Breakfast Pizza for Lunch in Newhall

The Breakfast Pizza is also a great lunch option. | Photo: Christine N. Ziemba

The Daily Harvest Cafe & Juicery in Newhall has been a go-to breakfast and lunch spot for many since its doors opened in 2015. Known for its cold-pressed raw juices — made in-house with organic ingredients — the cafe changes its food menus to include seasonal produce and other items.

One staple that hasn’t changed on the menu is the Breakfast Pizza ($13), which we had for lunch on Friday. It’s a simple dish that includes two baked sunny side up eggs, breakfast potatoes, green onions and basil on a flatbread with pecorino cheese. It usually comes with pancetta, but we ordered the pizza without it. (A gluten-free dough is also available for $3 more.)

The thin and crispy flatbread and the melted pecorino were the dish’s flavor highlights. Since we didn’t get the salty flavor of the pancetta to mix with the other ingredients, we asked for a side of salsa, which elevated the pizza. It’s a great choice for any meal of the day (though The Daily Harvest isn’t open for dinner).

Other options for breakfast (or lunch) include corn arepas with a choice of protein; an acai bowl with fruits and granola; avocado toast or kale avocado toast; a hearty beet salad; a chicken chopped salad; plus beer, wine and coffee drinks. Many of the cafe’s items are gluten-free and vegan, too.

Though not a new restaurant, just we wanted to shout out an oldie but a goodie the next time someone says there’s nothing but chains in Santa Clarita.

The Daily Harvest Cafe & Juicery
22722 Lyons Ave., Newhall
Open Monday through Sunday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Worth a Revisit: The Way Station in Newhall

The Way Station serves up endless cups of coffee and generous heapings of breakfast and lunch dishes. | Photo: Christine N. Ziemba

If you haven’t been (back) to the Way Station in Newhall, SCVFoodie suggests heading back to the Santa Clarita institution the next time you get the craving for decent diner food and nostalgia—in the form of license plates, old signs and history clips—dotting every inch of wall space.

Check out the Way Station’s walls filled with history. | Photo: Christine N. Ziemba

The Way Station, which has been around since 1971, makes no bones about itself: It’s a greasy spoon that does breakfasts and lunches well. They know that people don’t usually go there for the oatmeal and fruit plate (though you can). Customers head to the Way Station for the hearty dishes like a country fried steak, corned beef hash, eggs Benedict, et al.

Or better yet, you can’t go wrong ordering the Kris Special: Two eggs over an English muffin, topped with (sausage or chicken) gravy, with a generous heaping of hashbrowns and bacon or sausage; or the Thursday Special that’s available every day: Two eggs with a pancake or French toast with a half-order of bacon or sausage.

Our fav breakfast item, though, is a bit on the “lighter” side: the Morning Muffin, which is an English muffin with a fried egg, Canadian bacon, cheese and a plateful of hashbrowns. You can’t beat the price at $4.85, either. Add an unlimited cup of coffee for $1.75, and you’ll see why the Way Station has such staying power.

The breakfast sandwich at the Way Station is a bargain. | Photo: Christine N. Ziemba

Pro-tip for those visiting for the first time. The Way Station has two entrances, but the line for tables and spots at the counter forms at the back entrance. Be prepared to wait during rush hours, but the line moves fairly quickly for a small space.

Way Station
24377 Main St., Newhall
(661) 255-0222

Big Appetites Rejoice: Black Bear Diner Coming to Santa Clarita

Black Bear Diner is taking over the old Applebee’s location on Valencia Boulevard. | Image: Black Bear Diner

***Update: Both The Signal and KHTS are reporting that the diner will open Memorial Day (May 28).***

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For nearly a decade the Applebee’s space along Valencia Boulevard and Creekside Road has sat empty. It’s not that we missed the Applebee’s cuisine all that much, but large empty retail spaces are just downright depressing (yeah, we’re looking at you old Albertsons space in Westridge).

We’ve heard rumors for a couple years now that Black Bear Diner, an old-fashioned diner that started in Mt. Shasta more than 20 years ago, was coming to Santa Clarita. Now, it seems those rumors are true: You may have seen the sign out in front of the Applebee’s space that heralds the coming of the carved wooden bears and murals and forest kitsch decor.

And we can’t wait.

We’re always in the mood for breakfast, and Black Bear Diner serves it up all day long (though they serve up lunch and dinner, too). The portions are bear-sized, so be prepared to take home leftovers for your next meal. The Valencia location is slated to open in the early part of 2018, according to the Black Bear Diner website.

This is one of the few menu items that we can almost finish at the Black Bear Diner. Bear’s Choice: A Pancake, eggs and sausage. | Image: Christine N. Ziemba

In the meantime, we’ll just prepare mentally for our first bite of their buttermilk and sweet cream batter pancakes…or the Bigfoot Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs (with the biscuits and gravy)…the Housemade Meatloaf…the Machaca Breakfast Tacos…the ginormous Bear Claw…

You get the picture—Black Bear is poised to up the breakfast game in the SCV.

Dinner at Cathy’s Breakfast Cafe

Egg in a Nest at Cathy’s Deli.

Since Eric Tovar-Plummer took ownership of Cathy’s Breakfast Cafe and Deli (aka Cathy’s Deli on Lyons Avenue) last year, the longtime Newhall eatery has blossomed into arguably the best breakfast/lunch spot in Santa Clarita. Just try the pancakes, breakfast burritos or homemade jams (strawberry Earl Grey is our fav)—anything, really—and taste the care that goes into every item on the menu.

But now Tovar-Plummer diving into the unknown with Cathy’s: Starting today (Aug. 3), the cafe expands its hours past 3 pm to serve early dinner items until 7 pm, from Wednesdays through Sundays.

We caught a glimpse of the new menu items on a recent visit, and the offerings look as tempting as the breakfasts. A few that looked exceptionally tasty include:

>> Egg in a Nest: Steamed rice, pulled pork, a marinated six-minute egg topped with house-made teriyaki, green onions and sesame seeds. (See photo above. A friend tried this on a recent visit and said it was delicious. She ate it all before we could ask to verify that opinion.)

>> Brick Chicken: Boneless 1/2 chicken pan seared with a side of cauliflower mash and soup or salad.

>> T-bone, Skirt Steak or Pork chop and Fries: Your choice of protein with fries and soup and salad.

>> Pork Chop Milanese: House-breaded pork chop topped with bacon honey gravy, a side of cauliflower mash and soup or salad.

We have a feeling that if dinner catches on at Cathy’s, Tovar-Plummer will have to extend those new ours to accommodate the demand.

Cathy’s Breakfast Cafe and Deli
23120 Lyons Ave., Suite 24
Newhall
661.288.2217
Hours: 7 am to 3 pm on Mondays and Tuesdays,
7 am to 7 pm on Wednesdays through Sundays