Tucked behind rows of greeting cards and scented candles, Valhalla Restaurant and Gift Shop offers a welcoming space and home-style cooking. Valhalla Restaurant and Gift Shop has been a favorite among locals and visitors alike, despite the initial surprise it greets them with. There is a reason why this restaurant has sold over 5 million Danish breakfasts since 1982.
Highlights
- Valhalla Restaurant and Gift Shop gains recognition after having sold over 5 million Danish treats.
- The family-owned restaurant continues to bring a homely vibe to visitors and comes with a gift shop.
- The Viking combo and other specialties continue to win the hearts of locals and visitors alike.
Valhalla Restaurant, The Secret of the Gift Shop
Despite its unusual entrance through a gift shop, Valhalla Restaurant in Central California has made a name for itself among many. Whether locals or visitors, this restaurant has become a place for its homey vibe and Danish treats that have won the hearts of diners. Run by a family, the restaurant is known for its breakfast, lunch, and Danish specialties.
What Makes it Special?
Opened in 1982, the restaurant added the famed gift shop five years later. With little Danish trinkets displayed around the store, it soon became a way to keep customers busy while waiting for their tables.
While the special trinkets keep everyone occupied while waiting for the well-sought-after California meal, the popular menu offerings make the wait worthwhile. Valhalla’s appeal lies in the owner, Kim Payne’s grandmother’s original Danish recipes.
In an interview with SFGATE, Payne mentions how the menu consists of items that she grew up eating. But it doesn’t just stop at the Danish specialties, as she says, “We’re unique,” she explained. “We make everything homemade: Our biscuits and gravy are from scratch. Our pancakes. Our aebleskiver. Everything. It’s not just fill-your-belly food.”
The food continues to remind visitors of home, which is why it has been such a delight for diners who have continued to return to the restaurant.
Specialties on the Menu
The traditional Danish treats are certainly the most loved on the menu. Their Danish breakfast sausage, the Danish sampler, the Valhalla Breakfast Special, and the popular Viking combo have been favorites among diners. Everything here has been made from scratch and according to the original recipes, and it is these homemade recipes that have remained popular throughout.
About Valhalla Restaurant
Valhalla Restaurant has been serving old American-style breakfast and Danish specialties to visitors since it opened in the 1982. While the restaurant later added the gift shop, which became another icon of the establishment, it is the food here that one can never get enough of. The restaurant also faced issues during the pandemic and the recent changes from the Trump administration, but it managed to stay strong through it all. As the popularity of the restaurant continues to grow, it continues to draw both locals and tourists.
