Consumption Junction

Skip the Pasadena chains, and try the train. Crowds of all ages gather at La Grande Orange Cafe, a 1935 train depot at the Del Mar Metrolink station.

Dark hardwood beams, Arts-and-Crafts tiles and a solid oak ticket counter reflect the building’s heritage as a stop along the old Santa Fe Railroad. You can dine among fountains on the patio next to a large stucco fireplace, or relax at the bar as Gold Line commuter trains quietly whir past.

In addition to traditional fare (salads, burgers and taco plates), the menu offers updates on old-time standards: bacon-sprinkled hard-boiled eggs, fried egg-topped short ribs, and “Dixie-fried” chicken paired with mashed potatoes and a sizable cinnamon roll. Good luck leaving room for the olive oil cake (seriously).

Servers and staff are the chat-’em-up sort, thanking you by name as you leave the joint. Turns out nostalgia isn’t dead. It’s just waiting for the next train out.