Mary Belle's Restaurant

1590 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA
(916) 885-3598

Look for the big statue of a man panning for gold on I-80 and you've found Auburn, one of the last towns to grab a bite on your way into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The city is well-known for its California Gold Rush history, but the most authentic thing here are the funny little shops that still sell gold mining gear. These days, businesses tend to be geared towards Saturday afternoon mother-daughter antique shoppers. Most restaurants feel like casino buffets, with forest green table cloths and country craft interiors. Your basic lunch selections on an afternoon in Auburn are pizza, bland Mexican, or turkey club sandwiches on sourdough. Sadly, there are no old saloons with butt cracks on stools, slurpin chili and drinkin whiskey.



There are about 9 or so restaurants in the 3 block downtown radius and this one seems the oldest and most dated. Pick a table by the window so you can gaze out at the statue, (the statue was created by a local Auburn dentist!) The waitresses are surly and it might be best if you just let them order for you. The potato salad is American, but with black olives. The burgers are great and sport what was called "WAHOO onions"(fried and slightly breaded) . One visitor to this town says that Mary Belle's has the best Reuben she has ever had:

http://sarahromanov.blogspot.com/2005/12/what-sandwich.html

You don't need to put sugar in your coffee with a slice of Mary Belle's homemade pie, it's laced.

I like this place because it feels old and dinerish. Everything is made with a good amount of salt, grease, and shortening. It's what I look for when exploring an old small town: Fries, Meatloaf, and Pie-Betty Crocker style.