Desert Destinations: Sagebrush Cafe

Whether you live in the Antelope Valley or you're looking for something to do while visiting this sprawling desert region north of Los Angeles, a nice place to start your day is at Sagebrush Cafe.

Sagebrush Cafe is one of a small number of new-ish, independent coffee shops spread across Lancaster, Palmdale and Quartz Hill, and it is growing quickly into a local establishment and landmark on the west side.

Here is the quick Sagebrush Cafe run-down: espresso drinks (lattes, etc.) that will make your soul stand up and say "Yes!"; locally baked pastries (bear claws, fruit filled croissants, etc.); outdoor seating.

What to do in the area

If you are looking for things to do in the Antelope Valley/Lancaster area, Sagebrush Cafe is a good stopping off point for a trip to the California Poppy Preserve, which is to the west of Lancaster. If you'd like to see some Joshua trees up close without having too drive far, Lancaster's Prime Desert Woodland Preserve is less than five minutes from the cafe

Quartz Hill also offers some unique shopping if you're looking for something less nature-oriented to do on an afternoon or weekend. You may know that this region of California once grew almonds by the truck-load. Some small growers continue to keep that tradition alive. You can find locally grown almonds and find them covered in chocolate, in chili-powder, in toffee, and almost anything else you can think of at Rancho Riviri Almonds, right down the street from Sagebrush Cafe and next door to several antique shops.

A little more on Sagebrush Cafe

The full title of the coffee shop is "Sagebrush Cafe: coffee and art house". The "art house" part comes because the shop functions as an art gallery in addition to being a fully outfitted espresso and snack bar.

Artists from Illinois, Oakland, San Francisco, Ojai and from the surrounding areas of the Antelope Valley have shown in the two-plus years that Sagebrush Cafe has been open for its coffee and art business. All sorts of genres have been seen on the unique display shelves here: photography, coffee painting, illustration, mixed media & collage, water-colors and landscapes, and bubble art.

The main attraction of Sagebrush Cafe is the atmosphere that is created out of a combination of the artwork and the colorful, simple decor, the smell of high quality coffee, the constant sight of buttery pastries and cakes, and the people who gather here.