Pea Soup Andersen's, Buellton, CA
Pea Soup Andersen's, 376 Avenue of Flags, Buellton, California. In 1924, Anton Andersen, an immigrant from Denmark, purchased part of the land formerly owned by the Buell brothers and opened a restaurant with his wife Juliette. Anton, who was trained in exclusive restaurants in Europe and New York, put his tuxedo in mothballs and donned a bib apron, soon to become his personal trademark. They named their restaurant "Andersen's Electric Cafe," in honor of their prized possession, a new electric stove. They served simple, wholesome everyday foods: hot cakes and coffee, ice cream sodas and such, to highway travelers. Their first customers were the salesmen, tourists and truck drivers who drove the main highway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. In 1928, the Andersen's sank a well and built a hotel and dining room for their now quite popular cafe. Juliette, who was originally from France, had a recipe for pea soup which became quite popular. Just three years after the first bowl was served, they had to order one ton of peas to keep the soup flowing. The Andersen's son Robert joined the family business after graduating from Stanford in the 1930's. His nickname was "Pea Soup," the eventual trademark and official name of the family business.
During World War II, the restaurant closed to the public. The hotel rooms were used to house military personnel stationed locally and meals were served to servicemen and their families. Robert also purchased a small building across the street from the hotel and converted it to a canteen. The canteen was operated by the American Women's Voluntary Services (A.W.V.S.), patterned after a program begun in England. The canteen was called "Co Na Mar Corner," representing all the services: Coast Guard, Navy, Marines and Army. The local Valley members took turns providing meals for the servicemen on weekends.
After the war, Robert reopened the restaurant. In 1965 he retired and sold the business to Vince Evans. The new owner of Pea Soup Andersen's was a larger than life personality, well known and already an established leader in the Santa Ynez Valley. At the end of World War II, Vince began a career in acting and developed a close friendship with fellow actor Ronald Reagan, who later purchased a ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley. Vince and his wife Margery moved to a 900-acre ranch south of Buellton in 1959. They raised cattle, grew alfalfa and operated a feed store. When he purchased Pea Soup Andersen's, he jumped into his newest adventure with the same high energy and enthusiasm that he displayed for many other ventures.
The business thrived under Evans' hand. By then the restaurant was purchasing 50 tons of peas each year, enough for three-quarters of a million bowls of soup! He built an aviary and filled it with parrots, he installed a train for children to ride that went from the restaurant to the area where the motel now stands, and even had a miniature wild animal park for two years. The park was discontinued in 1970 to make way for the addition of a Danish style motel. In 1979, Vince purchased an English Pub that had stood for over 100 years at the Liverpool railway station in London. The Pub was reconstructed in Buellton and opened as a bar and entertainment center. He also expanded the Pea Soup Andersen's empire and opened another location in Santa Nella in 1976. Vince had expansive dreams and the energy to make the dreams a reality. Unfortunately, on April 23, 1980, Vince, his wife Margery, and their 21 year old daughter Venetia were tragically killed in a small plane crash just minutes from the Santa Ynez Valley airport.
After the death of the Evans Family, Pea Soup Andersen's went through multiple ownership changes. In 1999 Milt Guggia, a Central Coast restaurateur, purchased Pea Soup Andersen's Buellton, and in 2007 he also bought Pea Soup Andersen's Santa Nella. He remembered coming to Pea Soup Andersen's as a child with his grandparents and has continued the tradition for future generations.
Pea Soup Andersen's, Buellton, CA
Pea Soup Andersen's, 376 Avenue of Flags, Buellton, California. In 1924, Anton Andersen, an immigrant from Denmark, purchased part of the land formerly owned by the Buell brothers and opened a restaurant with his wife Juliette. Anton, who was trained in exclusive restaurants in Europe and New York, put his tuxedo in mothballs and donned a bib apron, soon to become his personal trademark. They named their restaurant "Andersen's Electric Cafe," in honor of their prized possession, a new electric stove. They served simple, wholesome everyday foods: hot cakes and coffee, ice cream sodas and such, to highway travelers. Their first customers were the salesmen, tourists and truck drivers who drove the main highway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. In 1928, the Andersen's sank a well and built a hotel and dining room for their now quite popular cafe. Juliette, who was originally from France, had a recipe for pea soup which became quite popular. Just three years after the first bowl was served, they had to order one ton of peas to keep the soup flowing. The Andersen's son Robert joined the family business after graduating from Stanford in the 1930's. His nickname was "Pea Soup," the eventual trademark and official name of the family business.
During World War II, the restaurant closed to the public. The hotel rooms were used to house military personnel stationed locally and meals were served to servicemen and their families. Robert also purchased a small building across the street from the hotel and converted it to a canteen. The canteen was operated by the American Women's Voluntary Services (A.W.V.S.), patterned after a program begun in England. The canteen was called "Co Na Mar Corner," representing all the services: Coast Guard, Navy, Marines and Army. The local Valley members took turns providing meals for the servicemen on weekends.
After the war, Robert reopened the restaurant. In 1965 he retired and sold the business to Vince Evans. The new owner of Pea Soup Andersen's was a larger than life personality, well known and already an established leader in the Santa Ynez Valley. At the end of World War II, Vince began a career in acting and developed a close friendship with fellow actor Ronald Reagan, who later purchased a ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley. Vince and his wife Margery moved to a 900-acre ranch south of Buellton in 1959. They raised cattle, grew alfalfa and operated a feed store. When he purchased Pea Soup Andersen's, he jumped into his newest adventure with the same high energy and enthusiasm that he displayed for many other ventures.
The business thrived under Evans' hand. By then the restaurant was purchasing 50 tons of peas each year, enough for three-quarters of a million bowls of soup! He built an aviary and filled it with parrots, he installed a train for children to ride that went from the restaurant to the area where the motel now stands, and even had a miniature wild animal park for two years. The park was discontinued in 1970 to make way for the addition of a Danish style motel. In 1979, Vince purchased an English Pub that had stood for over 100 years at the Liverpool railway station in London. The Pub was reconstructed in Buellton and opened as a bar and entertainment center. He also expanded the Pea Soup Andersen's empire and opened another location in Santa Nella in 1976. Vince had expansive dreams and the energy to make the dreams a reality. Unfortunately, on April 23, 1980, Vince, his wife Margery, and their 21 year old daughter Venetia were tragically killed in a small plane crash just minutes from the Santa Ynez Valley airport.
After the death of the Evans Family, Pea Soup Andersen's went through multiple ownership changes. In 1999 Milt Guggia, a Central Coast restaurateur, purchased Pea Soup Andersen's Buellton, and in 2007 he also bought Pea Soup Andersen's Santa Nella. He remembered coming to Pea Soup Andersen's as a child with his grandparents and has continued the tradition for future generations.