Hwy 101, LA to SF: Part II

How does one drive to Los Angeles and still keep their sanity? By driving on Highway 101 and stopping at small independent eateries the entire trip there. On Tuesday, I covered the drive north from Los Angeles to Pismo Beach. Today, I have three favorite places between Pismo Beach and San Francisco.

GOOD OL' BURGERS
1145 24th Street
Paso Robles, CA
805-238-0655

If you have by chance been to Good Ol' Burgers in the past, you will do a double-take when arriving at the newly rebuilt store. The old establishment was a small shack in a parking lot right off 101. Recently, it seems that the shack was torn down and a small strip mall was built instead -- complete with a drive-through Starbuck's. Luckily, however, Good Ol' Burgers still exists, and still makes great burgers. "Order Up!" you'll hear when your burger and fries are ready -- each burger is made to order. The fries are delicious as well, and the burger and fries make a great on-the-road meal.

COFFEE STATION
1199 Mission Street
San Miguel, CA
805-467-2100

My boyfriend is a photographer when he is not working at his day job, and he has recently become enamored of a small town north of Paso Robles called San Miguel. It's a very small, mostly rundown town that has a lot of old buildings that he is having fun shooting. Luckily for me, San Miguel is home to a small coffee shop called Coffee Station. It's a perfect place to sit and read a book while Jason is off taking photos. The service is friendly, and the proprietors sell several sweet and savory items in addition to coffee drinks.

FALAFEL'S DRIVE IN
2301 Stevens Creek Blvd
San Jose, CA
408-294-7886

I originally heard of Falafel's Drive In from Chowhound. Posts to Chowhound raved about their delicious falafels and great banana shakes. This small store has been in existence in San Jose for nearly forty years. The line is often long, but moves quickly. It is near the 880 freeway, and is a perfect stop for your road trip. The Middle Eastern menu featuring falafel, gyros, kufta kebab and other delicious items is great for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. And make sure to save room for a banana shake!