milt’s Coffee Shop is always one of my favorites. This is one of the last truck stop style coffee shops around. Here I tried several items and all of them were fantastic. One of their best would be the tasso ham omelet. This omelet is made with Cajun hot and spicy ham, sautéed mushrooms, green onion, wine and Jarlsberg cheese. You won’t go away disappointed by any selection from these two Bakersfield dinning treasures.