From the outside, Main Kitchen Cafe Granada Hills, tucked between two shops, across the street from a Walgreens in the Valley – the Queens of LA – looks like any run-of-the-mill diner. But once you enter the cafe, the delightful smell of pancakes, burgers, and spices hits you. And once you try their signature dishes, you know you’ll be coming back.
The Story of Main Kitchen Cafe
In April, 2014, after managing food operations for stadiums and arenas in corporate catering, Courtland Miller and his wife opened Main Kitchen Cafe. Due to their hectic schedules, they never had the chance to see each other. So the idea for Main Kitchen Cafe came out of a need to have better control over their day-to-day lives.
Initially, Main Kitchen Cafe had a limited menu, focused mostly on benedicts. Six months later, there was a winding line outside the door. Nine months later, they expanded and built a quaint dining room.
At the end of Covid, they opened a second location: Main Kitchen Bar & Grill: Canoga Park. Right as the new restaurant made its debut, tragedy struck – Courtland’s wife got breast cancer. She underwent chemo, and just as it seemed she was in the clear, the cancer struck back. She passed away in 2023.
Today, Courtland and his daughter run both restaurants. While this is challenging, the work has helped them honor the late Mrs. Miller by maintaining the restaurants they all built together.
The Food
Courtland described the menu as classic breakfast and brunch fare with a California twist. Chilaquiles and breakfast burritos are some of the most popular dishes. I tried the Sunshine Ranch burrito, named after what Granada Hills was known as in the 1920s.
Since I don’t eat pork, the Sunshine Ranch burrito was perfect for me. The burrito consists of chicken apple sausage, black beans, scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, and potatoes. And my God, was the chicken apple sausage delicious. Chicken apple sausage is usually not offered in breakfast burritos (most I’ve come across have turkey bacon as the non-pork option), so I enjoyed getting to taste a delectable “sausage” breakfast burrito. I couldn’t finish the burrito and had it for my dinner.
One of Courtland’s favorite dishes is the Pork Hash and Eggs. Instead of corn beef and potatoes hashed together, Courtland places potato wedges under fire-braised pork shoulder with mixed greens and two poached eggs. I didn’t try this dish, but my husband did, and he loved how flavorful the pork pieces were.
LA is known for its burgers, and Main Kitchen Cafe is no exception. Courtland only uses humanely raised ground beef for the burgers. His favorite is the brunch burger: a half pound burger with bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onions, sauce, and a sunny egg on top. All of the burgers are a half pound, so if you order one, be sure to bring your appetite!
Celebrity Sightings
Despite being in the Valley, Main Kitchen Cafe has had its fair share of celebrity diners. To honor them, Courtland and his staff have put together a “Eat like the Stars” menu based on certain celebrities’ orders. Stevie Wonder likes the steak and eggs, but adds sauteed mushrooms and onions on top. Vanilla Ice’s go-to is fried chicken, pancakes, and a lot of Coors Light. I would think that a mimosa would pair better with fried chicken and pancakes, but hey, you do you, Vanilla Ice!
Both local celebrities and locals alike pop by Main Kitchen Cafe regularly. Families have been visiting the restaurant for years. Courtland smiled, thinking about the parents who first came with their newborns who are now children able to order on their own.
My Experience
Come ready to eat when you come to the Main Kitchen Cafe. The portions are generous, and you will either need to take a walk or a nap after eating. Every dish I tried was amazing. I particularly enjoyed the Catfish and Grits. I rarely see catfish or grits at restaurants in LA. My mother was from New Orleans, so I remembered eating both whenever we visited the Big Easy. Each bite was a little taste of nostalgia for me.
The Main Kitchen Cafe is open Monday – Sunday from 8am to 2pm. Main Kitchen Bar & Grill Canoga Park is open Monday – Sunday from 8am to 2pm.
Check out the full Main Kitchen Cafe menu.
For neighborhood breakfast and brunch spot recommednation in Queens, with modern fare, check out Celebrate Mother’s Day At The Queensboro – A Modern American Bistro With A Side Of Community.
