Copper Cafe and Bakery — Restaurant in San Luis Obispo

You know.... as a kid in the 60"s and 70's I recall going to many events geared to my parents and to the kids of that time. In this light... eating at the copper cafe. Going to the gift shop; well it's the low ceiling. The choice of music, and well... it felt like eating st someplace at Disneyland or a steakhouse - passed over and forgotten in time( hey! It was all good and comforting) I saw a wedding compliment and a few other private parties complete with beautiful young women in skin tight clothes and young men in fancy hey- poloy suites. Class and clean cut mixed with the screams of current fashions. What a view! I am trying to hold a conversation with Lady Myra but the passing legs in tight parading by my table kept interrupting my train of thought! The dining tables appear to be made of copper with a gloss finish(and scratches from being there over time) The waiters and waitresses get younger as I get older! And I do appreciate genuineness as well as good service. He told me they did not have the 16 oz beer so I ordered the 20 oz beer( end of the world- triple ale from Canada or Fin de Monde)He said he never heard of it before(hell! Neither did I but it was a lot more than 8oz and that I'd what I'm used to( pints mostly) appetizer was some sort of finger potatoes fried with sea salt and parmesan cheese. We both had hot beef sandwiches with cheddar cheese( they say a slice on menu but it is a generous sprinkle) with salad or Cole slaw. We had one of each. The blue cheese dressing is great but not enough. The Cole slaw is homemade ir so it taste The beef served on homemade bread with homemade mash potatoes and thick gravy( again - to me- not enough,) but good and yearning for more! Lady Myra declared her meat was tried tip and excellent.( whom am I to challenge a subject of the Queen!) I found my sandwich chewy and difficult to break down by continuous chewing. The waiter was attentive and asked 3 times : how we are doing" Lady Myra dropped her pink napkin"( the whole place used to be painted pink!) I caught his gaze and he immediatly replaced her nappy! Hey! I had fun and we had leftovers to take home. We went to a corner across from the cashier desk - it was full of desserts. I bought 2-4 cookies of each from 6 or 7 glass cookie jars of a wide variety. As well as coffee cakes for tomorriw,(Sunday A.M. breakfast) Okay I am rambling- overall- it feels like,( for me!) Like I walked into some sort of restaurant in Disneyland - familiar( for folks of my age)and comforting. The drink menu is something one must ask for (and not enough Gin drinks,) it did carry beer selections but I propose Pint beers in a...

This review is for the Madonna in Copper Café and bakery

My visit there was on a Sunday, mid morning, and the place was packed!

Located just off of Highway 101, with a convenient freeway exit named Madonna Road, and an easy Access back onto the freeway when you're ready to head north or south to your final destination.

Luckily, there were several seats available at the breakfast bar. And, after I perch to myself upon a comfortable cushioned bar chair, I was readily greeted by Steve, a formable waiter, who memorizes your orders without taking notes! A friendly fellow, most happy to serve and provide you with whatever you need for your meal.

I ordered the fiesta omelette, and, my oh my, what a plentiful plate of tasty food… I think I gained 2 pounds just looking at the damn meal, as my mouth drool for the first bite.

I don't normally leave any food on my plate, but this time, it was a bit too much for me to consume every morsel

But wait, there's more…

Along with the meal you see in the picture, what you don't see is the giant size biscuit that was served with fresh strawberry jam and butter! Which I ate before my meal arrived. That was the reason why I couldn't finish the meal.

The large biscuit was soft, fluffy and warm. Add to that the strawberry jelly and the melted butter, and that my friends is your dessert!

No need to spend $12.95 for a slice of pie, lol.

The only negative aspect that I saw and experienced, was the long staircase down to where the bathrooms were located.

If you have any kind of mobility issues, there's no way you can get down to those bathrooms that I could see other than the steep staircase.

So, grabbing onto the rail for dear life, I took it one step at a time, I made it safely to the bottom. In the men's bathroom there are plenty of mirrors, carved wood bathroom stalls and an old-fashioned water cranking device that wasn't quite working right.

Other than that, the experience of revisiting this restaurant after not having been there for 25 years, the place look exactly the same at this recent visit.

When driving up or down the 101 freeway, Madonna Inn restaurant is a must stop location location!

Cheers, bon appétit!

( minus one star because of the steep staircase down to the bathrooms with no visible means of mobility challenged people, or wheelchair-bound people to access the...

My mother and I drove 20 miles to enjoy a special dessert in honor of her 90th birthday at the Madonna Inn’s Copper Café. Unfortunately, the experience fell short of our expectations.

While our server was polite, he appeared rushed and distracted throughout our visit. He did not ask if we would like beverages, and service felt generally hurried. Shortly after placing our order, the desserts were delivered: the ice cream sundae arrived in a drippy glass without a plate, and the large slice of the “world-famous” Black Forest cake à la mode was served on a plate far too small to accommodate it.

The sundae was acceptable, though unremarkable. However, the Black Forest cake was deeply disappointing — it was a plain, flavorless chocolate cake layered with whipped cream, lacking the signature elements that define a traditional Black Forest cake. After sampling it, we both left it uneaten.

When the server eventually returned — after a long wait — he promptly collected our payment before we had a chance to voice our concerns. Upon his return, I asked him to slow down so I could ask whether the dessert I received was, in fact, the Black Forest cake I ordered. He explained that the cherries typically used in the cake had run out, so a substitute version had been served without informing us. A manager then arrived and gave a different explanation, saying the café offers two versions of the Black Forest cake — one with cherries and one without — but this distinction was never communicated when I ordered.

This left us feeling misled, especially given the $15.95 price for a slice of cake that bore little resemblance to the traditional dessert. Although the manager offered a refund, she later returned to say she was not authorized to issue cash back and instead offered a take-out dessert as a substitute.

Unfortunately, the entire experience was disappointing and not at all the celebratory outing we...