By Casey Geier
Contributing Writer
Many local restaurants pride themselves on tradition, but few have been in business as long as the Longhorn Coffee Shop in Santa Ynez.
Founded in 1963, the family-owned cafe has been serving breakfast and lunch to valley residents and tourists for more than half a century.
If you are a morning person, the Longhorn is the place to be. The owner, Mike Moniot, can be seen working in the kitchen as early as 4 a.m. The restaurant may not officially open until 5:30, but chances are the staff will have already served coffee to the ranchers and other workers who start their day much earlier than most folks.
The manager, Debbie Jacobsen, has worked at the restaurant for more than six years but has known Moniot for more than 30. She often can be seen busing tables and serving customers. “We all help each other out because we’re all on the same team,” Jacobsen said.
The servers and cooks know the regular customers’ orders by heart, and if a regular doesn’t walk through the front door at his normal time, chances are he’ll be getting a worried call from the staff.
“We try and keep our locals happy, and we treat you like family. Our main goal is to make you feel like you’re at home,” Jacobsen said.
Police officers, blue-collar workers and ranchers routinely visit the cafe to get a taste of what is going on in the valley, along with some homestyle food. Two of the best sellers are Eggs Benedict and chicken-fried steak.
Moniot bought the restaurant with his wife Kelli on March 15, 1999, which happened to be the day that snow famously fell in the Santa Ynez Valley. The restaurant was originally owned by Fred Pelky and was sold to Bud and Peg Beaulieu in the early 1970s.
Mandy Pimentel, the newest waitress at the restaurant, worked at Mother Hubbard’s for four years before coming to the Longhorn.
“Everyone has welcomed me with open arms. I couldn’t be happier with the staff that we have,” said Pimentel. “One of my favorite things about working is seeing some of the same faces every day. People ask how I am doing, and they genuinely care.”
Pictures of locals cover the walls, and there is a story associated with each one.
A portrait of John Wayne also hangs on a wall; according to the story, his family asked if they could hang a picture in his favorite restaurant.
On another wall is a signed portrait of Shania Twain, who shot the music video for “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?” in the restaurant.
The Longhorn Coffee shop is on 3687 Sagunto St. in Santa Ynez.
