Trinks: An Excellent Cafe and Bakery in Gualala, California

In the small town of Gualala, California right near the sea, there is a really nice café and bakery along Highway 1 called Trinks. It has been a popular spot for my family and I whenever we have a vacation in Sea Ranch, and we always enjoy the friendly atmosphere it gladly provides. We always go in for a cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate (my niece can never get enough), or a cappuccino; basically whatever tickles our fancy. It is also a great place for wifi access as the internet connection in the area is alarmingly slow.

According to the café's website, Trinks was established back in Gualala back in 2003 by restaurateur Kathleen Woodward. She was formerly a preschool teacher and was putting her two children through college when she started baking food at her sister-in-law's restaurant. Later on, she began renting out the ovens there to make cheesecakes and desserts for the local grocery stores, and the demand for her food continued to grow and grown to where she created her own cafe. Kathleen still oversees the business, but it is her son Ross and daughter-in-law Dionely (both graduates of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco) who take on the daily operations.

Breakfast at Trinks is definitely worth the visit. On their menus, they proudly say that all their breakfasts are served with local eggs. Among my favorite selections are their buttermilk pancakes which they make from scratch daily, and there is also the breakfast sandwich which includes house roasted ham among other delectable ingredients. They also have steel cut oatmeal as well as their own homemade granola. This is a must for tourists who want to sample food that is unique to the town they are visiting.

Their lunch menu offers salads and sandwiches, the latter which is served with your choice of a green salad or daily special salad. The Trink sandwich is a top choice as it is served on a toasted ciabatta roll with housemade creekstone beef meatloaf (yummy). You also have got to try their B.B.L.T. (that second B is not a typo) which has delicious applewood smoked bacon and Point Reyes bleu cheese. My mouth waters to where I am drooling over my computer (please don't let me electrocute myself).

As for dinner at Trinks, they serve it two nights a week. Wednesdays have them grilling what many in town call "the best burger on the coast." I can confirm this to be more than true. Then on Fridays, they have a menu that changes each week. Their blog shows some of their past selections like red wine braised short ribs and roasted pork tenderloin.

But the newest item at Trinks that you have to try is their housemade gelato. Basically it's the Italian version of ice cream, and I tried the vanilla flavor, eating it up in record time. My niece really got into the chocolate flavor and ate it all up in a way I never would have at her age. The guy who makes it there is always super excited to serve it to customers in a cone or a bowl.

Going to Trinks has long since become a family tradition for us, and if you are ever cruising down Highway 1 into Gualala, it is worth the time to drop in for a snack or a good sized meal. They also have another location further down the road in Point Arena with the same menu and selections. I highly recommend dropping by Trinks for good times and an endlessly friendly vibe!

Click here to visit Trinks' official website

Click here to see their page on Facebook

Click here to read Trinks' blog

Sources:

Trinks Cafe and Bakery, official website

Trinks Cafe, Facebook page

Dinner @ Trinks: Official Blog for Trinks Cafe, Blogspot.com