Restaurant name: 3-Zero Cafe

Airport: Half Moon Bay Airport, California (KHAF)

Famous for: Big breakfasts served in a picturesque location

Restaurant tips: This casual restaurant is a mix of country diner, airport hangout and California cool, and is located right on the runway at HAF. There’s plenty of airplane decor hanging from the walls and ceiling, so your pilot friends will feel right at home. Crowds can be large on weekends, so plan for some extra time to wait, and call ahead if you have a big group.

The restaurant is open from 8am-2pm weekdays and 7am-3pm on weekends, so breakfast is the big draw. Whether it’s brioche French toast or savory crab cake benedicts, there are plenty of hearty options to choose from. Prices for entrees are generally around $15-20–not cheap but still an affordable outing for a group.

Airport tips: Half Moon Bay is a fun place to fly to, whether you’re eating at the 3-Zero Cafe or not. A manageable flight from almost anywhere in Northern California, its 5000 x 150 ft. runway is right on the water. If you’re headed there for breakfast, fly down the coastline for a beautiful sunrise over the Santa Cruz Mountains. It’s a unique and impressive arrival.

The airport does not have a tower, but it is very close to some busy airspace–bustling San Francisco International is less than 10 miles away. The complex Class B and C airspace is easily navigated with a little preflight planning, but a moving map GPS or iPad is a major help here. With its coastal location, Half Moon Bay is subject to occasional fog, so check the forecast before takeoff and be skeptical if the temperature/dewpoint spread is close. The airport does have an AWOS for easy monitoring.