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Denny's (Gone)
Santa Monica, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Along Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica, this Denny’s had a look of its own. The building departed from the familiar boomerang designs associated with the chain, but still offered plenty of classic coffee shop character.

Denny’s occupied the corner of Lincoln and Colorado from 1968. For decades, it provided a familiar meal stop near downtown, with architecture worth noticing before anyone reached the menu.

The property was sold to a housing developer in 2012, placing the restaurant’s future within the changing downtown landscape.

UPDATE: The photographed Denny’s at 1560 Lincoln Boulevard closed. Its property was sold for redevelopment after a long run as a neighborhood coffee shop. 10-26

Farmer's Restaurant (formerly Sheri's Restaurant)
Inglewood, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Near the Forum in Inglewood, Farmer’s Restaurant occupied a coffee shop with an architectural pedigree worth noticing. Originally called Sherri’s, the building was completed in 1958 to a design by Martin Stern Jr.

Stern later became well known for large Las Vegas hotel and casino projects, but this smaller restaurant showed how much imagination could fit into a neighborhood meal stop. The playful Googie lines gave passing motorists something to admire without a trip to the Strip.

After its coffee shop years, the building took on other uses, including nightclub operations and the Cafetales name. Different crowds came through the doors while the distinctive design remained part of the attraction.

UPDATE: The former Sherri’s and Farmer’s building survived through later commercial uses. Its 1958 design remains a notable piece of Inglewood’s mid-century architecture. 10-26

King Taco (Remodeled to Yoshinoya and former Norm's)
Long Beach, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

A familiar roofline could cause a double take at King Taco on Long Beach Boulevard. The restaurant name had changed, but the building still carried the recognizable appearance of its earlier life as a Norm’s coffee shop.

Designed by the architectural practice associated with Armet and Davis, the former coffee shop brought angular roadside styling to another menu. Apparently the building was quite willing to serve tacos after its breakfast days.

Later remodeling and a Yoshinoya identity added another chapter. The photograph catches the property during its King Taco period, when the old coffee shop shape was still easy to recognize.

UPDATE: The photographed former Norm’s subsequently became Yoshinoya and was remodeled. This view preserves its earlier King Taco appearance. 10-26

Rae's Restaurant
Santa Monica, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The familiar green, white, and red exterior at Rae's Restaurant gives Pico Boulevard a coffee shop landmark worth a second look. Opened in 1958, this Santa Monica diner has kept the kind of neighborhood character that can make a simple breakfast stop memorable.

The sign and compact restaurant have also caught Hollywood’s attention. Rae’s appears in True Romance, where its neon gets a moment onscreen, and its film credits include Lords of Dogtown and Bowfinger. Apparently the old diner look photographs well with more than just pancakes in the frame. Fortunately, this is still a working restaurant, allowing customers to enjoy the setting without waiting for a movie crew to arrive.

UPDATE: Rae’s remains open at 2901 Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, continuing a restaurant history that began in 1958. 10-26

Tiny Naylor's (Remodeled and formerly Van de Kamp's)
Monterey Park, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The photograph catches Tiny Naylor’s in Monterey Park during one chapter of a building that began as a Van de Kamp’s restaurant. Its distinctive shape recalled the Dutch-themed coffee shops that once appeared throughout the Southland.

The windmill made these restaurants especially easy to recognize. Even with a different name on the property, the architecture could give away its earlier identity before anyone looked at the menu.

Later changes took more of that familiar look away. The windmill disappeared, the building was extensively remodeled, and Carrows became another name associated with the site.

UPDATE: The former Van de Kamp’s and Tiny Naylor’s was remodeled for Carrows. The original windmill is gone. 10-26

George's 50's Diner (formerly Grisenger's Drive-in)
Long Beach, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

At Atlantic Avenue and San Antonio Drive, George’s 50’s Diner carries on a Long Beach restaurant tradition that began as Grisinger’s Drive-in around 1950. Designed by Wayne McAllister, the building supplied its own roadside advertising through its distinctive appearance.

McAllister helped shape the look of Southern California drive-ins, and this corner offers a surviving example of that car-oriented dining era. The original restaurant name changed, but the connection to cruising remained.

UPDATE: George’s 50’s Diner remains open at 4390 Atlantic Avenue. The building was designated a Long Beach Historic Landmark in 2004. 10-26