The Original Saugus Cafe
Permanently Closed
Historic diner serving classic comfort food with a cocktail bar
Historic diner serving classic comfort food with a cocktail bar
"Regarded as one of Los Angeles’s oldest restaurants at 140 years old, this Santa Clarita cafe alarmed locals when news spread in late 2024 that it would close, but local reporting indicates it will instead reopen after renovations under a new owner, preserving its long-standing presence." - Mona Holmes
"Nestled in Newhall just below Santa Clarita, Saugus Cafe is Los Angeles County’s oldest standing restaurant and rewards patience: it takes time to get there and to learn to enjoy the simple pleasures the roadside diner offers, but fortunately time is something the place has in abundance." - Eater Staff
"The 138-year-old restaurant in Newhall (nearby Santa Clarita) is the subject of a writeup by SF Gate writer Karen Palmer chronicling its history; over the years the restaurant served the likes of President Benjamin Harrison and Theodore Roosevelt, as well as Hollywood stars Clark Cable, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, and Gary Cooper." - Matthew Kang
"I watched that Insider’s Food Wars included the iconic Saugus Cafe in Santa Clarita as one of the stops in its search for the best diner food in Los Angeles." - Matthew Kang
"The oldest restaurant in Los Angeles, Saugus Cafe in Santa Clarita has changed ownership multiple times over its 136-year run, a pattern that has allowed it to thrive for more than a century." - Cathy Chaplin