The Hummingbird House Cafe, in its quaint, century-old building, brings a taste of the Mediterranean to southern California in San Juan Capistrano.

After wandering through Mission San Juan Capistrano in the morning, I was ready for lunch. There were plenty of restaurants that all looked appealing along the main drag, Camino Capistrano, but I was interested in checking out the historic Los Rios district on the other side of the tracks—literally.

The AMTRAK and Metrolink rail line cleaves SJC into two halves, with the train station in the heart of town. Opposite the train station on the other side of the tracks was the Hummingbird House Cafe.

I opted for an outdoor table shaded by the overhead canopy, with a view toward the back fence that separated the dining area from the tracks. You would think the noise from a passing AMTRAK or Metrolink train would be intrusive, but it really wasn’t, simply because the trains moved so slowing entering and departing the station.

The menu has a variety of wraps, sandwiches, salads, and desserts to choose from. I opted for the Chicken Caesar wrap in a plain flour tortilla (you could have chosen from a sun-dried tomato or spinach tortillas, too). The seasoning on the chicken was reminiscent of that on a Greek gyro, and the included side of Greek potato salad was sprinkled with fresh dill. The wrap was huge and could easily be split by two people with smaller appetites. My only minor criticism would be that the chicken was a tad on the dry side.

The staff was friendly and there was no rush to turn the table for the next guest. It was a very relaxing, enjoyable atmosphere (with the occasional train to entertain train nuts like me).  I’d definitely return to explore other items on the menu.

What You Need To Know

Location: 26711 Verdugo St, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Hours:

Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday: 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Cost: Varies

Phone: (949) 443-5090

Website: http://hcafesjc.wix.com/site

Gallery

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Visited: 15 May 2016