Explore these 12 Inland Empire foodie favorites

In some ways, San Bernardino’s food scene started with McDonald’s.

The McDonald brothers, Richard “Dick” and Maurice “Mac,” opened the first golden arches location on North E Street in San Bernardino in the 1940s. Their humble venture changed the course of fast food in America.

Today, the North E Street pitstop no longer slings burgers. (A franchisee-operated restaurant in Downey, which opened in 1953, retains the title of oldest continually operating McDonald’s.)

But a Route 66 proponent named Albert Okura, who founded the Juan Pollo restaurant chain, decided that this place was important enough to preserve. He transformed the restaurant into a museum dedicated to the first McDonald’s.

It’s a kitschy place that highlights San Bernardino’s indelible mark on Americana food culture. It’s also a reminder that our food history is intertwined with unexpected places like San Bernardino – places that aren’t necessarily glamorous, but after all these years, they’re still good.

From freshly baked breads and cookies at Old Town Baking Company to Mexican American classics at family-owned Mitla Cafe, which opened in 1937, San Bernardino dining spans cultures and generations. The big chains and drive-thrus might be the first thing you think of when eating in the Inland Empire. But, hidden in nondescript strip malls is a vibrant food scene often overlooked.

Syrian-influenced Mediterranean food at Mr. Kebab and Jamaican beef patties at Dhat Island Caribbean Creole in Redlands are squeezed into unassuming plazas. Historic landmark restaurants such as Magic Lamp remain beloved multigenerational mainstays. Others, including Tartan of Redlands, started serving steaks in the 1960s. The same family has operated Old World Deli in Upland for half a century. These are places that take pride in not changing too much.

Life moves at such a dazzlingly fast pace. But, it’s these nostalgia-inducing restaurants that transport us back to the past with each bite. They keep San Bernardino special.

For real old-school California foodies, you must try these under-the-radar gems:

Mitla Cafe

The legend of Mitla Cafe started when Glenn Bell ate one of the restaurant’s famous crispy tacos. He loved the deep-fried tacos so much that it inspired him to start his own fast-food chain, Taco Bell.

To this day, Mitla Cafe’s fried-to-order crispy tacos are the must-try dish at this family-owned Mexican restaurant. For many California foodies, this place is an institution.

It’s one of those places where customers order old-school combination platters lined with tamales, chile con carne, enchiladas and chile rellenos.

Founded by matriarch Lucia Rodriguez in 1937, Mitla Cafe started as a lunch counter pit stop along Route 66. Rodriguez opened Mitla with her first husband, Vincente Montaño. But when she was widowed, she remarried a man named Salvador in the mid-1940s.

The couple expanded Mitla Cafe into the restaurant it is today. Lucia’s four children – Theresa Guillen, Helen Martinez, Vera Lopez and Frank Montaña – continued their mother’s legacy after she died in 1981. Then Vera, followed by Frank with his wife Irene Montaño, took over for decades. In 2013, Lucia’s youngest grandson and her great-grandson started overseeing operations.

602 N. Mount Vernon Ave, San Bernardino; 909-888-0460

Old Town Baking Company

This Inland Empire bakery was started by Don Bishop in 1999. Bishop got his training as the U.S. Army’s head night baker when he served in 1957. Decades later, he decided to revive his recipes.

Though Old Town Baking Company has brick-and-mortar locations, including one in San Bernardino, the bakery also frequents farmers markets. In Orange County, farm stands at Manassero Farms and Tanaka Farms in Irvine carry Old Town Baking Company breads, cookies and baked goods daily.

999 S. E St., San Bernardino; 909-945-0400

Vince’s Spaghetti Route 66

Vince’s Spaghetti opened in Ontario in September 1945, starting as a six-stool, open-air restaurant. Grandma Rose cooked the food in her own kitchen, located 50 yards away from the restaurant, and then hand-carried everything to the customers.

The business was run by three brothers and their wives. They chose the location since it was on one of the main roads to Palm Springs at the time. The restaurant expanded over the years and, in 1968, Vince’s seating was up to 400.

As its name suggests, Vince’s Spaghetti is known for its red-sauce pasta. Vince’s claims to serve more than 30 tons of spaghetti every month. Today, Vince’s includes three locations, all family owned and operated. The Rancho Cucamonga location opened in 1984 and serves Grandma Rose’s original recipes.

8241 Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga; 909-981-1003

Old World Deli

This no-frills, old-school Italian delicatessen still serves “the same meatballs just as Ben D’Aquila rolled 50 years ago.”

The family-owned and operated restaurant opened in 1969. D’Aquila was a trained butcher from Queens, New York, who moved his family cross-country to California. They arrived in a 1957 Chevy sedan, armed with his wife Lia’s Sicilian recipes and Ben’s skills as a butcher. Lia, who was a WWII survivor, remembers American troops liberating Italy after the war.

The food served at Old World Deli is a blend of Italian and American flavors – and, in some ways, reflects the family’s ancestry.

At Old World Deli, the Grinder cold deli sub, hot meatball sandwiches, New York-style hot dogs with kraut, and Sicilian pizza by the slice are gateway items to order. But, for regulars – and Wisconsinite transplants – the broasted chicken is not to miss.

Never heard of broasted chicken?

Combine the cooking power of a pressure cooker with a deep fryer and you have the Broaster, a trademarked cooking apparatus built in Beloit, Wisconsin. Broasted chicken, which was all the rage at old-school supper clubs, is less caloric than traditional fried chicken since it is exposed to the cooking oil for less time.

281 S. Mountain Ave., Upland; 909-608-0418

Tartan of Redlands

Tartan of Redlands is the quintessential steakhouse – prime rib on Saturdays; grilled steaks, lamb chops and burgers with thick-cut fries are mainstay menu items.

The American-style steakhouse opened April 15, 1964. Founded by three brothers – Velmer, Al and Art Croteau – the Tartan of Redlands remained a family business for decades. Their nephew, Larry Westen, managed the Tartan and eventually became a partner. Westen and his wife Barbara created the Tartan’s atmosphere, which became known as the “Cheers of Redlands.” When Westen died in May 2003, Larry Westen III took over.

In 2015, the Tartan was bought by Jeff Salamon and his wife, Lisa. Salamon, also known as “Solly,” was born in Boston, Mass., and served in the Marine Corps. Though the ownership changed over the years, the classic cocktail bar and sizable portions remain.

24 E. Redlands Blvd., Redlands; 909-335-8881

Steer ’n Stein

The steakhouse concept sprung to life in Huntington Beach in 1967. Though the Orange County location shuttered, Steer ’n Stein restaurants are still operating in Victorville, Moreno Valley, Hemet and Rancho Cucamonga.

As the name implies, beef and beer reign supreme here. The hand-cut steaks include the top-selling Stockyard and a 12-ounce choice sirloin. But the loaded potato skins are where most regulars start.

8348 Archibald Ave., Rancho Cucamonga

Magic Lamp

The Rancho Cucamonga steakhouse opened in 1955. The atmosphere outside conjures images of Old Hollywood meets Arabian Nights. Inside, red leather booths, white tablecloths and a circular brick fireplace exude a low-key lounge vibe.

The Magic Lamp feels like being transported back in time – and historians agree. The restaurant is recognized in Hampton Hotels’ Save-A-Landmark program as a site worth seeing.

Think: 1950s-style steakhouse with a Rat Pack vibe. Live jazz music on the weekends. Jumbo shrimp cocktails, signature prime rib with Yorkshire pudding and creamed horseradish, tableside carved Chateaubriand filet mignon with Béarnaise and Bordelaise sauces.

Even the desserts nod to old-school 1950s dining trends. The cherries jubilee flambé with cherry brandy and orange liqueur served over vanilla ice cream is simple and delicious.

8189 E. Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga

The Pines Modern Steakhouse

The Pines Modern Steakhouse at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel is continuously voted one of the top dining destinations in the Inland Empire. Wine Spectator honored the restaurant with the 2022 Award of Excellence. Seafood towers, Kobe beef and a cachet of rare, vintage and one-of-a-kind spirits are the eye-catching menu items.

But at The Pines, the steaks are where you should start. Choose from Kobe beef and other prime select cuts. Also be sure to save room for the house-made gelato and crème brûlée.

On weekends, the $79 brunch buffet includes a seafood display with snow crab, oysters and shrimp, a prime rib carving station, and à la carte options such as fried Jidori chicken and waffles, lobster hash and jumbo lump crab benedict.

777 San Manuel Blvd., Highland; 909-425-4889

Gazzolo’s Sausage Co. Restaurant and Deli

The old-world sausage maker prepares handmade sausages each week. The wurst meister uses fourth-generation European recipes to make classics such as bratwurst, bockwurst and knockwurst. Smoked Polish kielbasa and frankfurters emerge from the restaurant’s custom smokehouse.

The best way to sample the wurst meister’s wares are the sausage plates – served with hot German potato salad, homemade sauerkraut or red cabbage, and fresh-baked German bread with butter.

The menu also includes German, Bavarian, Swiss and Austrian specialities such as beef rouladen and wienerschnitzel.

A dessert not to miss: apple strudel that’s reminiscent of a drool-worthy scene from the film “Inglourious Basterds.”

132 E. Highland Ave., San Bernardino

Dhat Island Caribbean Creole

At Dhat Island Caribbean Creole oxtail stew and the yellow curry stewed goat share the menu with portobello sandwiches and green plantains. The Caribbean Creole flavors also extend to brunch. Beignets, cobbler and Southern fried chicken Benedict with Creole hollandaise sauce are great tiptoes for beginners to Caribbean and Creole flavors.

Red beans and rice, which is emblematic of Louisiana Creole cuisine, accompany most dishes.

The oxtail tamales and poisson (pan-seared fish, andouille sausage and shrimp) with grits are heartier dishes that conjure flavors of the islands.

308 W. State St., No. 1-A, Redlands; 909-798-6060

Mr. Kebab

Waled Daoud left his life in Syria in 1999. He immigrated to Riverside and started working as a waiter at Mr. Kebab. In Syria, he was a trained cook and brought that knowledge with him to the States. In 2005, Daoud took over as owner and chef of Mr. Kebab in Redlands. Along with his family, they opened a second location in Loma Linda in 2010.

The menu at both locations features more than 50 dishes ranging from Syrian specialities to all-American hamburgers. Starters include aromatic rice stuffed grape leaves with parsley and chopped tomatoes, kibbeh with ground beef and bulger, and dips such as mutabbal, creamy eggplant and tahini mixed with olive oil and lemon. The main dishes include the expected Mediterranean fare, falafel and shawarma. But Mr. Kebab also features more interesting plates such as quail and lamb chops.

Feeding a larger group? The family plate for five and catering options are available.

11201 California St., Suite A, Redlands; 909-335-8881

First Original McDonald’s Museum

Big Macs and fries are not served here – there’s a McDonald’s less than a mile away on Highland Avenue for that. This museum is the place where Richard and Maurice McDonald got their start in the 1940s, selling burgers, fries and beverages. In 1954, milkshake dispenser salesman Ray Kroc visited, was impressed by the business they had built, and convinced the brothers he could take their enterprise to another level. That’s the condensed version of the McDonald’s story, also depicted in 2016’s “The Founder,” with Michael Keaton as Kroc. If you want to check out memorabilia that celebrates the global fast-food behemoth, or simply stand on the ground where it all began, this is the place. It’s open seven days a week, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.

1398 N. E St., San Bernardino; 909-885-6324

– Additional reporting by Jerry Rice