The Background

Nestled into the corner of a non-descript Costa Mesa shopping center is one of the best breakfast locations in Orange County: Plums Cafe.

This popular cafe has been located in Eastside Costa Mesa for over 32 years, speaking volumes to its popularity and lasting appeal.

This is a unique Southern California cafe. Many items on the menu are inspired from the Portland and Seattle areas. The menu pops with items you don’t readily see at other breakfast locations.

The Campfire Rainbow Trout, Smoked Salmon Hash, Dungeness Crab Omlette, and Dutch Baby are a few unique items on the menu. The presentation on all the dishes is top notch, making the food look even more appealing.

In addition to the breakfast / brunch menu there’s a good selection of intriguing lunch items to choose from. I’m a sucker for the breakfast items here so I’ve never ventured into the lunch part of the menu. Tempted, yes, but have never pulled the trigger since I have my favorites here!

Plums also offers a number mixed drinks and other adult beverages that go hand in hand with brunch.

The Experience

I came in knowing what I wanted already but did a quick once over of the menu. I hadn’t been here in quite some time, probably a couple years (!), so wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything new that caught my eye. There were definitely a few things that caught my attention but in the end I had to go with my favorite item on the menu – the Raspberries and Vanilla Cream pancakes ($18).

I’ve tried a few other items on the menu but always find my way back to these pancakes. Also, always have to order a side of the thick cut Pepper Bacon ($4), mmmm bacon.

Now you may say that those aren’t all that unique, you can certainly find Raspberry Pancakes at other breakfast places, but these are on another level.

You get a three-stack of Raspberry Pancakes with raspberries layered in between each. Topped with raspberries, raspberry syrup drizzle, vanilla creme, and powder sugar. They bring out an additional plate with a side of butter and syrup, but you really don’t need them.

The pancakes are so light and airy while bursting with flavor. The combination of the raspberry syrup and vanilla creme is excellent. It really creates flavorful bites with the sweet vanilla taste and slightly tart flavor of the raspberries. Three pancakes is just the right amount for myself as well. They’re more filling then you’d expect for something so light!

The Pepper Bacon is always delicious as well. It doesn’t resemble the familiar crispy bacon from other places; instead, it’s brimming with a peppery saltiness. It’s a little pricey for a couple strips of bacon but the flavor makes it worth it to me.

The Verdict

I’ve been coming to Plum’s for years. The food and service have always been top tier. The Raspberry Pancakes are without a doubt a comfort breakfast item I crave and certainly missed.

Overall, Plum’s provides a wide variety of items on their menu. They offer some unique items not found at many other locations here in SoCal. If you’re in the Costa Mesa area and you’re a breakfast / brunch fan, Plums is definitley worth a try!

Plums Cafe

369 E. 17th Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92627

https://plumscafe.com/the-cafe/