LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Hilda’s Coffee Shop
BREAKFAST in AMERICA comes to a (temporary) stop as Hilda’s Coffee Shop in San Anselmo retires, closes, and a new era begins in 2026. Since 1960, Hilda’s has served generations of families daily, lovingly known for their tasty delicious burgers and fries, scrambles, benedicts, omelets, and their legendary German-inspired pancakes. However, it is time for a (total) reboot on this tired space. We are taking on this daunting task with our mission to serve our community. While we gut and rebuild, enjoy breakfast in San Anselmo at:
- Ryan Scott’s Boutique Food (weekends) > CLICK HERE
- LONGWAY > CLICK HERE
- M.H. Bread & Butter > CLICK HERE
- Comforts Cafe > CLICK HERE
- Bubbala’s (at Red Hill) > CLICK HERE
- Barton’s Bagels > CLICK HERE
- Marin Coffee Roasters > CLICK HERE
- San Anselmo Coffee Roastery > CLICK HERE
- Flour Craft Bakery > CLICK HERE
Below: Hilda’s History and Looking Forward, Progress Reports
HILDA’S HISTORY: Longtime owner Sue Kirton retired the family business in September. Declining post-pandemic operations, an exhausted building, and economic challenges sealed the fate of this beloved burger and breakfast spot, finally crushed by new parking meters which destroyed the summer morning business. Some of the Hilda’s kitchen workers have been there for 20 years or more, making this a very difficult decision for Sue after so many years of employee loyalty. Prior to the pandemic, Marin Independent Journal food and wine correspondent Leanne Battelle wrote an endearing review > CLICK HERE
Lo-Tech, Hilda’s never had a website, rarely updated a social posts, and sometimes (rarely) answered the phone. Hilda’s was old school: No reservations, walk-in, grab a menu, sit at the counter, indoors, or on the parklet. Hilda’s was home to thousands of diners the past SIX decades. It’s where George Lucas has countless breakfast meetings with Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, and Harrison Ford. While they never served blue milk here, no doubt that our small town charm, beautiful weather, and special lifestyle here in San Anselmo were the total opposite vibe of Hollywood, and hence the inspiration for not only creative writing, but to build an empire. Imagination Park stands as a tribute to the never-ending dream of the limitless possibilities on person can make, or to that end, how one restaurant can impact a community. (Easter Egg Hunt: Can you find George in a photo on this website? Photo credit; public domain on YELP!)
Legend has it that Hilda’s opened in 1960 in the location across the street (which eventually became Bubba’s Diner). Tor Nielsen’s signature German-style pancakes quickly became the big draw to this little American diner named after his wife, Hilda. Some 18 years later, Tor and Hilda sold the restaurant to Darleen and Brian Young, where their young daughter, Sue, would work and take the wheel in 2006 as operator. Over the years, the menu grew, flood waters threatened closure, they tried dinner, served beer wine, and resolved to focus on the their breakfast, brunch, and burgers. The Mickey pancake is the children’s favorite, breakfasts are hearty, and their tasty delicious burgers never disappoint. Hilda’s is a throw-back to simpler times, where families gather, movie deals are made, friends meet over a cup of coffee, it is home, it is Breakfast In America. Thank you Sue for keeping Hilda’s going for so many years. You will be missed but never forgotten.
Hilda’s Coffee Shop: 1960-2025
LOOKING FORWARD: From the creator of Creekside Pizza & Taproom with a team of local professionals comes an old school new era. After decades of … shall we say “grandfathered” substandard operations, we are required to bring the building “into code” for Environmental Health Services, ADA Compliance, and local Town and State regulations. This will take time and comes with a very high price. There will be demolition and an extensive remodel. That being said, we stay committed to the small-town charm of San Anselmo, local history, and traditional feel-good comfort food.
Our team plans to keep (an improved) breakfast menu and YES…featuring Hilda’s legendary pancakes. We will elevating the quality and presentation of breakfast, reworking Hilda’s popular tasty delicious burgers, plus the addition of our own style hot chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, signature fries, and keeping the premium soft serve. In addition to honoring the the history of San Anselmo, part of our inspiration comes from the long-departed downtown staple, Bubba’s Diner. So, we’ve coming up with a fusion of Hilda’s meets Bubba’s in the 21st century, plus a couple of twists. Yes, we will be “rebranding” with plans to serve breakfast 7AM-11AM with lunch daily from 11AM. Look for our soft opening invites in April, and ribbon cutting in May. Like Creekside, this new venture will be a game-changer in Downtown San Anselmo. We look forward to your support and we look forward to serving you and our community, here in the Heart of Marin. As always …Thanks for encouraging our behavior.
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PROGRESS REPORT: When a restaurant is transferred to a new owner, the space must be brought into 100% current code compliance with the Health Department (there is no hall pass or “grandfathering”). There is/was no “easy fix” on this one. Hilda’s has to be completed gutted to the studs, from stem to stern, which then triggers 100% compliance in today’s building and ADA code. It’s a a full-on mulligan. We have a vision, we have a plan …and so it begins.
- Pictures and timeline to come: Please check back
- 11/20: Interior demolition completed