Lita's Cafe

Lita's Cafe is a family-owned breakfast and lunch room at 1973 Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa, a no-frills neighborhood place where many of the guests seem to know each other and the staff greets regulars by name. The cooking moves easily between two traditions: the American diner breakfast of eggs and griddle classics, and the Mexican morning plates that many Santa Rosa families grew up on. A Hawaiian note slips in too, a reminder that the menu has been shaped by the people who eat here rather than by a concept. The room is plain and friendly, the prices are fair, and the pace is unhurried. It is a local place visitors rarely find on their own, and one that tells you a great deal about everyday life in Santa Rosa.