In these days of fast food on virtually every corner, one-of-a-kind restaurants are getting harder to find. Fortunately in the Sacramento Valley, there are several wonderful places to eat that are filled with charm and originality. Williams wouldn’t be the same without Granzella’s and Louis Cairo’s. My favorite stop in Colusa is Tommy’s. Yuba City has the Refuge and Cilantro’s.
Where to dine in Richvale? The definitive, in fact the only answer is the Richvale Café. The food is very good but the story behind it is priceless!
This Butte County community with a population of 244 is in the heart and birthplace of California rice country. Originally named Selby Switch, developers changed the name to Richvale to connote rich soils to attract farmers that migrated west from states such as Kansas and Nebraska. The heavy clay soils weren’t suitable for many crops but ended up being ideal for rice. Once rice was planted, Richvale’s future was secured.
The café has also had its ups and downs. Once the site of a grocery store and lunch counter, the facility burned down twice. The unoccupied building became an eyesore to the community with little chance of a new tenant. Community members provided sufficient money to open the café in 1969, with a celebration complete with a ribbon cutting and brass band. Rice grower and local historian Dennis Lindberg played his trumpet in the brass band for the opening ceremonies and remembers it well.
Unfortunately the small town was unable to maintain enough business to keep the café open. Once again the community of Richvale refused to accept the closure. The business operated for a while as a non-profit, which lost out to an IRS challenge. Today the café is managed by the community and receives generous support through fundraisers and contributions to keep in operation.
A real scare happened a few years ago when the café’s well water became contaminated. Once again the community pulled together and funded the very expensive drilling of a new well.
What makes the café so special? The answer is more of a feeling than what words can describe. Perhaps it’s the local rice, honey, barbeque sauce and produce that community members provide for the menu. Maybe it’s the dishes found nowhere else, like the Aviator Special for breakfast (two small breakfast burritos for growers on the go) or the Joe Special, a mouthwatering sandwich named in honor of Joe Josiassen, a rice grower and former Air Force Chef who designed the kitchen. Mr. Josiassen has passed away but this dish is one way the community honors his legacy. It could be the fact that some customers prepay for their meals while others pay their tab at the end of the month. The answer is all of the above and more. A loving community refuses to let this little café go.
Perhaps nowhere else will you find such dedication to a similar cause.
Perseverance saved Richvale farmers a century ago and it’s still paying dividends at the café. Pull your car in from the Midway, have a seat and enjoy small town life. The cuisine may not be French Laundry, but those in Richvale wouldn’t trade it for anything!
A sign that hangs over the grill sums it up pretty well with these words:
“Good food…
Good friends…
Good times!”
Jim Morris is Communications Manager for the California Rice Commission. Jim has worked in communications for more than 20 years. When he’s not on the job, he enjoys his family, faith, football, outrageous monster stories and running marathon
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