Breakfast in the Redwoods at Alice’s Restaurant in Woodside, CA
Breakfast in the Redwoods at Alice’s Restaurant in Woodside, California
There are plenty of places to order eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast. Finding a place where you can enjoy them among the redwoods while classic cars, sports cars, and motorcycles roll into the parking lot is a little harder.
That’s part of the experience at Alice’s Restaurant in Woodside, California.
My husband and I arrived around 9 a.m. on a Sunday, right as the morning crowd was beginning to build. A line had already formed outside, and it looked a little intimidating when we first walked up. Thankfully, it moved quickly.
Alice’s works differently than a traditional sit-down restaurant. You place your order outside, find a table, and then your food is brought to you. We chose to sit inside, but there is also outdoor seating where you can eat beneath the redwoods and keep an eye on the growing collection of cars and motorcycles outside.
A Simple Breakfast Done Right
I ordered the two-egg breakfast with bacon, potatoes, and sourdough toast.
One of the first things they asked was whether I wanted my jam upfront and which flavor I preferred. It was a small detail, but one I appreciated. It always bums me out when strawberry jam is missing from the table, so being able to request it before sitting down felt like a tiny breakfast win.
The eggs were fluffy, and the potatoes had a light pepper-and-onion flavor that added something to the dish without taking over. Even the sourdough toast was done properly. It was golden and crisp without being too light or burned around the edges.
My husband ordered the same two-egg breakfast with sunny-side-up eggs and sausage. We both had coffee, which was also good.
It was a basic American breakfast, but you might be surprised by how many restaurants fall flat on the basics. Alice’s isn’t one of them. Our food arrived fairly quickly, especially considering how many people were already in line.
How Alice’s Became a Woodside Landmark
Long before Alice’s became a weekend destination, the property served an entirely different purpose.
According to the restaurant’s official history, the building dates back to the early 1900s, when it supplied the logging community around what was then known as Four Corners. The building continued serving the surrounding mountain community until the 1950s, when it was converted into a restaurant.
Alice and Lee Taylor purchased the property around 1960 and divided the work between them. Alice took charge of the restaurant, while Lee handled the gas station and automotive repair business next door. Alice renamed the restaurant after herself, and the name remained even after the property changed hands.
With food, fuel, and auto repairs available in one place, the property was well positioned to become a roadside gathering spot. Its location in the Santa Cruz Mountains helped too.
During the 1960s and early 1970s, the communities surrounding Woodside and nearby La Honda attracted musicians, writers and people connected to the Bay Area counterculture. According to Alice’s co-owner Andy Kerr, Ken Kesey, Joan Baez and Hunter S. Thompson were among the restaurant’s customers during that period, as reported in a SFGATE feature about Alice’s history.
There is also a common misconception about the restaurant’s name. This is not the Alice’s Restaurant featured in Arlo Guthrie’s famous song. That story took place in Massachusetts and involved a different Alice. The shared name may have caused decades of confusion, but the Woodside restaurant has a history all its own.
Today, Alice’s continues to attract an interesting mix of locals, families, hikers, cyclists, tourists, motorcyclists, and drivers exploring the mountain roads.
The Parking Lot Is Part of the Experience
While we ate breakfast, the parking lot gradually began to look like a miniature car show.
Sports cars and classics lined the property alongside rows of motorcycles. Some people sat back and admired them from a distance, while others walked around the parking lot taking photos of their favorites.
That is one of the things that makes Alice’s different from a typical breakfast stop. People don’t necessarily finish eating and leave. They linger, look at the cars, and wait to see what arrives next.
Alice’s sits near the intersection of Skyline Boulevard and Highway 84, two roads known for their curves, mountain scenery, and access to the surrounding redwood forests. The location makes the restaurant a natural meeting point for weekend drives and motorcycle rides.
There isn’t a scheduled car show required to create the scene. The parking lot fills organically as people arrive for breakfast or meet before heading back onto the road.
On any given weekend, you might see vintage classics parked near modern sports cars, high-end exotics, custom builds, or motorcycles you don’t encounter every day. The selection is always changing.
Half the fun is waiting to see what comes around the bend and into the lot next.
Don’t Skip the Gift Shop
Before leaving, stop inside the small gift shop next door.
The shop carries Alice’s T-shirts, hats, beanies, books, and other souvenirs. It doesn’t take long to browse, but it is worth a look, especially if this is your first visit or you want something to remember the drive.
Gas is also available beside the restaurant, making it easy to fill up before continuing your drive.
What to Know Before Visiting Alice’s
Alice’s Restaurant is located at:
17288 Skyline Boulevard
Woodside, California 94062
The restaurant sits in the small mountain community of Sky Londa, near the meeting point of Skyline Boulevard and Highway 84.
A few things to know before you go:
Sunday mornings get busy early.
The line may look intimidating, but ours moved quickly.
You order outside before finding a table.
Your food is brought to you after you sit down.
Indoor and outdoor seating are available.
Parking is limited and can fill quickly.
Nice weekends bring out plenty of motorcycles and interesting cars.
Leave time to walk around the parking lot and visit the gift shop.
Check the Alice’s Restaurant website for current hours and menu information before making the drive.
We arrived around 9 a.m. on Sunday. A line was already forming, but it moved quickly, and our food arrived without a long wait.
Is Alice’s Restaurant Worth Visiting?
Between the food, prices, quick service, unusual history, and redwood setting, Alice’s is worth the drive.
You don’t need to own a motorcycle or know anything about classic cars to enjoy it. Come for a good breakfast, stay to see what rolls into the parking lot, and then continue exploring Skyline Boulevard and the surrounding Santa Cruz Mountains.
Breakfast in the redwoods surrounded by a miniature car show on a Sunday morning in California?
You really can’t go wrong.
