Pyrenees Cafe on Sumner Street in Bakersfield has been a Basque dining institution since Jean Berneau opened it in 1967, serving the family-style Basque steakhouse meals that have made it one of the most celebrated restaurants in California’s Central Valley — a communal dining tradition imported from the Basque Country of Spain and France by the sheepherders who settled Kern County’s ranching communities and built Bakersfield into one of the largest Basque communities outside of Europe. It appeared in Season 22, Episode 9 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “To Bakersfield and Beyond,” which aired April 24, 2015. Guy Fieri found a Bakersfield institution doing Basque family-style dining the same way it has been done since the Johnson administration — communal tables, multiple courses, and the quality beef and lamb that the Basque sheepherding tradition put at the center of its cooking.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Pyrenees Cafe
City: Bakersfield, California
Cuisine: Basque / Steakhouse
DDD Season: 22
DDD Episode: 9
Episode Title: To Bakersfield and Beyond
Original Air Date: April 24, 2015
Address: 601 Sumner St., Bakersfield, CA 93305
Phone: 661-323-0053
Website: https://thepyreneescafe.com
Status: Open
What to Eat
The Basque Family-Style Dinner — multiple courses served at communal tables including soup, salad, beans, bread, and a main course of quality beef or lamb — is the dining experience that defines what Pyrenees Cafe is and why it has earned its reputation since 1967. The Grilled Lamb Chops reflecting the Basque sheepherding heritage are the item that most directly connects the restaurant to the community that built it. The Steak with the Basque-style preparation — simply seasoned quality beef grilled over high heat — is the other centerpiece that earns repeat visits from the Bakersfield community. Find a Bakersfield hotel on Trivago.
Plan Your Visit
Check the website for current hours. Pyrenees Cafe has been open since 1967 — one of California’s great regional dining traditions.
Address: 601 Sumner St., Bakersfield, CA 93305
Phone: 661-323-0053
Website: https://thepyreneescafe.com
Status: Open
Triple D Essentials
Stream the To Bakersfield and Beyond episode on Amazon. Pyrenees Cafe has been open since 1967 and is one of the great regional American dining traditions.
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Pyrenees Cafe appeared in Season 22, Episode 9 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “To Bakersfield and Beyond,” originally aired April 24, 2015. Jean Berneau opened the restaurant in 1967.