Meet Me on the Avenue
The Avenue Cafe. Photos by Jessica Ashley Silva
Spring is right around the corner, but recent years have brought late rains and cold temperatures that make it seem like winter will never end. At a certain point, you submit to the weather and refuse to stay cooped up. The redwoods call so you strap on your hiking boots and whatever waterproof gear you have (skip the umbrella, true northerners don’t need one); waiting on sunshine for your next adventure just isn’t an option.
Four of us ventured out on a recent trip to the Avenue of the Giants. The rain was pouring down but the sky-high redwood canopies intercepted enough of it to keep us relatively dry. After some creek crossing over fallen giants and some trail hopping to see hidden albino redwoods, we asked ourselves what any adventurers would after a morning of exploring: What sounds good to eat?
We returned to the Avenue after a little detour to Bull Creek Flats and headed straight for the Avenue Cafe in Miranda. We walked past (a very handsome) Bigfoot and through the doors to be greeted by the sight of Sheena Hawkins and the savory scents flowing from the kitchen where Jason Hawkins manned the pizza oven. The husband and wife duo bought the place after the stars aligned; just as Sheena closed her shop Blend Boutique in Fortuna, the couple’s friends and former owners of the Avenue Cafe decided to sell. The Hawkinses took over in late summer of 2022. After years of cooking for friends and family at parties and events they hosted, the self-proclaimed foodies were ready to dive into a totally new venture with the whole family. On a given day, you can find their daughters working in the cafe serving customers and washing dishes.
The inside of the cafe is cozy and warm, featuring a wood-slab bar top and a handful of four-tops. The outside patio has additional seating, which is right where we parked ourselves — the overhead heat lamps kept us warm while the rain poured down around the patio’s overhang. Before perusing the extensive menu, we delved into some Imperial Blurberry cider from Humboldt Cider Co., one of the local makers featured at the Avenue Cafe, along with beer from Eel River Brewing Co. and wine from Briceland Vineyards, among other plentiful options.
The menu features all the classics you conjure up in your mind when you think of a cafe — there are hearty homemade soups du jour (for any Olive Garden fans out there, zuppa Toscana is regularly on rotation); bright and fresh salads for those of us who like to eat the rainbow; and sandwiches and burgers galore. The Hawkinses kept the original menu after taking over the cafe but added some must-try options , like the Bigfoot fries, one of the menu’s many starters to whet your appetite. The Bigfoot fries are what originally drew me in to the place — a large plate of crisp fries topped with succulent pulled pork, gobs of melted cheese and a generous drizzle of a balanced barbeque sauce perfect for sharing (also perfect for hoarding to yourself — hey, no judgments here).
There’s Italian fare, too, including pasta dishes, pizza, calzones and focaccia. Now I know what you might be thinking: With such an extensive menu, how’s the consistency? I’m here to tell you, the consistency is on point. The Avenue Cafe’s approach to food is simple: Quality reigns supreme, as the fairer Hawkins tells me. They focus on homemade items, when possible, including their lasagna, meat sauce and marinara, manicotti, and their focaccia and pizza dough. Their pizza crust is balanced, a real Goldilocks situation with good bite and chew, and an airy quality to the pizza bone which I love (dense crust need not apply for this writer’s preferences). And the best part? Ample toppings.
On our recent trip in, the four of us ordered a smorgasbord of food so we could all share. (Hot take: Real friends share their food with you. I can’t be pigeonholed into trying just one dish). My meatball sandwich was divine — homemade meatballs made with tarragon, tossed in Bolognese and topped with melted mozz, in a soft and crusty roll with a fresh salad on the side. And the patty melt, an oldie but such a goodie, featuring Eel River Organic Beef. Now there are two camps when it comes to a good patty melt: those who believe Thousand Island belongs on one and those who don’t. I’ve historically been in the second camp but the restraint with which the Avenue Cafe uses the dressing has won me over with the slight bit of tang commingled with the caramelized onions, American cheese and bonus bacon on toasted rye is *chefs kiss*. Do yourself a favor and upgrade to curly fries or battered onion rings, since they are perfectly fried and you deserve it.
The Avenue Cafe does happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and stays open late for UFC on Saturdays. In summer, the bustling tourist season keeps both the trails and the cafe packed, especially during community events like the Fourth of July block party. In addition to its normal menu, summertime at the cafe also features bakery goods from Garberville’s Il Forno Bakery. But in winter, Miranda, with its just over 500-person population, is a quiet town longing for its northern counterparts to come visit. So the next time you’re up for a rainy drive down Humboldt’s most famous Avenue, Sheena Hawkins invites you to bundle up and head south. She says, “We’re a hidden gem and if people make the drive, they will not be disappointed.”