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Julian Cafe

3.7 (1k reviews)
Open • 7:00 am - 8:30 pm

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JULIAN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Touristy
Casual
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Julian Cafe

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Cold cider
Kathryn S.

Stopped by with my fiancé for bunch and we got the cinnamon roll French toast and country fried steak. It was great! The french toast was as sweet as we expected but even bigger than anticipated, lol. The country fried steak was perfectly crispy, gravy was flavorful, and the fresh cider hit the spot. Place was packed too but the food came out pretty quick maybe a 20-30 min wait. Always a fan of great service too so I'll add our server was super nice and welcoming. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a small spot inside but the oversized food portions make this place bigger.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] If I'm in Julian and want more than just pie, this is definitely one of my go to spots.

Our large group , they were accommodating to fit us all !
Mster M.

If you're ever in Julian, you've gotta check out this place. I got here late after breakfast, but I still was able to get cranberry white chocolate, Belgian waffle. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's baked inside ,not on the outside not too sweet. They also are known for their pies. We got an apple one very good. Cara was our waitress. She was very friendly and patient with our large group.

Cinnamon roll - not bad but the butter on top and the frosting was excessive
Phamhong G.

We were a little nervous about the reviews but came with no expectations a little before 10 am on a Saturday and really enjoyed our experience. Our wait was 20-30 mins. Customer service was good, our server and the bussers were friendly and attentive. The bacon was thick and cooked perfectly, the scrambled eggs were fluffy, and the French toast had the perfect flavor and texture. The boysenberry/apple pie crumble was amazing and the best way to end my meal. The cinnamon roll was huge and wasn't too bad, wouldn't order it again but got it for the experience. The butter on top was unnecessary and the frosting was excessive. We sat at a table near the front and could hear the wait times and the later you came, the longer your wait. The average wait became 1 hr 20 mins, then 1.5 hours. This restaurant is good but not amazing to wait that long... The one thing I noticed was that the path to the restroom is the same path where the food sits when it's finished and is waiting to be dropped off to tables. Customers walking by can easily breathe/sneeze/cough on or near the food but I just tried not to think about it. It's a small restaurant. Would dine here again.

10/14/25 Classic mom n pops place!
Jennifer W.

10/14/25 [[HIGHLIGHT]]My kind of place, a classic mom & pop cafe with rustic ambiance & appeal- warm & attentive service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] After picking up a few pies at Julian Pie Co in Santa Ysabel, found our way back here in neighboring city of Julian. The Farmhouse was sadly closed on a Tuesday, otherwise that's where we would have dined instead. I'm so glad this was right in front of Mom's Pie across the street. Rebecca was our wonderful server who checked on us many times to ensure our experience was nothing but impeccable. At first glance, the fried chicken caught my eye & Hubby ordered a bowl of chili with the onions, sour cream & cheese on the side, with corn bread, of course. I counted about 13 table in this cafe that could seat two to four each, some free standing, some booths- which could easily accommodate 6 small adults. Our food arrived shortly & it was hot & fresh. After the customary photo ops, we dug in. It took all of my courage to NOT ravage it coz I was hangry! It's 4 pm & it would've been our first meal of the day. My fried chicken was scrumptious--oh so crunchy & full of seasoned flavor, the meat inside was tender & moist. The mashed potatoes with gravy were the perfect partner to offset the richness of the fried chicken-- Hubby loved it, too! Hubby's chili was pretty good, good amount of spices but we've had better. It was so good, though to be thick & hearty on a cold, rainy, fall day. The cornbread was a bit dry, nothing to write home about. The best part of this meal? When Rebecca dropped by & we were about to settle the bill, she said that it had already been taken care of.... What!? She said one of the customers had already paid for it. Instantly I knew sho it was because I happened to notice a kindly gentleman eating solo in one corner, and I guessed correctly that he was the one who did!!! I am beyond in awe. Wow! Rebecca said that gentleman comes from out of town regularly & he randomly pays for other customers' meals & chooses to remain unknown. It was already a 5 star experience but Mr. Kind & Generous made it so much special. I am truly Blessed, Hubby & I are very fortunate. Thanks, Julian Cafe!

Chicken pie Turnover! Amazing flavor! Make sure to get the gravy on the side to truly enjoy the flaky, delicious pie crust!
Jonathan M.

Originally known for being the "Home of the famous Julian Apple Pie" this cozy kitchen to table cafe has so much more to offer, paying homage to its early roots in Julian, which is noticeable as soon as you step through those doors! Make sure you bring your appetite, as these portions will leave you craving for a midday nap if you come unprepared! The service was as sweet as the pie. Do yourself a favor and make sure you add this place on your to-do list when you get into town!

French dip with French fries Delicious !!!
Nicolle V.

While visiting Julien , We always Stop by Julian Cafe Love to Support a Family Owned Great Business [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's a Cozy place .[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] They serve up some Delicious food , Great Portions . This time around we had the French dip it was Excellent & Julia's Hot Chicks sandwich Spicy Nashville Chicken topped with Coleslaw & Pickles Delicious. The Chicken was Juicy & Crispy had it with French fries & ordered side of Onion rings . Honorable mention last time we tried the Cinnamon Roll & Pie with Ice Cream . Cara was our server . She is Attentive, Kind & has a Great Smile , She makes the dinning Experience Wonderful . Makes you feel Welcomed We'll definitely visit again !

Site history
Margaret A.

We stopped in for lunch mid-week. The weather was nice plus it was not crowded. A plus in my book. Upon entering the nice waitress seated us immediately. I decided to try the Julian apple burger and a blackberry lemonade. Plus we shared some zucchini. Whoa, was my first thought biting into my burger. The combination of apples, grilled onions, bleu cheese and the maple mustard sauce was just phenomenal. No wonder it's a house favorite! I just wish I had enough of the maple mustard sauce to dip my zucchini into. But no worries they had ranch sauce. I enjoyed my blackberry lemonade. More so after I watered it down as it was a bit too sweet for me. If I order it again I'd get half water half of the lemonade in a glass. The zucchini was tasty and I suspect the yummy ranch sauce was homemade. I really enjoy this cafe as I know the food will always be fresh, delicious and scratch made. Plus the wait staff are always friendly, helpful and speedy.

Their house specialty. So delicious!
M D.

[[HIGHLIGHT]]We loved our time at Julian Cafe. It is such a cute spot.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We visit Julian a lot but it's usually impossible to get a seat here without a long wait on the weekends. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We ended up coming here on Sunday afternoon and the place was very quiet.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We enjoyed the food a lot - everything was delicious and exactly what we expected. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It has a warm home-cooked & cozy vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our server was wonderful. The only negative is some of the employees aren't very nice, but that was minor compared to the rest of the experience. Don't eat too much so you have room for pie! We will be back here next time we're in town, even if there's a wait.

Bacon cheeseburger with fries
Julia G.

Spent a beautiful, sunny day in Julian and had a late lunch at this quaint cafe. My friend ordered a bacon cheeseburger with fries and I ordered the most popular dish - chicken pot pie with mashed potatoes and gravy. The portions were very generous. My friend said her burger was delicious. Unfortunately my meal was too bland for my taste. The servers were really nice and attentive for such a busy place. Many places close at 5pm but cafe stays open until 8pm.

Apple crumble pie with ice cream
Alex G.

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Such a cute place!! Its located on the main road in Julian.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My bf and I came on a winter night to star gaze. We stopped by here because its the few places open and only one that served dessert. The pie was super tasty and comforting. I looooooved the warm apple cider. It was the PERFECT dessert for a winter night. Service was excellent, fast and friendly. I would love to come back for a meal next time!

Ranch breakfast
Wendy B.

Service was great, tip call ahead to put yourself on the wait. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is very small inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] As far as breakfast, if you want a lot of food, go here. The servings are huge. As far as flavor, I thought my biscuit was dry, the pancakes were ok, and the bacon was over cooked. We had a latte and it was small in comparison to food servings.

Bbq bacon burger
Yaneisy V.

First time in Julian, glad we stopped here for lunch. I think we had the Julian salad that had apples, candied walnuts, blue cheese and poppy seed dressing. It was delicious! We also ate the burger and fries and that was amazing! Service was friendly and would recommend this establishment. Definitely make a stop here.

Pie
Joanne J.

Darling place. They sell pies, candles and have a selection of lemonade/flavored tea. Great western vibe and super friendly s. The coleslaw is bomb, you know it is really hard to find good coleslaw. This place has it. I had the liver and onions with extra, extra onions. There was a lot of onions on top and a lot of bacon. The liver and onions was delicious, but needed a little salt. With the extra little bit of salt, it is some of the best liver and onions I've ever had. The mashed potatoes and gravy was delish too. My husband had the chicken pie turn over. He said it was effing good!!!! The stacks of fries coming out of the kitchen were hot and high and I wish a couple had fallen on my table. But, I had to finish my lunch fryless. I would absolutely come back here and order the same thing. Morgan was our server, she did a great job. She was very attentive and quick.

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Review Insights

9 months ago

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3 months ago

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1 year ago

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8 months ago

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2 years ago

Business owner information

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Cara T.

Thank you for the nice review

Helpful 10
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9 months ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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Cara T.

Thank you for the nice review

Helpful 1
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5 months ago

Best breakfast in town. Good menu. Good pie great service. Good French toast and biscuits and gravy.

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3 months ago

I love this place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's small, cozy[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], great waitstaff, HUGE portions (share), and great pie!

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11 months ago

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Cara T.

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9 months ago

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11 months ago

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Cara T.

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2 years ago

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4 months ago

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2 months ago

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2 years ago

Helpful 37
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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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Cara T.

Thank you for the nice review

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2 years ago

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Cara T.

Thank you for the nice review

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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Cara T.

Next time try pastry top, it’s not as sweet

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

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Cara T.

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

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3 months ago

Apple pie is not worth trying -- it was just a few thick chunks of apple barely baked.

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2 years ago

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Cara T.

Thank you for the nice review

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8 months ago

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4 months ago

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3 years ago

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Cara T.

Thank you for the nice review

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1 month ago

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2 years ago

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8 months ago

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3 years ago

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4 months ago

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Page 2 of 26

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Julian Pie Company

Julian Pie Company

4.5
(1.8k reviews)
0.1 mi
•$$

Must visit! When you visit Julian, you definitely need to make this your first or last stop! Julian…read morePie Company has so many different things to offer, you will definitely find something you absolutely need! We already got our pie fix at Mom's, but made this our last stop before heading out. It was so cold out, a super chilly day, there's nothing more perfect than to grab a hot cup of steaming Apple Cider! It hit the spot! I couldn't stop just standing there sipping my hot cider while waiting for our to go items to be prepared. We got two apple cider donuts, one cinnamon sugar and one chocolate dipped. Long ago, I tried these tiny heart shaped pie crust cookies covered in cinnamon and sugar - Apple Memories! These are crisp tiny bites of love that you want to take home every single time! There are actually two buildings. One where you can grab a bite to eat, the other has all the merchandise, and both have whole frozen pies to grab to go! The building where you can dine has a small inside dining area, it can get cozy in there, but on a chilly day, that is exactly what you want! Just outside there is plenty of room outdoors to enjoy the scenery. In the merchandise building I couldn't help myself... we took home a whole gallon of apple cider, and also bought a jar of Cinnamon Apple Honey Spread and a jar of Apple butter... absolute yum! The hubs also decided to try the apple cinnamon chapstick! Yes, you can grab one of these famous pies at many different establishments throughout San Diego. To make name a few, Iowa Farms, Spring Valley Market, Siesel's and even at Vons! But if you're in Julian, don't forget to try a pie, grab some Apple Memories, and don't forget to bring a hot thermos to take that hot Apple cider to go! Enjoy!!! Simply the Best! Series: 14 2026: 25

Place is rather very small inside. Probably at least 10-12 seats, very very small booth spaces…read more Tons of seating outdoors, which is great when it's not cold. Had the Dutch Apple pie, because I wanted something sweeter. It was very good, and served slightly warm. The crumbles on top added the bit of crunch with the soft gooeyness of the apple pie filling, The small scoop of ice cream covered it all, but I had to scoop the ice cream off to eat the pie.

Photos
Peach apple, caramel apple pie, topped with whipped cream! Vanilla and spice ice cream on the side!
Peach apple, caramel apple pie, topped with whipped cream! Vanilla and spice ice cream on the side!
Strawberry rhubarb pie
Strawberry rhubarb pie
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Dudley's Bakery

Dudley's Bakery

3.9
(586 reviews)
4.8 mi
•$$

Trays full of fresh bread of different varieties, whole pies, a case full of beautiful desserts and…read morebaked goods, plus an excellent lineup of sandwiches, the only problem is what to pick. This has become a go-to spot post-hike in the area and always is the treat I look forward to. On my most recent visit I had the BLT which had avocado, an egg, and chipotle mayo on brioche - hit the spot. Each sandwich comes on a different type of bread, which adds to the flavor profiles for each. Sometimes places just put it all on wheat or sourdough, but I like how the bread is paired to add to the sandwich. There's seating inside and out and always plenty of parking, though I can imagine on the weekend, it's more competitive. Although the spot has been around for a while, I just recently got introduced to it on enthusiastic recommendations from others, so I pass that enthusiastic recommendations onto you.

I read that the owner of the French Gourmet bought Dudley's and promised not to make any changes to…read morethe baked goods.  That does not appear to be the case.  We showed up at 1pm on Wednesday and it was quiet.  In the past there was a big lunch crowd and the shelves were full of fresh baked breads and pies.   Supposedly, breads are baked every other day now.  I bought a loaf of Hawaiian sweet bread and it was at least a day old.  I suspect more like 2 days old.  The outside was starting to get hard while just the center was soft.  There was an aroma of bread sitting around for a while.  King's Hawaiian bread from Costco has a fresher aroma and has a fresher more vibrant flavor while you get twice as much bread for the price. Maggie misses the fresh baked fruit bars and were soft and full of sweet fruit flavor.  Cashier told us they are only baked on Saturday now.  We touched the fruit bars and they were all hard from sitting around half the week.  It's sad as we loved stopping here after a trip to Julian for fresh baked treats and Doc Brown's Root Beer.  Looks like we will have to buy all our baked treats at one of the Julian bakeries like Apple Alley that bakes their pies every morning.  https://www.hungryones.com/2021/10/apple-alley-bakery/ Staff was nice and efficient.

Photos
Dudley's Bakery
Tuna melt
Tuna melt
From Left to right - APPLE PEACH PIE , then APPLE MIX BERRY , then APPLE MANGO PIE .... all 3 were so Delicious !

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From Left to right - APPLE PEACH PIE , then APPLE MIX BERRY , then APPLE MANGO PIE .... all 3 were so Delicious !
Mom's Pie House

Mom's Pie House

4.1
(216 reviews)
3.1 mi
•$$

We stopped by Mom's Pie House after a weekend of camping nearby since it was on the way home, and…read moreof course we couldn't leave Julian without grabbing some pie. We settled on this location since we had a large group, and they had plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The shop itself is super cute and I think their outdoor seating is where they really shine! Plenty of benches and tables outside for a picnic type vibe, and they have a small garden that you can stroll through. There was even a friendly resident cat when we came! I got a slice of bumbleberry pie but also tried my friend's apple pie and strawberry rhubarb pie, all with crumble crusts, and they were all good with the perfect crust texture. I also got a taste of my friend's cinnamon ice cream which was good and went well with the apple pie! Lastly, I ordered a pint of their apple cider which was refreshing and just the perfect amount of sweetness, although it was a bit on the pricier side. They also had other things for sale like dog bones, honey, and seeds. The place gave cozy rustic vibes for sure. Overall, a great option if you're looking to enjoy some pie and relax in their garden seating area.

I didn't realize that Mom's Pie House had multiple locations but if you're not interested in…read moreexploring Julian, this stop might be the better option! As far as I can tell, they have the same menu and the pies taste the same. We arrived pretty early in the morning and were the only group up until the end. Order at the front and pick-up towards the side when they call out your number. Dogs aren't allowed inside but there's a huge outdoor area in the back with a beautiful garden and tons of shade. They have a cat wandering around so make sure to keep dogs on leash! I ordered the Apple Crumb a'la mode, which comes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The pie was crumbly and the apple filling was sweet and warm. Pairs perfectly with the cold vanilla ice cream! If ice cream isn't your go-to pie accompaniment, you can also get whipped cream. I also got to try the strawberry rhubarb and bumbleberry but those were a bit too tart for my liking. Great snack to start the day! Make sure to stop by if you're in the area and try the apple pies that make Julian so famous.

Photos
Mom's Pie House in Julian, CA
Mom's Pie House in Julian, CA
Mom's Pie House in Julian, CA
Mom's Pie House in Julian, CA
Mom's Pie House in Julian, CA

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Mom's Pie House in Julian, CA
Miner's Diner

Miner's Diner

3.5
(890 reviews)
0.0 mi
•$$

We went to Miners Diner for lunch while visiting Julian. It's been awhile since I've been here, but…read moreI'm always delighted by the decor (old kids toys, vintage signs, etc). My husband and I ordered a ruben with chili cheese fries and a tri-tip sandwich with fries. The star of the day was actually the chili cheese fries, which was surprising! My husband pointed out that they do serve chili as well, which I will probably get the next time I'm in town. The sandwiches were also very good, though the Ruben could have used a tad more sauerkraut to balance the flavors. The fries on their own are double fried or battered (or something along those lines) and have an incredible crunchy texture! We came on what I would consider a moderately busy day for Julian, I've seen Miner's Diner packed to the brim before. Our server, Kaylin or Kaitlin (I'm sorry about the spelling!) was amazing. It's obvious she's been a server in a busy restaurant for sometime, as she was on top of EVERYTHING. It was like she had the timing down to a science--and not for just our table,--but her whole section. Refill? She was ready. Done with food? Check ready to go + to go boxes. She was doing that with the other tables simultaneously. Impressive, honestly. Overall, this is a nice spot to stop by if it isn't packed to the gills. Food is standard Diner fare, but does add the the mining town vibe Julian has. We didn't get any this time but I also suggest the shakes or sodas. We got one called Tigers Blood in the past and it was very yummy!

We passed by Julian to an apple pie, however, the actual apple piece stores were already closed by…read morethe time we got there. We stumbled upon this restaurant and ask them if they had an apple pie and they did. This review is based on just their apple pie. I was so happy when I ate their apple pie because it was so good and we immediately ordered their whole apple pie to go as a gift for someone. Their stuff all friendly and the place is very cozy. I will go back again when I visit Julian

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Miner's Diner
Huge Banana Split
Huge Banana Split
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Julian Cafe - bakeries - Updated July 2026

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