Food and service very great. I had an issue with my food I let the gentleman in the front counter know about the issue and swiftly fixed the problem and expect accountability that is something you don't see just any where read more

We had been planning to visit Pilot light for quite some time now. After all we loved All Spice the first restaurant opened by Shoshana Wolff and Sachin Chopra . We finally did made it into a brunch visit on a weekday. Light traffic breezed along HW280 and reached just in time for start of their lunch service at 11.30 am. Great location just off Cabrillo highway and beside HMB airport where you can catch small fixed wing aircrafts take-off, taxi and land! Very clean and unpretentious looks of the place. And the place is very inviting with huge windows all around! After exchanging pleasantries with Soshanna who was at the ordering counter we sat down with a better half taking in the scenery surrounding us while I immersed my into my latest novel. Food came quickly. From breakfast menu we ordered the Huevos Rancheros which was served over Tortillas , much to our liking. Freshly prepared, it was perfect start We also ordered scrambled eggs with sausages, white toast and a side of Russet Potato Hash!. One word : Fantastic!!! We also ordered "The $100 Cheeseburger". Very aptly named ! Farm fresh tomato slices, fresh grilled onions and a patty cooked medium rare and to perfection, I wished the burger would never end !!! Come and enjoy the ambience while savoring simple dishes prepared exceptionally well. We will be back soon !! read more

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First time here @ the recommendation of a friend. First up, good strong coffee. Menu not overly fussy with enough wonderful choices, hard to pick just one. My brother and I both had the Eggs Benedict. Eggs cooked perfectly, nice buttery lemony hollandaise sauce and perfectly cooked taters. Nice little side of greens not smothered in dressing. Service was really pleasant. Charming environment and despite the fact there were about 10 busy tables, noise was at a minimum. If you are in the area, give it a try. You won't be disappointed. read more

The staff is very friendly. It can get pretty busy and they close earlier so plan ahead. It was so good we visited two weekends in a row. The potatoes stole the show for us. Next time I want to try the Dutch baby read more

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Parking is easy and the drive there was beautiful. Cute place right off Hwy 1. Service was friendly. My latte was good and the shakshuka I ordered was delicious. I will definitely come back! read more

Pilot Light - Shakshuka - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Came by on a Sunday around 11:30 with the grandparents and kids. LOVED it - great place to bring guests and kids! + daily special: green chilaquiles. Chips had the perfect amount of crunch, generous 3 eggs on top (perfectly over easy), tasty tangy tomatillo sauce, half of an avocado too. + $100 burger: kid opted for it with avocado and grandpa got it with mushrooms. Both inhaled their burgers. Came with fries (well seasoned and hot) + kid pancakes: 2 pancakes with a generous ramekin of butter and a syrup pitcher. Pancakes tasted a bit like sourdough so much less sweet than typical pancakes. I'm assuming it's the same base as the savory pancakes but without the savory mix-ins. Kid liked them fine. Extra syrup helps if you prefer a sweeter pancake + avocado toast: grandma loved this. We requested no cheese. Generous amount of veg on top and the red pickled onions and a balsamic drizzle added the perfect amount of tang to the rich avocado spread. +garlic fries: generous amount, hot and well seasoned, tossed with plenty of chopped garlic and sprinkled with some salty parm There's a huge outdoor seating area. Saw a kid riding a rocking horse - but it was a plane! Right next to the tarmac where you constantly see planes landing or refueling. Kids loved the up close action, grandparents marveled at the view. Such a fun weekend spot on a sunny day! read more

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We were waiting for this place to open up after the old place closed down leaving us with no option to eat around the airport. Finally, today is opening day! We were so excited to try it out. Even though it is called The Pilot Light and located right at the Half Moon Bay airport, the only aviation-themed item on the menu is the $100 smashburger. We had to order it. The burger was juicy and very tasty with caramelized onion and signature sauce. The bun was perfectly toasted. It came with fries, which were crunchy on the outside and silky smooth on the inside. It was great sitting outside in the sun, eating a perfect burger and watch the planes. The atmosphere in the restaurant is very welcoming, bright and inviting. I loved it. As they are still having their soft opening, the menu is limited, but this will change soon. I can't wait to come back! read more

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My boyfriend and I like to choose one new place to try every month, and this place won January vote for us. On a sunny January Sunday morning we drove out to Half moon bay from the east bay! The weather was perfect, the drive was lovely, we were excited to try this place out. We got to here around 9:30 AM and the line was to the door. It was great to see this place bustling with people, the atmosphere was happy and the interior design of this place was inviting and open. We opted for: *$100 smash burger with seasoned fries* 5/5 Good, fresh juicy burger, yes! We loved how fresh everything tasted, and the burger didn't weigh us down like you would normally feel after eating most burgers. I am such a fries snob, and they met my expectations! Crunchy, good potatoes and seasoning was perfect. *Rock cod sandwich with a slide of coleslaw and house potatoes* 4/5 Yummy, fresh, but could use a bit more seasoning! I generally have a pretty bland palate, but still felt that this sandwich and the slaw was just missing a bit of spice and flavor. In the other hand, the house potatoes really helped with some extra flavor, so I was really glad I got some on the side. The crunch on the fish was good. Could have appreciate the bun slightly toasted. Still a good sandwich, just wishing there was a little more to it! *Nutty buttermilk pancakes* 5/5 Texture, uhmm yessss! Okay, I don't like pancakes. I know, universal gasp of horror. The texture and taste of a lot of pancakes just aren't appealing. Also, I really hate dry pancakes that you HAVE to soak in syrup to get it down... nope. The pancake here has a nice consistency, good chew, not too fluffy and substantial! The flavor was subtle, not too sweet and delicious. They add a bit of syrup on top with fruit and that's enough to have a delicious pancake. A little more fruit would've been even tastier. I appreciate these pancakes for existing, they put the other pancakes to shame! Overall, the texture of all the food here was really good. I really enjoy the variety of aspects to food, the texture, the smell, the taste... all of which I enjoyed here. Between two people, we spent $60 Plus side, the staff are super friendly. Very relaxed setting, happy vibes and great people. Owner personally brought out a water bowl of water for our dog! The chef also came out to say hi to our dog. We don't think we'd drive all the way out just to eat here every brunch, but if we are ever in Half moon bay we'd definitely stop here again. We highly recommend it as a place to stop. read more

Pilot Light - My dog loved all the love she got from the staff! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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Food is average especially considering the cost. Nothing really special. Not bad either. I've been about 5 times because I live nearby. I've never been to a place that served fresh orange juice ($) in a metal cup - yuck. Metal gives any acidic liquid a strongly metallic taste. It destroys the entire point of getting orange juice in the first place. I just assume the use of common sense when serving orange juice, it's not a difficult concept. If somebody else is paying, I'll go here but if I'm paying, not a chance. Ambiance is ok. Kind of interesting to be at the airport. read more

What a fun place for brunch. It is right at the HMB airport. The service is amazing and the food delicious. We sat outside and enjoyed the day. We shared a cup of fresh orange juice and split the lemon ricotta French toast. I have the 3 egg scramble with chorizo and veggies and they happily substituted mushrooms for bell peppers. The hubby had Shakshuka and love the flavors and dish. We also had a double shot mocha. Needless to say a long walk on the beach was welcomed after this delicious meal. read more

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Pilot Light Café is a gem in Half Moon Bay. The atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, making it an ideal spot for a weekend brunch, a casual lunch, or just a quick stop to soak in the views. Food and service is great. If you're in Half Moon Bay, Pilot Light Café is definitely worth a visit! read more

This was a fun stop! Came here with family before heading home. Breakfast / brunch spot with a diner feel. Menu was interesting. My s-i-l's sister ordered the shukshuka. Her husband had a breakfast sandwich, our niece had a waffle and I had a croque monsier (Technically a croque madame, cuz I had them toss an egg on it.) The menu was definitely acclectic, which was cool. Service was good. Another counter service spot. Staff was quick. It was nice watching the planes land and launch. Can't complain. Maybe I'll make my buddy fly us down there for lunch one day. read more

Raj at Pilot Light and the entire staff make things fun ! Chef creates fabulous food Pilots can fly in to the Coastside Yum - oh read more

Pilot Light - Handmade Pumpkin puree with ah may zing spice! Add hand grated Nutmeg - ooh lah lah Best Ever ! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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The food is terrible! fish and chips is not cod like they say. soggy terrible mess! Green chili in the Mac and cheese for kids? chili powder on the fries? what is going on here? Yuk Yuk Yuk. Floor was dirty. Nobody came back to check on us after giving us our food. read more

The food was great! I loved the shashuka and my husband loved the Benedict. It was nice to be able to eat outside with the dogs after a nice hike. read more

Pilot Light - Shashuka - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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We've been 3-4 times, and although the food is good, the folks behind the counter don't really care you're there. 1. Food: good. I don't think we've had a dish that wasn't tasty. Good menu selections, as well. 2. Location/ambiance: definitely more mellow on the eyes than 3-Zero, and they keep it clean. 3. Staff: main reason for the score. The first person you interact with often sets the vibe for the meal, and the guy at the counter is never happy. I'm not sure he's ever said hello. Definitely never cracked a smile. We were talking about on our way in, i.e., wondering how it would go...perfect batting average. This trip, i think the only employee who made eye contact and smiled was the woman who brought the food. This was going to be two stars, but that felt harsh given this can be fixed with a little training and/or different decisions for front of house. read more

Great service and amazing food at the same place are hard to come by these days. But Pilot Light does it all and so well. Every single staff member is SO SO SO NICE. They were not only nice to my husband and I but also our kids. The food was excellent. We ordered way too much, and took some food to go and it all kept and we ate it later in the day. We ordered fruit, a side of bacon, the Dutch baby, blackened cod sandwich, vanilla latte, and a side of waffle. 12/10 on all the items. The service made everything that much better. The man who took our order was literally SO NICE. Checked in on us multiple times as well. If you are in the area, definitely come check it out. The inside is cute and clean as well. Also fun fact, this is run and owned by the owners of all spice, which we have been to twice and it's also amazzzinnng. Will be back here for sure!! Thank you for such a wonderful experience! read more

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I had come to this place a couple of weeks ago in person and really liked the breakfast burrito. So we decided to called in for take out. Big mistake. I ordered 3 burritos, one of them came burnt (ended up being mine) all three orders of the burritos come with tomatillo salsa and they were all bad. The salsa was bubbling when we opened it and it had a sour off taste to it like it was left outside for a long time and instead of throwing it out they added lemon to off put the taste. We make salsa at home all the time and never does it bubble like this one. I married into a family of cooks and both my husband and brother in law said that the salsa is not good and to not eat it. So we can be pretty harsh when it comes to food. The kids pancakes was a miss as well. One of the pancakes was also burnt. I like to support local businesses but this place really disappointed us this time. Like my husband says we are paying for our food and for them to send it this way is a shame. Shame on the kitchen for letting out mediocre food. I don't think we will be back to this place anytime soon. We'll stick to Taste Cafe which has decent food. read more

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The atmosphere was pleasant and quaint. We ordered the three eggs scramble with Dutch baby and the North African shakshuka. The scramble was delicious, the Dutch baby was decadent, the shakshuka was really good but watch out for the whole peppercorns. Highly recommend the jet pilot drink. It was phenomenal! The staff was friendly and helpfull. All in all a really good experience. read more

Pilot Light - The charming front of the cafe. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Doesn't even deserve one star. Crappy, cold, overcooked food. Undrinkable coffee. Self-serve diner. I had two eggs scrambled (can you say sawdust?), bacon (like leather), hashbrowns (burnt), sourdough toast (inedible) and a latte (which required a large dose of 1/2 & 1/2 to make it palatable). My husband had the huevos rancheros and he is paying for it tonight. Cost: $50 McDonald's sausage, egg and cheese biscuit seems five star next to this. Stay away. read more

Pleasantly surprised by the quality of restaurant we walked into when we wandered in on a whim . We came during breakfast hours and it was busy , we waited for a seat but not for more than a few minutes . I had the Dutch baby which was a real treat but I should have listened when they said it was huge . My boyfriend got a traditional breakfast which he said was decent Had a nice chat with an employee who seemed like a genuine guy who is proud of the restaurant We could barely drink any coffee it was still very hot in steel yeti mugs towards the end of our meal..heh :/ read more

Great food (we had the Dutch babies) and nice service. But we were sitting outside, and we got attacked by yellow jackets. Moving inside was not an option because we had dogs. I got stung and our dogs got scared. We had to quickly get takeout containers and leave. The staff was very helpful and apologetic. But when I suggested they try yellow jacket traps, the guy helping us said they've tried everything and nothing works. So they're aware of the problem. If they'd warned us, we would have gotten our food to go in the first place. While we were packing up our food, a couple with a baby and a collie came to sit outside there. We warned them, and they went inside. So just be aware of the yellow jacket potential! (Note to owners: county vector control can probably help you. ) read more

If you're looking for breakfast or brunch near Half Moon Bay, you really should head to the airport. I can't believe I just typed that sentence, but everything we had at the Pilot Light Cafe was a fresh, lively combination of bright flavors. I highly recommend the eggs Benedict with bacon and avocado, and the blackened rock cod sandwich with a tartar sauce that is much more luscious than it has any right to be. Order the Jet Pilot, pineapple juice with citrus and mint, for a healthy and delicious morning wake up. The airport is so tiny that you watch the planes while you eat. I wish I lived closer to this place. The only disadvantage is that it closes at 2 pm. read more

Pilot Light - Eggs Benedict with bacon and avocado - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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This is such a wonderful, comfortable place to linger over coffee with friends. Ample parking and seating both indoors and out. Service is friendly and helpful. And sometimes a small plane lands or takes off for some visual entertainment. Now, the food. I'm sorry to say that we have had some items that we will not order again. The burrito, not satisfactory; the croque monsieur was not a simple hot ham and cheese, but a mound of bread, ham and smothered in too much cheese. The smash burger was a disappointment. Coffee was excellent and staff was efficient. read more

We popped in here for a chance at something fun and New and they didn't disappoint! The food, service and airplane show was amazing. They even brought out a dutch baby surprise for our loved ones 60th bday without asking... high regards read more

Pilot Light - Dutch baby cake!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Cute cafe at the local airport. We enjoyed the food and kiddo enjoyed watching planes take off and land. Help yourself to water and coffee at the self-serve counter. Dutch baby and chilaquiles were very good! One star off as it was nearly $100 for 3 of us at breakfast. read more

Pilot Light - Delish, Dutch Baby! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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We have been to Pilot Light twice now. Love the vibe of this little place! It's located at the airport - hence the name:-) You can watch small.planes coming and going. This little spot actually seems to be a destination for many a flying wayfarer. The menu is eclectic and always delicious! The coffee is great! Order at the counter and the food is brought to your table with a smile! Will be visiting regularly! read more

I wanted to try their Niçoise salad - so I stopped in with my son and it was delicious! Perfectly dressed and had all of the great components of a Niçoise!! My son loved his Eggs Benedict and his chocolate chip pancakes! I wish I would have gotten a photo of them before he happily devoured them - because it was like a work of art! They came with a side of drawn butter which made them even more delicious!! The staff is always so warm and friendly and helpful! This restaurant is really such a gem!! I am a huge fan and plan to keep coming back until I've tried everything on their lovely menu!! read more

Pilot Light - Salade niçoise - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Nice ambiance, extensive menu that has something for everybody. Enjoyed having breakfast here, shared the delicious Dutch baby pancakes

Super cute restaurant with really wonderful staff and great food. The breakfast sandwich and the pancakes were great.

Three egg omelette with meat was pretty good, but home fries tasted like fish & chips and the English muffin was soggy and served without butter ( only jam provided). Every time the front door opened the whole restaurant was blasted with cold air. I'm definitely glad this restaurant is back open but there are many areas that can be improved. read more

Pilot Light - Pilot Light Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Had been really looking forward to coming out here. Unfortunately, the food fell a bit short. Romaine lettuce was fresh. Weirdly, they put red chili flakes in the tuna on the Niçoise salad. Not really any mayo, just the chili flakes, as far as I could tell. The rest of salad was unmemorable. Drip coffee was not great. Service was fine. If it weren't so windy, we would have sat outside on the big yellow picnic benches. But a good option for the locals. read more

Pilot Light - The nicoise. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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We had been wanting to come here for ages but it was disappointing sadly. The latte was burned, the slaw in the Ruben had been cooked in a grill after fish and the ambience was a dud. read more

The food was great! Service was even better! I have a severe onion allergy and 90% of food places still serve me onions. Not The Pilot Light I was able to enjoy my breakfast. Outdoor seating and pet friendly. We even saw a little plane land. Highly recommended read more

Pilot Light - Out door seating - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

While traveling between Santa Cruz and San Francisco we decided to try this little restaurant that is on the small airport near Half Moon Bay. We tried it because it had so many good reviews on Yelp. This place was awesome. Although the photographs don't show it I ate a Portobello mushroom hamburger with the best mushrooms I've ever eaten. It was accompanied with some sort of aioli sauce that was very good. I also ate a blueberry muffin which was made with fresh blueberries just picked that were just out of the oven. My companion eggs benedict and she said it was equally good. I also had some of their fresh coffee and half and half. We were here on a school holiday where there were a lot of families traveling the Pacific coast highway. Many of the other restaurants were completely packed and looked like they had waiting lines. This restaurant had about 20 tables and we did not have to wait very long to get a table. Although it was always busy we were served quickly and with excellent customer service. read more

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Flew in on a Sunday morning around 12 for some brunch. I saw that this place had good reviews so thought I'd give it a go. Ambiance: really cute and modern inside. Smaller menu, had a lot of drinks to offer. Its not full service, so you order at the front first and then pick a table that's open to your liking. Right next on the airport so those for those who fly in, there's parking available for the planes right in front of the restaurant. In door and outdoor bench like seating Food: I had gotten the hue is rancheros and my friend got the breakfast sandwich. We both loved it so much! I was skeptical at first because some reviews said the rancheros was not very flavorful but mine were absolutely amazing! I got an extra side of sour cream because I like extra sauce. I also had the passion fruit lemonade which was to die for and had seeds in it too. The coffee you order will be self serve but they give you tumblers to drink them with which is adorable! Service: was good for being not full service. They brought out food and everyone was very friendly inside Definitely a great place to stop for brunch! Highly Recommended read more

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Thrilled they kept this location as a cafe! The menu is limited but covers all the cravings. I only wish there was more of a description on the posted menu board of what is in the food, they have printed menus at the register with more detail, and the staff are more than happy to answer questions. Prices are a little dear, but the quality of the food makes it worth it! I ordered the veggie scramble with house potatoes and coffee. The skinny! The coffee is self-serve (which I personally love because I INHALE coffee and the wait person can never visit often enough), the potatoes are deep fried which gives them that beautiful crisp on the outside and softness on the inside, toast was nothing special and didn't come with butter (if it was I couldn't taste or see it). Side of jam was yummers. Caveat on the veggie omelet - it had green olives in it so if you're not into olives, be sure to request they not be included (they were plentiful but easy to pick out). The atmosphere was cozy and the staff very attentive to check on the few tables that there were. I tried to sit outside, but the meat bees (aka yellow jackets) ruined that for me so inside I went. This isn't a dig at the venue of course, but something to be aware of - they are everywhere this year it seems! Parking is a DREAM and the location is conveniently just a quick turn off of Highway 1 so the drive to and from is beautiful. Definitely recommend! read more

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I had a fantastic time at Pilot Light Cafe. The views of nature and the airplanes taking off and landing were captivating. I tried the burger and watermelon lemonade, both of which were delicious and refreshing. I'll definitely be coming back for more. Freshly made watermelon lemonade was refreshing and amazing recommended by Raj. read more

Pilot Light - Pilot refresh - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

This place is located at the HMB Airport and has ample parking. It's a walk up, order, and get your own water type place so if you're looking for full-service, this might not be for you. The food is worth it though. So far, I've tried the eggs benedict, breakfast sandwich, and burger. All were very flavorful with a generous portion relative to the prices. This place can get busy and loud, I'd recommend sitting outside if you'd prefer a more quiet atmosphere. read more

The food, the service and the atmosphere were wonderful! This is one of our favorite little day trip stops on our way to San Francisco. read more