B & B Cafe ~ Castle Rock, Colorado

Latest visit: Jun 2023

First visit: Sometime in 1999

---6/22/23 notes

We were only home a couple of days from our trip to Santa Fe, when Mr. RJG needed to head up to Boulder for two days of meetings. Yippee. The first meeting was only the afternoon, so we needed to fend for ourselves for breakfast or lunch. Most folks were flying in from around the country, but I had the luxury of driving up from the Springs. And what better way to start the journey than a breakfast at B & B Cafe in Castle Rock? To be honest I was tired of Mexican breakfasts, and wanted good old fashioned American food. I sat at the bar (as noted below) and ordered a "Full Plate" with two fried eggs, a full ham steak, pancakes, and toast. And a hot chocolate. This is easily one of the best breakfasts in town. So delicious and prepped me for the long day.

---original 6/26/22 review

Summary: Old West breakfast house. Look for the bullet holes while enjoying a smothered burrito.

When we lived in the Pinery area, one of our favorite "out of town" breakfast houses was B & B Cafe. We'd probably go two to three times a year (through 2001), taking the journey west on Hwy 86. Back then they even had smoking, much to the chagrin of Mrs. RJG. I never cared since my dad was always blowing smoke everywhere he could, so I just got used to it. Long ago. Been meaning to try B & B again since we moved back to the Springs four years ago, and that day finally happened. It was record shopping day in Denver, so a quick stop in Castle Rock often kicks off the journey. I was dining solo.

And that's a good thing, as the place was packed with a line out the door. I walked in casually and asked if they had seating for one at the counter/bar. Sure enough, one stool on the end was unoccupied. Perfect. Everything is as I remember it from 20 years ago (according to the restaurant, they've been open since 1930). Classic middle-of-small-town-America diner. There are two rooms, including the aforementioned bar. It no longer smells of cigarette, but otherwise I just transported myself back in time. Worth noting that the bar is made of marble and came from the former mining boomtown of Leadville. Same article goes on to talk about the bullet holes in the ceiling and walls. Yep, it's the Old West that's for sure. The perfect RJG place.

For this visit I ordered the Wrap It Up, which is their version of the classic smothered breakfast burrito. Comes with eggs, thick cut bacon (or you could get pork sausage if preferred), potatoes, and is smothered in a spicy pork green chili covered with yellow cheese. In a twist, it also comes with refried beans. The chili is superb, not that spicy, but with a wonderful tangy flavor. The bacon is better than average adding much needed saltiness to what can often be a bland stuffing. The beans were excellent. They're smooth, flavorful, and not lardy as we usually see. For a drink, I enquired if they had flavored creamers for the coffee. They did not, so I ordered a mocha instead. Out comes this dessert looking hot drink with whipped cream and drizzled chocolate. Good stuff. Friendly counter service as well. Great visit, I'll be back. Maybe with Mrs. RJG like old times.

1999; 2000; 2001; 6/26/22 (new entry); 6/26/23