Royal Food Mart
San Diego, CA
Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey

Check out the neon at Royal Food Mart, a longtime neighborhood stop near San Diego's Banker's Hill and Hillcrest areas. The market dates back to 1910, with its familiar sign adding a glow to First Avenue since the 1930s. Quite a few grocery runs have passed beneath this one.

The old surroundings extend indoors, where a vintage wood-framed refrigerator retains its glass doors. The Chatterbox Cafe, a then-new addition brings a little 1990s coffee shop atmosphere to the old market.

UPDATE: Royal Food Mart remains open, with Joe's New York Style Deli inside. The vintage neon sign survives, keeping a familiar bit of neighborhood color along First Avenue. 10-26

Jimmy Wong's Golden Dragon (Closed)
University Ave., San Diego
Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey

After dark, there's little chance of overlooking Jimmy Wong's Golden Dragon Restaurant on University Avenue in San Diego. Check out that neon dragon above the entrance. Dinner may have brought customers here, but the sign offered something to admire before heading inside.

Jimmy and Annie Wong opened the restaurant in 1955. Jimmy designed the dragon himself, giving this Hillcrest dining spot a roadside calling card all its own. This is one worth seeing with the lights on.

UPDATE: Following the Wong family's sale in 2006, the restaurant became The Asian Bistro. The historic neon dragon survives above the entrance and continues to light up the old dining spot. 10-26

Rudford's Restaurant
San Diego, CA
Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey

Hungry for breakfast and it's already 3 a.m.? Rudford's Restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard in San Diego has long been a familiar answer to that problem. The neon outside offers a little reassurance that a cup of coffee and a seat inside aren't far away.

The restaurant opened in 1949, serving motorists and neighborhood customers through quite a few changes along the boulevard. President John F. Kennedy's motorcade even passed out front in 1963, a moment preserved in photographs. Most visits here are a little less eventful, with breakfast doing just fine as the main attraction.

UPDATE: Rudford's remains open around the clock, continuing its longtime role as a late-night meal stop. Its familiar neon survives, giving hungry motorists something to look for along El Cajon Boulevard. 10-26

Denny's Restaurant
El Cajon, CA
Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey

If it's 3 a.m. and hunger strikes near Magnolia in El Cajon, the familiar Denny's Restaurant sign once offered an easy suggestion. A Moon Over My Hammy or a burger might do the trick. At that hour, even another cup of coffee could sound like a plan.

Check out the neon on this location. The old standby had a little roadside color to go with the menu, giving passing motorists something more interesting than a plain panel announcing dinner.

UPDATE: This Denny's still retains its Googie coffee shop appearance. A little of the old roadside look hangs on along El Cajon Boulevard. 10-26

Kozak's Coffee Shop (Gone)
El Cajon, CA
Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey

For those late-night appetites that called for a different stop, Kozak's Coffee Shop on Main Street in El Cajon once had the neon to help make the decision. Even if a meal wasn't in the plans, the sign was worth a look after dark.

The Kozak family opened the diner in 1964, and its 24-hour service kept the place useful well past ordinary dinner time. Banana cream pie was among the favorites. Might as well leave a little room before finishing that last cup of coffee.

UPDATE: The family sold Kozak's in 2000, and the restaurant space went on to house Goody's Café and Hammurabi. The original neon sign tower was removed during the changes that followed. 10-26

Night & Day Cafe
San Diego, CA
Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey

Over on Orange Avenue in Coronado, the Night & Day Cafe gives hungry passersby a little neon encouragement. Check out the projecting marquee above this compact diner. There's something fitting about a sign like this lighting the way to a counter seat.

The cafe's roots reach back to 1927, when it began nearby as the D and D Cafe. It moved and took the Night & Day name in 1954. Inside, the close quarters and flat-top grill keep the old coffee shop atmosphere within easy reach.

UPDATE: The Night & Day Cafe remains open, and its neon marquee survives. It no longer operates around the clock, although late-night weekend hours keep some of the old tradition going. 10-26

Turf Club, 25th St.
San Diego, CA
Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey

A warm summer evening might be a good time to check out the Turf Club on 25th Street in San Diego. Of course, heading inside means leaving that summer evening outside. Oh well. The neon gives the stop a little color before the door opens.

Known as the Turf Supper Club, this Golden Hill spot has been around since the 1950s. Inside, customers cook their own dinner on a communal grill. A steak, a booth, and something from the jukebox make for an evening with a little more involvement than simply placing an order.

UPDATE: The Turf Supper Club remains open, continuing its grill-your-own tradition. Its colorful neon horse marquee survives above the entrance, keeping the roadside welcome lit. 10-26