Cambria Cafe has been a local landmark in Cambria for two decades. Today, the cafe opened its doors for the last time.
About a month ago, owner Nanyeli Mendoza said she got the call. Her landlord chose not to renew the cafe's lease.
"So I only have two options: sell to him, or move to a new location," Mendoza said.
She chose to sell the cafe to her landlord, who plans to open a new restaurant at the location. It was a sad decision, she says, because the cafe has been a local pit stop for a long time.
"The community comes to have coffee," Mendoza said. "And now it's gonna be a new kind of restaurant. So I guess the community is going to miss that."
Regulars at her restaurant included locals from the American Legion and Odd Fellows. Children have grown up coming to the restaurant.
"When somebody comes, they know each other, from one table to another," she said. "This place has been here for many years. It's like a home."
The restaurant, located at 2282 Main St., served food and coffee seven days a week.
Mendoza worked each of those days. Now, she is looking ahead to retirement, where she plans to enjoy her family and her home.
"I think it's gonna be a little bit hard to adjust, but it is one thing that I need to do," she said. "Kind of slow it down."
Cambria Cafe attracted locals and travelers through the years.
Jesse Androtti, visiting the Central Coast from San Francisco, said he ate dinner at the cafe on Tuesday, but had to come back for breakfast the next morning.
He says it's a great restaurant.
"Customer service is great. The owner is great. And just the ambience," Androtti said, "The type of people who come here.
But more than anything, the food won him over.
"I would rate it five stars," he said.
Describing the cafe's charm, he said, "It's home grown. It's funkier. They put their love into their food."
Looking back on the Cambria Cafe, Mendoza says that she will miss everyone. But since Cambria is a small community, it may not be long before they run into each other.
"We're gonna see each other really often," she said.
