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    Pilot Light

    4.3 (255 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Pilot Light Photos

    Business Info

    PILOT LIGHT ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Pilot Light

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    Reviews With Photos

    John H.

    Was going to Half Moon Bay to relax after a long week of work. Ambiance feels very welcoming as it was a nice cloudy day. The decoration was nice, homey, and trendy. It was also pretty quiet but we came in as they were opening. Service was nice and welcoming as well. Food was excellent. We ordered a mimosa, shakshuka, latte and chorizo scramble. My shakshuka was delicious and hit the spot. Will definitely come back here versus the old place I used to go to since this place does service substantially better than the other place I'm talking about in Half Moon Bay, lol.

    Menu
    Annabelle R.

    No online ordering system. Tried to make a phone order for takeout, but no answer after several attempts, which was unfortunate with a 45-minute wait on Mother's Day... at least that's what we were quoted after ordering and paying at the cafe counter. It actually took 30 minutes, and by that time some seats had opened up inside, so it worked out as we decided to dine in. There were plenty of picnic tables available in their outdoor patio as well, though it was sprinkling during the lunch hour this past Sunday. The eatery had a beautiful and inviting setting, with gorgeous flowers set up on the tables and window sills, adding a nice touch to this special holiday. Got the pesto chicken sandwich with a salad, and sausage egg and cheese wrap with garlic fries instead of potato hash. These dishes were large in size. The sandwich had layers of deli chicken slices and a unique pesto-sun dried tomato spread, with a fresh and colorful salad on the side. The breakfast burrito was fat and stuffed with gooey melted cheese, scrambled eggs and mild sausage with just a hint of spice, and the pile of fries was thin-cut and loaded with minced garlic. Everything was delish! I do wish they were serving their regular menu on this day instead of a special Mother's Day brunch menu, as some favorites were unavailable. But with a satisfying meal, friendly staff, and a good sized parking lot for convenience, we had a positive experience overall.

    Burrito
    Jed N.

    Rustic cafe connected to the Half Moon Bay airport, which means you can sit outside or by the windows and watch small planes come and go. When we went, they had a dog adoption event. Food from classic toasts to burritos and even shakshuka. The drinks are creative and refreshing. Bathroom has a stall. Recommend coming here to avoid crowds instead of the restaurants by the jetty if you're having a beach day.

    Avocado toast with the best potatoes
    Yuliya Y.

    Aspiring pilot so I came here to watch the planes take off and land. Probably the worse day I came, when it was foggy so I only saw one doing a touch and go. But the food made it worth it. The avocado toast was soooo good. The avocado was perfect and everything was seasoned to perfection. I cannot praise this breakfast food more. I don't even like breakfast that much. But this was amazing. I got the kids pancakes for my baby and she loved them. She doesn't eat pancakes at home... the orange juice was fresh squeezed and the iced latte was delicious. I would come here over trying a new spot. It felt very welcoming, family like, and casual. They had an airplane toy outside for the baby to play on. I will come back when I fly in for the $100 burger.

    Stanley R.

    I love a good airport cafe. No not at LAX or SFO. I am talking about the charming little general aviation airports that are scattered around the state. I grew up in a town with one of these diners and one of these airports. The menu is limited but what they have is really good. My smoked salmon toast was delicious. The coffee was excellent and the matcha (if you like that) looked very tasty. Loads of Parking. It was busy or Sunday morning. You have a great view of the runway. The incandescent mustard in full bloom was gorgeous.

    Double stacked pancakes with fresh berries
    Leilani V.

    We ordered everything pictures plus a plate of Fish and Chips and a watermelon lemonade that was absolutely refreshing! It's was Mother's Day when we came here and the wait was pretty decent considering how many people were packing every restaurant everywhere. The nearly 40 minute wait was well worth it once we were served our meals. The stack pancakes were thick but very fluffy. So delicious. We loved the fish and chips too. Very crunchy and fresh tasting. My Dutch Baby pancake had a very interesting flavor profile and I would order this again when I come back. I highly recommend this brunch spot if you're ever in the Half Moon Bay Area. There's an outdoor seating where you can see private planes either departing or arriving. Such a treat especially for the kids. The restaurant is also dog friendly for outdoor seating which is nice. My husband has been talking about taking me here but never got around to until last week for Mother's Day and well, I will dare say, it was worth the nearly 6 year wait!

    shakshuka
    Catlynn N.

    Was driving down half moon bay and saw this cute place where you can dine and watch planes fly by. It was a really homey cute inside and gave proper family diner vibes. Pretty average pricing for bay area ($18-$25pp). I got their breakfast burrito and shakshuka. Their bacon was thiiiiiick, and I loved it. It was served with potatoes and salsa, crisp and clean. Only complaint is I wish the tortilla was a bit more crisp. Shakshuka was okay, a bit sweeter that I am used to but I believe that's due to the corn they put in. Was closer to a tomato chili with eggs on top. It was still good, but not quite for me. Boyfriend liked it though. Very interested in trying their burger and dutch baby next time. Service was good, brought out our food despite having a buzzer and remembered us. TLDR: Great place to soak in some sun, quality food, cool planes.

    Huevos Rancheros nachos
    Nicole L.

    I came to Pilot Light for a Sunday brunch around 9:45, they were already quite busy! Back in the day, it used to table service dining. Now there is a counter you order at, and you are given a pager and pick where you would like to sit. They do have outdoor seating right next to the airport, this was pretty cool. We saw two pilots leave out the back gate and head to their planes and prepare for take off. They are also pet friendly, always a plus. I had the huevos rancheros nachos, they were really good! It came with 2 eggs, and I added the chorizo. My friends both ordered the eggs Benedict, one with salmon and one with bacon and avocado. All our plates were large portions, and their potatoes were delicious! So crispy, but needed salt but we grabbed shakers for the table. I also asked for a michelada and although they don't sell them, they accommodated making one on the whim which was awesome. It tasted great too, I had asked them to make it with the lager they have to offer. Overall, next time I'm in town for a hometown tour I'll def check them out again!

    Malcolm H.

    Perfect diner food at the Half Moon Bay airport. Great ambience, indoor and outdoor seating. Fun for small plane enthusiasts or anyone looking for a great vibe. I had the Shatshuka which was great. My wife had the French toast, which was mixed. The flavors and preparation were great but they used a cheap bread so it undercut her meal a bit. Overall a great find.

    3 egg scramble with chorizo
    Isabella P.

    So cute! Love coming here for just a plain old scramble and watching the planes. Good service, fast, usually not too busy. Worth the drive to have a cozy, unique breakfast

    Eggs Benedict with Bacon and Avocado and Country Potatoes. $17.00 worth the price and a repeat breakfast anytime.
    Jose V.

    Hello Yelpers and Foodies in the Know. We just happened to be at a Hotel in Half Moon Bay and we found this on yelp breakfast close by our hotel. It was at the end of the Airport and also had a gate for pilots of small planes to park and enter through a Security Gate. Really cool. I ordered the Eggs Benedict with bacon and avocado and Kim ordered eggs and bacon and we both had coffee. Both breakfasts came with Country Potatoes. At this restaurant you order at the counter and one of the staff will bring your Food. Coffee is self serve with free refills. I really liked the Breakfast there. Kim and I Recommend this restaurant. The Pilot Light. Thank You for Reading. Reviews help Consumers.

    Outdoor seating. Fresh air ooow

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    Stop if you drive by. Fish and chips is so fresh and delicious. People are amazing.

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    Page 2 of 7

    Ask the Community - Pilot Light

    Are your breakfast potatoes gluten free?

    Our potato hash is fried in the same oil as items that contain gluten, but otherwise is made without gluten.

    Do you have gluten free options ? Gf bread and pancakes..?

    We have gluten-free items on our menu, such as huevos rancheros and shakshuka, among others. As a substitute for bread, we offer corn tortillas. Our pancake, waffle and dutch baby batters are made with wheat flour.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Driving south on Highway 1, this place is pretty easy to miss, which is exactly what we did and had…read moreto backtrack. We arrived around 1 PM on a Saturday, so we fully expected it to be busy. What we didn't expect was a parking lot with only about 10 spaces. You can't park along Highway 1, so if the lot is full, your only real option is finding a spot in the neighborhood or on one of the side streets behind the restaurant. There's no indoor seating, but they do have two separate outdoor seating areas. There's only one register for ordering, and the line was pretty long. It took us about 20 minutes to place our order. They give you your drinks and a buzzer, and then you find a table and wait for your food. We sat in the garden area, which we really liked, but after about 30 minutes I was starting to wonder if our buzzer was even working. Of course, right as I got up to go check on our order, it went off. It's a little difficult to rate the service because there really isn't much service. You place your order at the counter, get your own water and condiments, pick up your food when it's ready, bus your own table and throw away your trash. I also couldn't find silverware anywhere after picking up our food. They were still slammed, so I didn't bother trying to track someone down and we just ate with our hands. The good news is the food was excellent. We both loved what we ordered, and the fresh-cut French fries were especially good. The outdoor setting and garden area also have a really nice atmosphere. The biggest disappointment came when we went to clean up our table. The trash cans were completely overflowing with plates and garbage piled on top, and it looked like nobody had cleaned the area in quite a while. I actually had to push the trash down just to make room for ours. So overall, excellent food and a great outdoor setting, but between the parking, long wait, almost entirely self-service setup and overflowing trash, there's definitely room for improvement.

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    Hands down one of the BEST brunches I've ever had! And what a cute little place sitting on Main St!…read more Everything we ordered was absolutely incredible. We had the Short Rib Eggs Benedict and the Smoked Salmon Benedict, and both were perfection. But of course we couldn't stop there... we had to try the Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes and OMG. Fluffy, fresh, perfectly sweet -- I will be thinking about those pancakes for a while! Add a side of mimosas and it was basically the perfect brunch. The food was fresh, flavorful, beautifully done, and genuinely exceeded our expectations. If you're in Half Moon Bay and looking for an amazing brunch spot, GO. Come hungry, order the pancakes for the table, and thank me later.

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    Came here for Sunday lunch after spending time at Half Moon Bay National Park…read more We came around 12:45 pm so the parking lot was full and got lucky to get one when someone was leaving. We had to wait a bit before getting seated but snagged a window view inside. Wife ordered the salmon dish and clam chowder whereas I went with the tri tip sandwich. My tri tip came first and got to say it was pretty good. Thinly sliced beef with grill onions and cheese. Hint of horseradish and au ju sauce. 5 stars Wife enjoyed the clam chowder and her salmon was nicely presented. Service was excellent and attentive. I was taking a pic of me and wifey and our server was nice enough to take a photo of us. Overall, great lunch there

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